Florida’s coastlines are changing, and so are the fish that depend on them.

As rising temperatures push tropical species northward and mangrove habitats expand into areas historically dominated by salt marshes, scientists are racing to understand how these shifts could affect marine food webs and long-term ecosystem stability.

Meredith Pratt, a UCF integrative and conservation biology doctoral student, is helping answer those questions. Her research on sustainable fisheries management along Florida’s east coast earned her the prestigious Florida Sea Grant/Guy Harvey Fellowship. The highly competitive award supports graduate students conducting research that informs marine conservation and fisheries management while cultivating future leaders in marine science.

Tracking a Changing Ecosystem

Pratt studies how tropicalization — the northward movement of tropical species and habitats — is altering Florida’s coastal ecosystems.

“As temperatures rise, mangroves, traditionally found in warmer, tropical regions, are expanding northward into areas historically dominated by salt marshes,” she says. “This shift is influencing the species that live there.”

To understand these changes, Pratt and her team study fish communities along Florida’s east coast. One fellowship-supported project focuses on predator-prey dynamics among popular sport fish, including common snook, red drum and spotted sea trout.

“The most interesting result so far is that the same fish species are eating different things, … and that raises important questions about how continued mangrove expansion could impact the ecosystem in the long term.”

“The most interesting result so far is that the same fish species are eating different things depending on whether they inhabit traditional salt marshes or increasingly dominant mangrove environments,” Pratt says. “While most species primarily feed on shrimp, common snook tend to consume more fish, and that raises important questions about how continued mangrove expansion could impact the ecosystem in the long term.”

These findings were supported through lab gut analysis of fish samples collected in the field using seine nets to determine stomach contents. Because digestion can make some prey difficult to identify, Pratt also used stable isotope analysis, which provides insight into a fish’sposition in the food web based on chemical signatures in its tissue.

“Gut content analysis shows us exactly what a fish recently ate, while stable isotopes give us a longer-term picture of its diet,” she says. “Together, they allow us to answer questions we couldn’t with just one method alone.”

Guiding Future Fisheries Management

The research is both environmentally and economically important to Florida. As one of the world’s premier fishing destinations, the state depends on healthy coastal ecosystems and fish populations to support its recreational and commercial fisheries.

“Many of the fish we rely on start in estuaries and coastal environments,” Pratt says. “They grow in protected areas like mangroves and salt marshes before moving offshore. If we don’t understand how those habitats are changing, we can’t effectively manage the fisheries that depend on them.”

Connecting Science and Community

Pratt is also expanding the impact of her research beyond the lab. Through her National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship, she launched the Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) Fisheries Monitoring Program at the GTM National Estuarine Research Reserve.

“Getting people involved and helping them understand the importance of this work makes a big difference.”

The volunteer-driven initiative trains community members to collect fisheries data at designated sites, including species identification, abundance and size measurements. With nearly 20 volunteers participating, the program provides valuable long-term data while increasing public involvement in scientific research.

“It’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my Ph.D.,” Pratt says. “Getting people involved and helping them understand the importance of this work makes a big difference.”

A Full Circle Moment

For Pratt, earning the Florida Sea Grant/Guy Harvey Fellowship was a full-circle moment. As an undergraduate, she completed many of her classes and research experiences at the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center at Nova Southeastern şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą. Now, funding from Florida Sea Grant and the Guy Harvey Foundation is helping advance her research while providing professional development opportunities in science communication.

“This fellowship not only supports my research but also allows me to connect with other scientists, stakeholders and the public,” she says. “Sharing our findings and contributing to science communication is a really meaningful part of the experience.”

Looking ahead, Pratt hopes her work will support more informed decision-making around fisheries management and conservation.

“Conservation requires research and education working together,” she says. “If we can understand what’s happening and communicate that effectively, we can make better decisions to protect these ecosystems for future generations.”

The Purple Martin Project, led by a  Research Scientist Anna Forsman, aims to attract the bird using strategically placed nests around UCF’s main campus.

Students from Forsman’s biology courses and the worked diligently to place 12 poles around campus to host the birds. Each 14-foot pole holds between six and 18 plastic gourds that function as the actual nesting site, for a total of 144 gourds under study

“These are very social creatures,” says Forsman, a member of UCF’s Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster. “They are colonial nesters, so it will be interesting to see if they prefer poles that have a higher density of gourds or lower. We can hypothesize that the more gourds on the pole, the more nesting we’ll see.”

