Featured Article

A University of Connecticut scientist has received a three-year federal grant to study the relationship between human activities, invasive species and climate change in Long Island Sound.

As the climate changes what are the human factors that contribute to the presence of invasive species? This is just one of the questions University of Connecticut Professor Robert Whitlatch is addressing through a grant he received from the U-S Environmental Protection Agency. Over the last thirty years Whitlatch and his colleagues have documented the warming of water temperatures in the Sound. As part of this grant he’ll be working with environmental nonprofits and state agencies to prepare for long-term changes

“Both in terms of how the sound is used by humans and also as the waters continue warm what environments and habitats are going to be most vulnerable  to invasion and what that means to other species in the Sound like muscles and oysters.”

Whitlatch says invasive species tend to be found in areas where there are a lot of marinas and other human activity. As part of his research Whitlatch will construct several tanks of water that will mimic conditions in the sound and allow him to test the impact of a warmer climate.