This action approves an award in the amount of $749,996 to support the florida gulf coast university's project to address emerging stressors in nearshore benthic communities in the florida keys and…

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 awarded $749,996 to Florida Gulf Coast University under the South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program (CFDA 66.484) on July 1, 2025, to address emerging stressors in nearshore benthic communities in the Florida Keys. The project, which runs through June 30, 2027, will build research and monitoring capacity for benthic microalgae (BMA) while generating baseline field and experimental data to enhance prediction, forecasting, and integrative resource management. Key deliverables include conducting field sampling, developing BMA cultures from Florida Keys locations, and isolating, establishing, and maintaining BMA cultures to evaluate factors influencing growth and toxin production in laboratory settings.

The University of South Alabama serves as a sub-awardee, conducting training workshops and sample and data collection activities, including technology transfer workshops focused on toxin analysis and related molecular techniques. The project's expected outcomes include expanded and refined BMA models and enhanced understanding of BMA toxin uptake in macrophytes and seagrass ecosystems. Direct beneficiaries are the state of Florida's citizens and residents, as the research supports improved environmental management and ecological health of South Florida's critical aquatic ecosystems.

This action approves an award in the amount of $749,996 to support the florida gulf coast university's project to address emerging stressors in nearshore benthic communities in the florida keys and the goal is to build capacity for benthic microalgae (BMA) research and monitoring in the florida keys and to generate baseline data that will enhance prediction, forecasting, and integrative resource management.activities:the activities include to build capacity for benthic microalgal (BMA) research and monitoring in the florida keys and to generate baseline field and experimental data that will enhance prediction, forecasting, and integrative resource management and to establish new BMA cultures from the FL keys locations to evaluate factors influencing growth and toxin production in laboratory experiments.subrecipient:subaward to university of south alabama to conduct training workshops, sample and data collection including technology transfer workshops on toxin and mole.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include conducting field sampling and environmental data while providing survey reports and sample inventory to isolate, establish and maintain BMA cultures. The expected outcomes include to expand and refine benthic microalgal (BMA) models and uptake of BMA toxins in macrophytes/seagrass. Direct beneficiaries are the state of florida citizens and residents.