Project Grant 2506248

This $364,678 project grant, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050), will investigate how groundwater discharge delivers dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and iron to the coastal ecosystems of the West Florida Shelf. The research team, led by Texas A&M University, will quantify the flux and isotopic signatures of submarine groundwater discharge-derived DON and iron, evaluate their bioavailability, and assess the impact on nitrogen fixation rates and the dominant Trichodesmium species in the region. The project will involve sampling offshore groundwater wells, river and estuarine waters, and conducting two expeditions across the West Florida Shelf to compare distinct biogeochemical regimes. The research aims to establish connections between marine nitrogen and iron cycling and evaluate the potential for coastal inputs to modify water along the West Florida Shelf before export to the Atlantic Ocean. The award will fund the work of six graduate and eight undergraduate students across five institutions, furthering NSF's goals of education and training.