“The chemical properties of the freshwater discharge in the Springs Coast influence the distribution of foraminifera and allow species that would not typically be able to live in these brackish environments to thrive. Areas like the Springs Coast with elevated calcium concentrations and carbonate alkalinities will likely provide refugia for calcifying taxa during times of increased ocean acidification." – Kyle Amergian
Written by: Carlyn Scott, Science Communication Assistant at USF CMS
Lead author Kyle Amergian now works as the Education Manager for the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership. Her coauthors were her advisor, Dr. Pam Hallock Muller, and current CMS graduate student Sean Beckwith.
“Can Areas of High Alkalinity Freshwater Discharge Provide Potential Refugia for Marine
Calcifying Organisms?”
J. of Foraminiferal Research (2022) 52 (1): 60-73.