Booklet for EPSCoR 2013 Conference

Friday April 12 &

Saturday April 13, 2013

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Celebrating the Past Five Years of Supporting

Research in the U.S. Virgin Islands

VI-EPSCoR

Annual

Conference 2013

April 12th - 13th 2013

University of the Virgin Islands

St. Thomas Campus

William P. MacLean Marine Science

Facility

(Friday)

UVI Administration and Conference

Center

(Saturday)

Friday, April 12th 2013

Opening Ceremony held at the MacLean Marine Science Facility

University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas Campus

3:30 p.m. – 3:35 p.m. Welcoming Remarks

Henry H. Smith, Director VI-EPSCoR

3:35 p.m. – 4 p.m. Conference Greetings

Frank Mills, Interim Vice Provost, RPS

Camille McKayle, Interim Provost

David Hall, President University of the Virgin Islands & Chair of

VI-EPSCoR’s Governing Committee

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Feature Presentations

Jeanne Small, Program Officer NSF EPSCoR

4:30 p.m. – 4:35 pm History of CMES and Integration of VI facilities

Paul Jobsis

Rick Nemeth

4:35 p.m. – 4:45 pm CMES Rededication plaque

Paul Jobsis

Kostas Alexandridis

Rick Nemeth

4:45 p.m. – 7 p.m. Tour of Renovated CMES facility/ Refreshments

Saturday, April 13th 2013

Conference Held at UVI Administration and Conference Center

University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas Campus

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration / Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Welcoming Remarks

Henry H. Smith, Director VI-EPSCoR

Denise Barnes, Head NSF-EPSCoR

The Honorable Donna Christensen, USVI Delegate to Congress

David Hall, President of the University of the Virgin Islands

The Honorable John P. deJongh, Governor of the United States Virgin Islands

8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Keynote Presentation

The VI-EPSCoR Identity, Ultimatum and Necessary Legacy

Roy Watlington, Retired Professor of Physics

SESSION 1: Integrated Caribbean Coastal Ecosystems

9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Laurent Cherubin, The Flow Field at Hind Bank is Analyzed in regards to the

Aggregation of Red Hind Grouper (Epinephelus guttatus)

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Joanna Gyory, Fine-Scale Bio-Physical Oceanographic Patterns

at a Yellowfin Grouper Spawning Aggregation Site

9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Steve Ratchford, Advances in Understanding the Role of

Corkscrew Anenomes

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Tyler Smith, The MACX Incubator: Researchers and Students

Combine Their Focus on the Most Important Coral Ecosystem in the Vir-

gin Islands

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. COFFEE BREAK

10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Paul Jobsis, Sea Turtle Research at UVI

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Teresa Turner, Coral Reefs from Multiple Perspectives

11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Rick Nemeth, Biogeography of Transient Reef-Fish Spawning

Aggregations in the Caribbean: A Synthesis for Future Research and Manage-

ment

SESSION 2: STEM Education

11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Donald Drost, Creative Problem Solving: Thinking Skills in

the Science 100 Curriculum: Two Linked EPSCoR Incubator Grants

11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Kirk Lewis, Aquaponics: A Viable Venture in the U.S. Virgin Islands

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Velma Tyson, Professionalization and the Exemplary

Mathematics Teacher: What’s the Connection?

12:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Karisma Morton, An Investigation into Student Understanding

of Domain and Range of Piecewise Functions

12:15 p.m. LUNCH & SPECIAL LUNCHTIME PRESENTATIONS

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Henry Smith, VI-EPSCoR: Today and Tomorrow

1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Open Discussion

SESSION 3: Graduate Research Presentations

2:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. Leslie Henderson, The Relative Importance of Nutrients and Herbivory on

Benthic Community Structure: Nearshore vs. Offshore Reefs

2:10 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. Leann Conlon, The Effects of Increased Heat Flux on the Availability of Zoo

plankton for Heterotrophic Feeding by Mesophotic Coral Reefs

2:20 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Davril Huggins and Latisha Ramsey, Time Perspectives, Motivation,

Sociocultural Characteristics, and Academic Outcomes of UVI Students

2:30 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. Nikita Thompson, Evaluating the Abundance and Size Distribution of Indo-

Pacific Lionfish (Pterois spp.) in the U.S. Virgin Islands

2:40p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Alex Webb, Community Perspectives on Sustainability and Resilience within a

Social-Ecological Paradigm

2:50p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Alexis Sabine, The Impact of Environmental Factors on Recovery of Coral

