University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science researchers Caroline Tribble (left) and Amber Fandel (right) deploying an F POD (bioacoustics instrument) with rockhopper at the Maryland Wind Energy Area (credit Caroline Tribble/UMCES).

Understanding the health and status of ecosystems is essential for coastal management, conservation, and alternative energy planning. This project will establish and develop a Marine Biodiversity Observing Network for the Mid-Atlantic coast. It will include work to transition intermittent observations and sampling to monthly and daily scales, and demonstration of an integrated biodiversity and telemetry observation program in the location of the Maryland Wind Energy Area, leveraging an ongoing monitoring program supported by U.S. Wind, Inc. The project will integrate meteorological-oceanographic data, satellite observations, animal telemetry, soundscapes, and environmental DNA. It will create open access to biodiversity data and information, develop species distribution models that will scale to the Mid-Atlantic region, and engage stakeholders in the development and design of data and information delivery tools.

PIs: Gerhard F. Kuska, MARACOOS/University of Delaware, Matthew B. Ogburn, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

IRA Funded Marine Life award: $1.75M