The ecological health of the Treasure Coast and the greater Indian River Lagoon system is set to receive a major scientific boost. Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funding, provided through NOAA’s Fiscal Year 2026 Harmful Algal Bloom Program, will be used to investigate the environmental and biological mechanisms that drive prolonged, toxic algal blooms in the region’s coastal waters.
Harmful algal blooms have long plagued the Northern Indian River Lagoon, which stretches down through Indian River County and the Sebastian Inlet. Recognized as an Estuary of National Significance, the lagoon system supports an estimated $28.3 billion in annual economic benefits. However, persistent blooms have historically degraded local water quality, decimated critical seagrass beds, and triggered massive fish kills, presenting severe ecological and economic challenges for local residents and coastal businesses.
Led by Mingshun Jiang, Ph.D., an associate research professor at FAU Harbor Branch, the interdisciplinary project will compare the dynamics of the Northern Indian River Lagoon with Georgia’s Skidaway River Estuary. While both are shallow, warm subtropical systems, the Skidaway River Estuary experiences stronger tidal flushing and does not suffer from the same prolonged, intense toxic blooms.
“The Northern Indian River Lagoon and the Skidaway River Estuary provide two unique natural systems for understanding why harmful algal blooms become persistent in some systems but not in others. By bringing together expertise in physical oceanography, biogeochemistry, plankton ecology and environmental management, we can examine the problem from multiple perspectives.”
The research team, which includes experts from FAU, the University of Georgia, and the University of South Florida, will focus on several critical factors driving estuary health:
- Water residence time and the impact of tidal flushing
- Nutrient availability and fluxes originating from local sediment
- Fluctuations in water temperature, salinity, and organic matter
- Biological interactions that allow specific algal species to dominate the ecosystem
Scientists will specifically monitor three representative bloom-forming species common to these environments: Akashiwo sanguinea, Aureoumbra lagunensis, and Pyrodinium bahamense. The latter is a bioluminescent microorganism frequently documented near the Sebastian Inlet that can produce toxins dangerous to both local wildlife and human health. Field observations, laboratory experiments, and advanced computer modeling will be utilized to track how these specific species react to fluctuating nutrients in the water supply.
In addition to the NOAA grant, the project is being supported by approximately $200,000 in new funding from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation. This supplementary funding will aid researchers, including Jordon Beckler, Ph.D., and Malcolm McFarland, Ph.D., in studying the specific life cycle of Pyrodinium bahamense and collecting crucial sediment samples to better understand deep-water nutrient fluxes.
Ultimately, the data gathered from this comprehensive study will be used to refine predictive ecological models. For resource managers in Vero Beach, Indian River County, and the broader Treasure Coast, these science-based tools will be vital for evaluating mitigation strategies, providing early warnings for local communities, and protecting the long-term viability of the Indian River Lagoon.