Lesions in the U.S. Virgin Islands

3:00p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Q & A

3:20 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 4: The Human Dimension: Research and Outreach

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Kostas Alexandridis, How Critical is the Role of Human Dimensions and

Social-Ecological Resilience in Understanding Environmental Trans

formations in the U.S. Virgin Islands

3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Liam Carr, Identifying and Modeling Fishers’ Ecological Knowledge

Through a Coupled Behavioral-Economic Model as a Means to

Describing the Commercial Fishery of St. Croix, USVI

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Bernard Castillo, Screening of Ciguatera Toxins found in Indo-Pacific

Lionfish (Pterois volitans) in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Nick Drayton, Outreach and Education: Strengthening the STEM

Pipeline of K-12 Students in the Virgin Islands

4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Henry Smith, Review of the days proceedings; Discussions and Comments

4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closing Remarks

Abstracts

Keynote Address

Roy Watlington

Email: [email protected]

A decade ago as this University sought to prove the US Virgin Islands eligible to participate in the Experi-

mental Project to Stimulate Competitive Research, the effort was made possible by a ferment conducive to

research that had been developed here over the previous 40 years. From its founding in 1962 the fledgling

College of the Virgin Islands embraced research intended to serve the needs Virgin Islands community as a

full part of its purpose and mission. In so doing it established a tradition and a modest infrastructure that

would support subsequent research activities for the next four decades. VI-EPSCoR grew out of this favorable

ferment and its research has met the requirements of broad useful applicability as well as intellectual merit. Its

future must include informed response to the changing needs of the Virgin Islands, continual advancement of

institutional culture supportive of research, development of stable STEM human resources and accountability

to taxpayers that support this wonderful program

Session 1: Integrated Caribbean Coastal Ecosystems

Laurent Cherubin1, Richard S. Nemeth2, Naseer Idrisi2

1University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of marine and Atmospheric Science, Division of Meteorology and

Physical Oceanography, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149 2Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA

Email: [email protected] (Corresponding Author)

The correlation between tidal flow and spawning is established. After validating a numerical model with in-

situ currents, the transport of passive neutrally buoyant particles used as egg surrogates are investigated nu-

merically to understand flow pathways from the spawning site. The timing, pathway and the pelagic commu-

nities visited during their journey seem to enhance survivorship of newly hatched larvae, retention near and

return to parent home range.

The VI-EPSCoR Identity, Ultimatum and Necessary Legacy

The Flow Field at a Hind Bank is Analyzed in Regards to the Aggregation of Red Hind Groupers

mailto:[email protected]

Joanna Gyory1, Richard Nemeth1, Elizabeth Kadison1, Laurent Cherubin2, and Claire Paris2

1Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA 2University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of marine and Atmospheric Science, Division of Meteorology and

Physical Oceanography, Miami, Florida 33149


Over 150 species of tropical reef fish reproduce in spawning aggregations. Individuals migrate to specific ag-

gregation sites during predictable time windows, and synchronized spawning occurs within a few hours. One

commercially important species, yellowfin grouper (Mycteroperca venenosa), spawns in such aggregations

south of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. In 2006, 2007, and 2008 we conducted visual surveys of fish abun-

dance at a spawning aggregation site. Fish abundance was highest 3-6 days after the full moon in March and

April. We also used a remotely operated vehicle to film yellowfin spawning rushes in March and April 2011

and determined the depths of gamete release. Although spawning aggregations occurred from 30 to 80 m

depth, nearly 50% of gamete clouds were released at 55 m depth. In this study, we analyze current velocities,

temperature, and density at high resolution (1 m depth bins) before, during, and after spawning and compare it

to a nearby non-spawning site to determine whether the fish could be responding to specific oceanographic

cues to release their gametes.

Stephen Ratchford1

1Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA


Thanks to a 2006 EPSCoR incubator grant to Nanette Chadwick of Auburn University and Stephen Ratchford of UVI, we have been able to make many advances in our understanding of the role of corkscrew anemones as central to a rather complex interacting system which includes reef fish, crustacea symbiotic to the anemone, and lugworms. Mike Nelsen’s Auburn MS thesis work found a variation in growth and mortality between 2 sites through this initial incubator. This preliminary information allowed us to secure Puerto Rico SeaGrant funds to extend the work. Ben Titus’ MS thesis work found clonal replication of the anemones to be higher in Brewer’s Bay than at Flat Cay. Lindsay Heubner’s MS thesis showed that the symbiotic shrimps Ancylomenes pedersoni clean a variety of reef fish and that the fish use the anemone crown as a cue for cleaning sta-tions. Several UVI undergraduates conducted their own independent research. Adam Ringel found that the symbiotic shrimp living by the anemones display short term fidelity to individual anemones. Jacinthia Greaux found that lugworms created mounds of sand that could bury anemones leading to some of the mortality seen in earlier studies. Eugene Brooks found that alpheid shrimp living under the anemones can help un-bury the anemones. Sanlin Robinson demonstrated that these alpheids do not need any acclimation to prevent stings from the anemones. Jan Alexis-Barry and Dr Paul Jobsis investigated the role of species-specific anemone mu-cus in preventing stings by anemones. Subsequently we have begun work to see if the shrimp inhabiting the anemones use this mucus to avoid stings.

