Investigator: Susan Laramore, Florida Atlantic University-Harbor Branch
Objectives: The objective is to determine how environmental changes seen during summer impact clam health by employing bacterial and histological analysis. Temperature has a known impact on the proliferation of bacterial and parasitic diseases in clams, while salinity is a factor in the proliferation of parasitic diseases. High temperature and salinity and low dissolved oxygen, typically seen in the summer increase stress and decrease immune response. This project will take an integrated approach by documenting the presence of bacterial and other disease-causing organisms in clams in response to environmental changes that occur during the summer months at Gulf Jackson and Dog Island lease areas. In addition, physiological condition, and responses, such as changes in the digestive tract tubules and presence of food in the gut will be evaluated. Harvest-size clams will be collected monthly at three different lease parcels within each lease area.
