Coastal Edges director’s note September 2023

October 5, 2023

Junior faculty research heats up as temps cool down Fall is finally in the air in Florida! In the expansive salt marshes that define the northern coastal margins of our state, this is the season when smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterninflora) shoots up an additional 10 to 15 inches as it flowers and produces billions of […]

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A public-private collaboration is improving predictions of hurricane impacts on coastal communities

September 29, 2023

The United States has experienced 23 extreme weather events so far this year, including hurricanes, that each carry losses exceeding $1 billion, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. In response, experts from industry, government and academia are collaborating to produce forecasts of hurricane damage before they make landfall.   “In Florida, hurricanes are one […]

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Scientists adapt ocean models to monitor and predict estuary health

September 29, 2023

Estuaries are a defining feature of Florida’s coasts. These bodies of water are found where freshwater from rivers and streams meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean. Often called the “nurseries of the sea,” they provide habitat and clean water for humans and wildlife. To understand how these coastal zones are responding to sea […]

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New models of St. Augustine shorelines will aid in their protection

September 29, 2023

In June, a team of scientists and researchers from the University of Florida Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS), the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Villanova University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington traveled to St. Augustine, Florida, to survey eroding shorelines and develop new models to aid in their protection.  “We […]

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Joe Marchionno: Restoring marine habitats of threatened birds

September 29, 2023

Joe Marchionno vividly recalls the sense of wonder he felt as he got an up-close look at a bird for the first time while a colleague at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) attached a small band to the bird’s leg to track its movements. “One of the rewards of doing conservation work […]

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UF RANKED NO. 1 PUBLIC INSTITUTION BY WALL STREET JOURNAL


September 12, 2023

By Abby Weingarten Today, The Wall Street Journal named the University of Florida the No. 1 public university in the country in its “2024 Best Colleges in the U.S.” report.  The Wall Street Journal, which has published U.S. college rankings since 2016, has improved its methodology this year by working with research partners College Pulse […]

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Coastal Edges director’s note August 2023

August 29, 2023

Dear friends and colleagues,  Nearly 900 million people live in low-lying coastal zones around the world, in communities that are disproportionately affected by rising sea levels, ocean warming, increasingly extreme weather and other coastal hazards, according to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres. This global population is a staggering 15-times more likely to die from flooding and […]

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Scientists join forces to support coastal resilience

August 29, 2023

Earlier this summer, researchers from governmental, academic and nonprofit organizations gathered in the Florida Panhandle to compare notes on their latest research findings for the region. Their purpose? Building a collaborative network and identifying priority projects and funding opportunities to rehabilitate the region’s shorelines and reverse water quality declines.   Researchers at the University of Florida’s […]

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Nature helps defend military bases from extreme weather events

August 29, 2023

Five years ago, Hurricane Michael caused massive damage to Tyndall Air Force Base when it carved through the Florida Panhandle. Today, the base is wielding nature’s power to increase the military installation’s resilience against future climate and extreme weather events.   As part of the base’s $5-billion rebuild program, researchers from the UF Center for […]

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Tool Helps Measure Climate Change’s Impact on Septic Systems

August 29, 2023

Failing septic systems are among the key culprits in harming water quality. To help reduce that risk, scientists at the UF Center for Coastal Solutions have developed a tool to identify systems that might release untreated wastewater to the ground and nearby waterways.   The Regional Septic Vulnerability Assessment identifies locations where septic systems are […]

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