{"id":16750,"date":"2020-06-22T14:54:05","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T18:54:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/uci\/?page_id=16750"},"modified":"2026-02-25T16:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T21:01:12","slug":"june-2020","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/uci\/newsletters\/june-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"June 2020 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Newsletter<\/h1>\n

June 2020<\/h2>\n

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<\/a>Coastal Lakes Sampling Thrives through Pandemic<\/h2>\n

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When New Jersey issued its stay-at-home guidance in March, Dr. Jason Adolf worried the Coastal Lakes Observing Network<\/a> (CLONet) project could grind to a halt. Instead, the alerts indicating when community volunteers had filed water quality sampling results online continued to roll in, perhaps at a greater pace than before.<\/p>\n

At a time when businesses, parks and boardwalks were closed indefinitely, sampling local lakes offered citizen scientists a welcome diversion. Adolf created a CLONet Facebook Group in April where some participants have shared images of themselves enjoying their few minutes with nature.<\/p>\n

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\"Citizen
Citizen scientists conduct sampling in Asbury Park (left) and Long Branch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe wanted to make sure everyone understood there was no pressure to continue sampling, but if they wanted to and were willing to take the proper social distancing precautions, we would support that,\u201d said Adolf, Monmouth University endowed associate professor of marine science and the CLONet project lead. \u201cI think people were really happy to get outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through CLONet, University staff and students have provided equipment and training to residents from communities surrounding Monmouth County\u2019s seaside lakes to take regular readings from the waters for parameters such as temperature, clarity, dissolved oxygen and pH levels. The volunteers then share their data through an online app, where it can be analyzed by the Monmouth research team. Seven water bodies are currently being monitored: Lake Takanassee, Deal Lake, Sunset Lake, Wesley Lake, Sylvan Lake, Lake Como and Spring Lake.<\/p>\n

The data supplied by residents is supplemented by a steady stream of samples taken twice per week by Monmouth University student Maria Riley. Riley typically starts her rounds at Long Branch\u2019s Lake Takanassee and heads south, checking each lake for the same categories as the citizen scientists, plus a few others that she has specialized equipment for. Her water samples are also shared with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for further analysis.<\/p>\n

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\"A
Monmouth University student Maria Riley gathers a water sample from Lake Takanassee in Long Branch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Riley said sampling has provided her with a unique view of COVID-19\u2019s impact on daily life in the Shore towns.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been fun to see the change over the weeks as I\u2019ve driven from here down through Belmar, how everything is opening up,\u201d Riley said. \u201cIt\u2019s also been interesting to see the passion people have brought to the project.\u201d<\/p>\n

CLONet is now approaching the end of its first year of data collection. It\u2019s a key milestone from a scientific standpoint, as the research team will now have four full seasons of data that can serve as a baseline for comparison to future readings. Through June 1, the citizen scientists had filed data for nearly 300 sampling sessions. Adolf is preparing a journal article summarizing the findings to date so CLONet may offer lessons to other efforts nationally.<\/p>\n

Before the project concludes at the end of 2020, Adolf plans to confer with the community groups that had the highest participation to find out how they kept enthusiasm up throughout the year. He also hopes to obtain new equipment that enables the samplers to directly measure harmful algal bloom (HAB) abundance in the water, rather than just parameters that indicate it, like reduced water clarity and elevated daytime oxygen levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they have this ability and can see the numbers increasing, they would have an early warning of harmful algal blooms and then the state might have time to do something about it,\u201d Adolf said.<\/p>\n

As for this summer, Adolf will be on the lookout for repeated trends from last year in terms of poor water quality along with any indications of system changes due to COVID-19. He noted that humans can cause nitrogen levels to spike by inadvertently loading the lakes with nutrients (e.g. lawn fertilizers and trash carried by stormwater runoff) or emissions from increased vehicular traffic.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople bring the nitrogen \u2013 the more people, the more nitrogen,\u201d Adolf said. \u201cWe know the area where these lakes and estuaries exist is an area where the population increases 73% compared to the year-round population, and on peak days, weekends and holidays in the summer, it\u2019s more like a doubling of the population. If we don\u2019t see that kind of growth in population, there\u2019s a very good chance that the estuaries and lakes we\u2019ve been studying will look different.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/a>UCI Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars Kick Off Summer Research<\/h2>\n

