In the Press
Saturating relationship between phytoplankton growth rate and nutrient concentration explained by macromolecular allocation
This study addresses an outstanding question across biological disciplines: What are the cellular processes behind the widely used Monod mathematical model? This model often describes nutrient interactions and growth rate; however, details on cellular physiology behind the relationship remain largely unknown. Our study explains the cellular mechanics behind this observed relationship. We used a macromolecular model of phytoplankton (CFM-Phyto), developed by Dr. Inomura at the Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO)/University of Rhode Island (URI) and his colleagues, to assess the ability of CFM-Phyto to reproduce the relationship often given by the Monod equation and to provide an explanation of why this trend occurs.
Revealing nitrous oxide emissions from forest soils of the Congo Basin
Dr. Pereira was part of international team that identified the dynamics of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in one of the least studied sites in the world, the Congo Basin. Her contributions to the study revealed the role of soil microorganisms driving the reductions of N2O to N2, explaining the N2O fluxes variation. The study was published in The ISME Journal
Deep sea Pacific Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges are highly biodiverse
6/30/2021 - Dr. Erin Easton, co-auther of Deep-sea biodiversity at the extremes of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges with implications for conservation, featured in EurekAlert! AAASThe Conversation - After a nuclear war, the world’s emergency food supply could be seafood — if overfishing stops now
Harrison Lab PNAS paper featured in The Conversation
NBC 23 KVEO - UTRGV Marine summer camp underway
6/13/2019 - PORT ISABEL, Texas — Protecting wildlife and promoting education. Today marks the first of many Marine Science camps at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. From local fish and other marine animals, it is a unique hands-on approach aimed at inspiring future generations. [Story continued on linked page.]
Brownsville Herald - Floating School: Kids explore sea life aboard marine vessel
6/13/2019 - The Coastal Kids Marine Science Day Camp kicked off Thursday at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Coastal Studies Lab in South Padre Island. The camp is taught at the “Ridley floating classroom,” a 57-foot marine vessel fully equipped for research and learning. Children at the camp used plankton nets, trawls, water and sediment samplers and test are given to kids to gain an understanding in the research of marine biology, ecology and human impacts on the marine environment, according to its official website. [Story continued on linked page.]
CBS 4 Valley Central - Special Report: Climate of Change in the Rio Grande Valley
5/21/2019 - Dr. Chris Gabler and four of his graduate students were interviewed during a sweeps week special report about how climate change will affect the communities and ecosystems of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The story featured video and imagery of the Gabler Lab at one of their experimental field sites in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge near Brownsville, TX, where they are manipulating rainfall to investigate the impacts of changes in precipitation on plant communities and wetland ecosystem services.