Schedule*

Printed copies of the agenda and program will be available at the symposium.

Thursday, February 27, 2025- Oral Presentations

Oral research presentations will be in-person at the GTMNERR’s Visitor Center (505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082). View featured presenters and projects in the “Presenter” tab.

12:15 p.m. Check-in opens

1:00- 1:10 p.m. Welcome

1:10- 1:35 p.m. Evaluation of long-term regional water quality trends across the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Estuary, Shannan McAskill, St. Johns River Water Management District    

1:35- 2:00 p.m. Monitoring Estuarine Plankton Communities using DNA Metabarcoding, Ashley Reaume, University of Central Florida

2:00- 2:25 p.m. A Tale of Two Bivalves: Comparing Oysters and Mussels Nitrogen Removal Enhancement, Justina Dacey, University of Florida       

2:25-2:45 p.m. Break 

2:45-3:10 p.m. Evaluating oyster reefs as habitat: Comparing the utility of ecological metrics to assess ecosystem function, Shelby Zeigler, Ph.D., Villanova University 

3:10-3:35 p.m. Assessing unoccupied aircraft and ground-based methods for detecting change in intertidal Crassostrea virginica reefs, Alyah Bennet, University of North Florida 

3:35-4:00 p.m. Save our Swales: Guana Peninsula Wetland Vulnerability to Saltwater Intrusion, Scott F. Jones, Ph.D., University of North Florida


Thursday, February 27, 2025- Poster Presentation Reception

Research posters and the reception will be in-person at the GTMNERR’s Visitor Center (505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082). Music will be provided by Gibson Blue. View featured poster presenters and projects in the “Presenter” tab.

INTERACTIVE TABLES | 4:00- 6:30 p.m.

  • Ongoing Gopher Tortoise Research at the GTM, Ben Atkinson, Ph.D., Flagler College

  • Seeing sea turtles over fours years: lessons learned, Ed McGinley, Ph.D., Flagler College

  • Guana Data Dashboard: Using Collaborative Open Science Tools to Improve Engagement with the Ecology of the Guana River Estuary, Geraldine Klarenberg, Ph.D., University of Florida

SESSION I     |     4:00- 5:15 p.m. 

  • An Investigation of Alkalinity, pH, and Saturation State in the Matanzas River Estuary, Maia Toler, Flagler College

  • Combining high-resolution surveys and numerical modeling to optimize water level management and contain nutrient levels in the Guana Lake, Stefano Biondi, University of Florida 

  • Optical Characteristics of the San Sebastian River, Melissa Southwell, Ph.D., Flagler College

  • Trends in Nutrients and Harmful Indicator Bacteria in the San Sebastian and Matanzas Rivers, Katie Kress, Flagler College

  • Assessing trends in abundance and diversity of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. within the GTMNERR, Nate Schirmer, GTMNERR

  • Marine Primary Production: A Method and Site Comparison in the Matanzas River Estuary, Summer Collier, Flagler College        

  • Biogeochemical Differences Between Degraded and Healthy Coastal Marsh Soils, Jennifer Volk, University of Central Florida

  • Examining the interaction between over-enrichment and facilitation in North Florida salt marshes, Emory Wellman, University of Florida

  • Shifting Landscapes: The Role of Nitrogen and Mangrove Expansion in Soil Organic Matter Stability in Northeastern Florida Wetlands, Mercedes Pinzon Delgado, University of Central Florida          

  • Nutrient Assimilation by Guana River Bivalves, Hallie Fischman, Ph.D., University of Florida

  • Oyster Monitoring in the GTMNERR: Past, Present, and Future, Hans Prevost, GTMNERR        

  • Harnessing the power of conservation storytelling for the GTMNERR, Jaleigh Goben, Cornell University

SESSION II     |     5:15- 6:30 p.m. 

  • Analyzing wetland plant communities to gain insights into coastal freshwater marsh resilience to saltwater intrusion on the Guana Peninsula, Emily Hill, University of North Florida

  • Investigating short-term deposition and accretion rates across salt marsh and mangrove communities within the GTMNERR, Jacob Berna, University of North Florida                       

  • Mangrove Migration within GTMNERR: Investigating mangrove reproductive effort during a  climate-driven range expansion, Samantha Rosa, University of Maryland     

  • Mangrove pneumatophores respond to hydrology and fertilization in the GTMNERR marshes, Phillip Rivera, Villanova University       

  • Quantifying Coastal Wetland Marsh Loss in Northeast Florida using Satellite Imagery and Supervised Machine Learning, Aaron Freeman, Villanova University

  • Long Term Changes and Influences on the Fish Community in a Dynamic Saltmarsh-Mangrove Ecotone, Meredith Pratt, University of Central Florida

  • Bat Biodiversity and Acoustic Monitoring in the Fish Island Preserve, St. Augustine, Florida, Paige Blumbek, Flagler College

  • Factors Influencing the Distribution and Abundance of Nuisance and Vector Mosquito Populations in St. Johns County, Florida, Lauren VanRhee, Anastasia Mosquito Control District  

  • Herpetofaunal Monitoring in the GTM Research Reserve will Inform Management Practices, Zach Lepera and Erica Fisher, GTMNERR

  • Integrated Management of Invasive Plants at the GTM Reserve, Ely Brooks, GTMNERR Volunteer 

*Schedule as of 1/7/2025. Schedule is subject to change.