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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Marine Invasions Research

Principal Investigator

Gregory Ruiz

Chief Scientist

ruizg@si.edu

Specialty

Biogeography, Invasion Biology, Marine Ecology

Amy Freestone

Managing Director

FreestoneA@si.edu

443-482-2262

Specialty

Community Ecology, Macroecology, Invasion Ecology

Marine Invasions Research Projects

We are looking at the likelihood of invasion of organisms associated with the live baitworm trade from its source in Maine to its distribution in the United States and working with the industry to develop options to reduce introductions.

Baitworm Trade
We examine diseased corals across the Caribbean and explore the interactions between coral hosts and their microbial symbionts.

Coral Diseases
The goal of eradication projects is to investigate techniques for removal of introduced species, currently targeting the removal of the colonial tunicate Didemnum vexillum on the seafloor of Sitka, Alaska.

Eradication of Introduced Species
We worked with the Maritime Environmental Resource Center to further the efficient and effective transition of ballast water treatment technologies from concept and prototype to certification and routine operational use.

Evaluation of Ballast Water Treatment Technologies
Examine the diversity and distribution of microorganisms (i.e., protists and bacteria) in coastal waters

How Humans Move Marine Parasites
We’re looking for your help detecting mitten crabs – if you see this crab, please report it.

Invading Mitten Crabs
To evaluate the role of floating plastic pollution in transporting species across oceans to non-native ranges.

Invasive Species Rafting on Ocean Plastics
We are detecting new invasions and tracking changes in communities through invertebrate surveys in marine and estuarine ecosystems and collecting data on the occurrence, distribution, and diversity of non-native species.

Large-scale Surveys of Fouling, Zooplankton and Soft Sediment Benthic Habitats
We study current and emerging technologies and management practices aimed at reducing biofouling on ships in order to develop risk assessments for various biofouling management scenarios.

Management of Vessel Biofouling
To evaluate the long term interactions between host and parasite. The hosts are two species of mud Crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii and Eurypanopeus depressus), the parasite is Loxothylacus panopaei.

Mud Crabs and Body-Snatching Parasites
We collect and analyze ballast water management reporting forms submitted to the United States Coast Guard.

National Ballast Information Clearinghouse
The National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System - Records of Marine Introductions in the United States.

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System
The goal of this project is to better understand the community structure and dynamics of the fish and crustaceans that live in shallow fringing habitats of the Rhode River

Nearshore Community of Crustaceans and Fish
We have been conducting annual surveys of the shallow water nearshore community of the Rhode River since 1991 to study predator-prey dynamics between native grass shrimp species and common fish and crab predators.

Nearshore Ecology of the Rhode River
This global-scale project assesses the transfer risks of nonnative marine species associated with commercial ships sailing between oceans.

Ocean Corridors
We identify parasites that reside in the Rhode River, track yearly changes in diversity and abundance, and determine their impacts on ecosystem function, population dynamics, and trophic interactions.

Parasites in our Backyard
We use genetic methods combined with field sampling and lab and field experiments to understand the role of parasites across trophic interactions in coastal waters.

Parasites in the Food Web
We aim to understand the impact of parasites and disease on bivalves.

Parasites of Bivalves
We are examining predation and competition rates in fouling communities on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to determine if tropical communities resist invasion to a greater extent than temperate communities.

Predation and Competition
Our research is aimed at understanding how propagule pressure affects the probability of invasion success across species, habitats, ecological communities and environmental conditions.

Propagule pressure in marine habitats
Recreational vessels are an important vector for the transport of marine non-native species providing connectivity between bays with large commercial ports and smaller bays without commercial ports.

Recreational vessels transport marine organisms
We study the interaction between seagrass hosts and their parasites, Labyrinthula spp., which cause seagrass wasting disease.

Seagrass Wasting Disease
Assessment of the role of commercial shipping in the transport of aquatic organisms

Shipping Transports Aquatic Invaders
The objectives of this study are to characterize commercial shipping networks and develop epidemiology-based models for invasive species spread, with an emphasis on the Panama Canal and Caribbean basin.

Species dispersal through shipping networks

Marine Invasions Research Projects

Baitworm Trade

Coral Diseases

Eradication of Introduced Species

Evaluation of Ballast Water Treatment Technologies

How Humans Move Marine Parasites

Invading Mitten Crabs

Invasive Species Rafting on Ocean Plastics

Large-scale Surveys of Fouling, Zooplankton and Soft Sediment Benthic Habitats

Management of Vessel Biofouling

Mud Crabs and Body-Snatching Parasites

National Ballast Information Clearinghouse

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System

Nearshore Community of Crustaceans and Fish

Nearshore Ecology of the Rhode River

Ocean Corridors

Parasites in our Backyard

Parasites in the Food Web

Parasites of Bivalves

Predation and Competition

Propagule pressure in marine habitats

Recreational vessels transport marine organisms

Seagrass Wasting Disease

Shipping Transports Aquatic Invaders

Species dispersal through shipping networks