\"\"The Urban Coast Institute has awarded Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Summer Research grants to support seven Monmouth University student-faculty projects ranging from studies of historic discrimination practices in beach access to nature\u2019s power for treating mental health issues.<\/p>\n

The Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars Program<\/a> offers competitive grant funding for students and faculty of all disciplines whose work supports the UCI\u2019s mission. The program supports several hands-on research projects each year that provide real world experience to students while helping make a positive impact in coastal communities.<\/p>\n

The summer projects listed below kicked off this month and will continue until August. All work will be conducted in accordance with social distancing restrictions as prescribed by Monmouth University and the State of New Jersey.<\/p>\n

Adapting to Protect the North Atlantic Right Whale from Climate Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student: <\/strong>Aidan Bodeo-Lomicky<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>:\u00a0 Randall S. Abate, J.D., Rechnitz Family\/Urban Coast Institute Endowed Chair in Marine and Environmental Law and Policy<\/p>\n

The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered species native to the waters off the East Coast with only 400 individuals remaining. The student will prepare a paper that examines the range of threats to the species and the existing regulatory framework in the U.S. to conserve it, and proposes measures to enhance protections for the whale from climate change and the threats that it exacerbates.<\/p>\n

Beach Access and Race Discrimination in New Jersey\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student: <\/strong>London Jones<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>:\u00a0 Randall S. Abate, J.D., Rechnitz Family\/Urban Coast Institute Endowed Chair in Marine and Environmental Law and Policy<\/p>\n

The student will prepare a research paper on beach access policies that were implemented throughout New Jersey\u2019s history to discriminate against minorities and where vestiges of these measures remain in place today.<\/p>\n

Ecotherapy: Nature as a Co-Therapist<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student<\/strong> Researcher<\/strong>: Nicole Owenburg<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>: Dr. Megan Delaney, Department of Professional Counseling<\/p>\n

The researcher will design a qualitative study and a survey that will explore the impact of ecotherapy (contact with nature\/the outdoors as a method or element of therapy) in treating mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and adjustment disorders. The project will also examine the influence of the coastal environment on ecotherapy outcomes.<\/p>\n

Harmful Algal Blooms in Monmouth County Coastal Lakes, Estuaries, and Ocean<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student Researchers: <\/strong>Karly Nolan and Skyler Post<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>: Dr. Jason Adolf, Department of Biology<\/p>\n

This project will build on research that started in 2018 on the prevalence and causes of harmful algal blooms in Monmouth County aquatic environments, including the Navesink\/Shrewsbury river estuaries, the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, and the county\u2019s coastal lakes.<\/p>\n

Reptile and Amphibian Ecology and Conservation in Urbanized and Suburbanized Ecosystems<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student Researchers<\/strong>: Sara Grouleff and Angel Ireland<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>: Dr. Sean Sterrett, Department of Biology<\/p>\n

The team will study the persistence of reptiles and amphibians in areas heavily developed by humans through activities including surveys of turtle and frog populations in Monmouth County\u2019s coastal lakes and the Delaware-Raritan Canal, and experiments with the use of drone technologies to detect diamondback terrapins and estimate their populations.<\/p>\n

Using Artificial Intelligence to Track the Environmental and Economic Consequences of Climate Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student Researcher<\/strong>: Avery Jackson<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>: Katie Gatto, Department of Computer Science<\/p>\n

The team will experiment with the use of algorithms to analyze data related to past natural disaster costs and future sea level rise projections in an effort to estimate the economic costs of climate change in America\u2019s coastal areas.<\/p>\n

Using eDNA as a Tool for Understanding Our Coastal and Estuarine Communities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Student<\/strong>: Cameron Gaines<\/p>\n

Faculty Mentor<\/strong>: Dr. Megan Phifer-Rixey, Department of Biology\/UCI Marine Genetics Fellow<\/p>\n

The researchers will collaborate with Monmouth University and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists to investigate how marine environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used effectively to learn about local waters. Their efforts will contribute to both controlled, experimental tests and field surveys designed to determine how best to use eDNA.<\/p>\n

Apply for Fall Funding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Monmouth University students and faculty are invited to apply now for fall Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars funding opportunities. Fall grants available include:<\/p>\n