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, including causes and implications of bleaching. Testing of indices of biological integrity based on foraminifera applicable to subtropical/tropical coastal environments. View FORAM Index CD
• Effects of ocean acidification on larger foraminifers and other marine organisms.
  Aquarius: Mission 6, 2008
  Aquarius: Mission 7, 2008
  Aquarius: Mission 6, 2009
• Toxic effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on benthic foraminifers.
• See also thesis and dissertation topics of Current Graduate Students.
• See also Reef Lab Graduates and Their Thesis or Dissertation Titles

Recent Theses and Dissertations

• See also thesis and dissertation topics of Recent Graduate Students
• Can waters around Durney Key, Pasco County, Florida, support coral recruitment to artificial substrates? Master’s thesis of Kelley Anderson, 12/08.
• Can colored dissolved organic material protect coral reefs by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation? Ph.D. Dissertation of Lore Ayoub, 5/09.
• Ecological dynamics of livebottom ledges and artificial reefs on the inner central west Florida shelf. Ph.D. Dissertation of Jennifer Dupont, 5/09.
• Foraminiferal responses to arsenic in a shallow-water hydrothermal system in Papua New Guinea and in the laboratory. Ph.D. Dissertation of Bryan McCloskey, 5/09.  View Project Website
• Shell abnormalities in Archaias angulatus (Foraminifera) from the Florida Keys: An indication of increasing environmental stress? Ph.D. Dissertation of Heidi L. Souder, 5/09.

Links of Interest

• Information for prospective grad students
• 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
• Association for Women Geoscientists, Distinguised Lecturer Program
• Suprenand Photographic Adventures, Research with Paul Suprenand

Current Graduate Students:

Adrienne George, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Coral diseases

Mark Hartman, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Assessment of Diver Damage during the Spiny Lobster Sport Season, Florida Keys, USA

Michael Martinez-Colon, Ph.D. Candidate

Dissertation Topic: Pollutants and foraminiferal assemblages in Jobos Bay and Torrecilla Lagoon: An environmental micropaleontology approach

Natasha Mendez-Ferrer, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Characterizing photic stress in Amphistegina (Foraminifera)

Kristin Netchy, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: To be determined

Butch Ringelspaugh, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Effects of effects of ocean acidification on the Caribbean/Atlantic, Acropora spp

Ben Ross, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Developing protocols for testing the acute toxicity and sub-acute effects of toxic chemicals on the symbiotic foraminifer, Amphistegina gibbosa

Lucy Sprung, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Coral Recruitment to Disturbed Patch Reefs of the Florida Reef Tract

Paul Suprenand, Ph.D. Candidate (co-advisor, major advisor is Dr. Ben Flower)

Dissertation Topic: Investigations for utilizing pteropods as bioindicators of environmental change

Heidi Toomey, M.Sc. Student

Thesis Topic: Microbial ecology of corals

Libby Tyner, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Biofilms

Katherine Wirt, Ph.D. Student

Dissertation Topic: Critical habitat of Acropora spp. on reefs of Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands