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Reef Indicators Lab
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg
College of Marine Science

Introduction

Pamela Hallock Muller, Biogeological Oceanography
Professor, Ph.D., University of Hawaii, 1977

By studying the geologic record and modern coral reefs, my students and I gain insight not only into environments of the past and present, but also the potential effects of human activities on the future of Earth's ecosystems. Our work has implications for cell biology, coral reef ecology, environmental management, global environmental change, evolution, paleoceanography, sedimentology, and hydrocarbon exploration.

Ongoing projects include:

• Biology and ecology of larger foraminifera and their endosymbionts, with emphasis on the causes and implications of bleaching.
• Effects of coastal pollution on reef communities of Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys.
• Development of indicies of biological integrity based on foraminifera applicable to coral reef environments. View FORAM Index CD.
• Effects of aresenic-laden hot springs on reef-dwelling foraminifera in New Guinea. View project website.
• Effects of hurricanes on reefs in South Florida.

Recent Posters

• Daniels, C. and Hallock, P. 2006. Coral reef assessment: An index utilizing sediment constituents. ASLO; Honolulu, HI.
• Ayoub, L., Hallock, P., Fisher, E., and Cannizzaro, J. 2006. Can spatial and temporal variation in solar radiation provide clues to managing bleaching stress in coral reefs? ASLO; Honolulu, HI.
• Fisher, E. M., Hallock, P., Ayoub, L., and Woodley, C. M. 2006. Symbiont-bearing Foraminifera indicators of reef health: Amphi Index. ASLO; Honolulu, HI.

Links of Interest

• 11th International Coral Reef Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, July 7-11, 2008



• Information for prospective grad students NOTE: Dr. Muller is not accepting new students at this time
• USF Diving Program
• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
• National Marine Sanctuaries
• Biscayne National Park
• US Geological Survey
• USGS Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies
• Molecular Systematics Group
• Bowser foram lab
• Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research
• Illustrated Glossary of Terms Used in Foraminiferal Research

Current Graduate Students:

Kelley Anderson, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Site assessment for artificial reef placement in Pasco County, FL

Lore Ayoub, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Calibrating a bioindicator for photooxidative stress on coral reefs

Rebekah Baker, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Distribution patterns of larger symbiont-bearing foraminifers in the Florida Keys

K'wasi Barnes, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Foraminifera as Bioindicators in Reef Ecosystems: Strengthening the Proxy

Jennifer Dupont, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Effects of the 2005 red tide on epibenthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities in the eastern Gulf of Mexico: Could artificial reefs be effective mitigation tools?

Julia Galkiewicz, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Cataloging diversity of microbial communities associated with deep-sea corals

Michael Martinez-Colon, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Heavy metal pollution culture experiments on tropical benthic Foraminifera

Bryan McCloskey, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Effects of hydrothermally-induced high arsenic concentration on diversity of Foraminifera in Paupa New Guinea

Melanie Peters, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Patch reef communities in Biscayne National Park: Quanitifying baseline shift over the past 30 years

Alexa Ramirez, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Mapping foraminiferal assemblages on patch reefs throughout Biscayne Bay, FL

Heidi Souder, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: The effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on marine calcifiers, specifically symbiont-bearing Foraminifera

Ryann Williams, M.Sc. Student