There are 12 poles paired at six different sites across campus. Some of the gourds are stuffed with pine straw, while others are empty. This will test the Martin’s preference for pre-existing nesting material, along with the density of nests.

Since the Purple Martin is a migratory bird, sighting will begin in early spring and last through the end of summer. Forsman has deployed several incentives to attract the birds.

“We’re getting some speakers that broadcast the chattering of the Martins and some bird decoys to put up on the poles,” Forsman says. “It signals to them that it’s a productive area for them to nest. You can think of it like the suburbs. The birds are attracted to where they feel the safest, most developed nesting sites are.”

The Purple Martin is an ideal species to study for young, aspiring biologists because it is sensitive to environmental conditions. The students helping Forsman will learn concepts like ecology, migration patterns and microbiomes.

Because these birds are also insectivores, Forsman is optimistic the arrival of the Purple Martins on campus will cut down on flying insects.

“I am so excited my students and I are able to study such a multifaceted species,” Forsman says. “Not to mention, less mosquitos on campus.”

“Our designation as a Bee Campus USA builds on our ongoing commitment to address global concerns over the decline in pollinators, especially in urban settings,” UCF’s Arboretum director Patrick Bohlen says. “It also builds on other pollinator initiatives we have joined, including the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge and the Nature Conservancy Monarch Initiative.”

“Our designation as a Bee Campus USA builds on our ongoing commitment to address global concerns over the decline in pollinators.”

In 2016, the Arboretum worked with UCF’s Landscape and Natural Resources to plant the campus’s first pollinator gardens. Since then the campus has established another large pollinator garden near Colbourn Hall. The university’s horticultural staffers are using these areas to test different native and non-native pollinator plants to determine which species perform best on campus.

Last year, the university also placed three honeybee hives in the Arboretum to help improve pollinator activity on campus. Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 80 percent of worldwide pollination.

“Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of 90 percent of the world’s wild plant and tree species,” Bee Campus USA director Phyllis Stiles says. “UCF is a stellar example of the influence educational institutions can have on their students and the broader community. Their talented faculty, staff and students offer an invaluable resource for Central Florida residents in seeking ways to manage ornamental landscapes in more wildlife-friendly ways.”

Chase Mason and Barbara Sharanowski, two professors from the Department of Biology, also serve on UCF’s Bee Campus USA committee with Bohlen. The Arboretum supports student research projects and internships, which helps the campus meet the expectations of the Bee Campus USA program.

“Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of 90 percent of the world’s wild plant and tree species.”

The Bee Campus USA program requires the university to develop policies and procedures to minimize hazards of harmful chemicals to pollinators. Experts in UCF’s Integrated Pest Management program are working to develop more environmentally sustainable pest-control practices. Landscape and Natural Resources is also working to find alternatives to certain pesticides and other chemicals that are harmful to pollinators and other beneficial insects.

The UCF Arboretum will soon publish a webpage with information about UCF’s Integrated Pest Management Plan, native plants on campus and links to student research on pollinator issues. In the meantime, the Arboretum will also post information about upcoming events through its and other UCF media outlets.

Each certified campus must reapply each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year, Stiles says.

The guide showcases outstanding student sustainability projects around the country that are considered best practices and can be replicated by other universities.

“Knights Pick Up,” an effort of the Student Sustainability Alliance, is a roving trash and recycling pick-up service that travels throughout tailgating areas on football game days to help keep the campus clean and encourage recycling. Since the program’s inception in 2008, UCF’s game day recycling rate increased by more than 70 percent. The program is featured on page 37 of the NWF guide, as part of the Recycling and Waste Reduction category.

A student-built biofuel reactor can convert restaurants’ used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel that can power UCF diesel fleet vehicles. Initially a class project for four engineering students in 2008, the biodiesel fuel reactor was built from a water heater and a variety of tanks, tubes and valves. It can produce 60 gallons of biodiesel fuel every two days. The project is featured on page 47 of the NWF guide, under the Transportation-BioFuels category.

“Our students have taken leadership roles in enhancing UCF’s commitment to sustainability and enabling us to serve as a model for other colleges and universities around the country,” said David Norvell, director of Sustainability and Energy Management at UCF. “Our innovative collaborations also help students educate their peers and the community about how to lead sustainable lifestyles.”

Student sustainability initiatives are supported by a number of UCF departments and organizations, including Landscape and Natural Resources, Sustainability and Energy Management, Facilities Operations, Office of Undergraduate Studies, Arboretum, Experiential Learning and Student Government Association.