Fine-Scale Bio-Physical Oceanographic Patterns at a Yellowfin Grouper Spawning Aggregation Site

Advances in Understanding the Role of Corkscrew Anemones


Tyler B. Smith1



Boulder star corals are the primary massive reef-building hard coral species in the Caribbean and form the

foundation for the majority of coral reefs in the Virgin Islands. This group, termed the Montastraea annularis

species complex (MACX), is comprised of three species that form massive colonies meters across and hun-

dreds of years old. Local and global stressors imperil MACX reefs and threaten the ecosystems services they

provide, including shelter for nearly all reef fisheries species, shoreline protection, and nature-based tourism.

Losses have been so acute and severe in the Caribbean that all species of MACX have been proposed for list-

ing as “endangered” species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Under the EPSCoR MACX Research

Incubator Project UVI researchers and students have been integrating their investigations on the bio-physical

processes that shape MACX coral reefs and that will determine their future. Results are engaging the interest

of scientists across the world. This talk will provide an overview of the exciting research results emerging

from the MACX Incubator.

Paul Jobsis1



Of the seven sea turtle species found globally, five are found in the waters surrounding the US Virgin Islands. This makes UVI and excellent place to conduct research on sea turtles. All five species found here are either listed as either endangered or threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. VI-EPSCoR incubator grants have been used to conduct preliminary research on Hawksbill, Green and Leatherback sea turtles. Three Masters in Marine and Environmental Science students have, or will, con-duct their thesis research on sea turtles. Studies have been as simple as surveying Brewer’s Bay for Greens and Hawksbill turtles and more intensive studies testing different nest relocation strategies or the correlation of benthic habitat and sea turtle abundance. VI-EPSCoR support has allowed faculty and students to conduct re-search on St Thomas, St John and St Croix, and develop fruitful collaborations with personnel from US Geo-graphical Service, National Parks Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, as well as the local Department of Parks and Recreation.

The MACX Incubator: Researchers and Students Combine Their Focus on the Most Important Coral

Ecosystem in the Virgin Islands

Sea Turtle Research at UVI

Teresa Turner1



Caribbean coral reefs have shifted from coral dominated to algae dominated. Researchers working with me have examined these coral reef systems from multiple perspectives. One perspective is investigating the role of the long spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum on shallow reefs. Because the phase shift to algae followed the 1982-1984 mass mortality of Diadema, this urchin may play a key role. Eddie Parish, a UVI MMES graduate student, tested whether Diadema feeding was inhibited by its predators. Chemical signals from the king helmet shells Cassis tuberosa produced a significant decrease in feeding, whereas other predators such as queen trig-gerfish and spiny lobsters did not affect feeding. To test the factors that may impact the recovery of urchin populations, Stephen McCauley, a UVI MMES graduate student, studied larval urchin recruitment and juvenile behavior. He found that different areas in Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, had significant differ-ences in urchin densities, but that there was no difference in larval settlement on collectors at each location. This suggests that the differences in urchin numbers between the sites were not the result of larval supply but instead were the result of post-settlement mortality. Another perspective is human dimension of coral reef management that was addressed by Christine Settar, a UVI MMES student, who surveyed 462 Virgin Is-landers. She found that Virgin Islanders had overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards coral reefs, that people who engaged in outdoor activities were more knowledgeable about coral reefs and that more knowledgeable people were more likely to engage in positive stewardship activities (e.g., beach clean ups).

Shinichi Kobara1, William D. Heyman2, Simon J. Pittman3,4 & Richard S. Nemeth4

1Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3146, USA

2Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3147, USA

3Biogeography Branch, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, NOAA MD 20910, USA


E-mail: [email protected] (corresponding author)

Transient fish spawning aggregations (tFSAs) are critical life history phenomena where fish migrate to specific

locations at predictable times of year to reproduce en masse. In the Wider Caribbean region, thirty-seven spe-

cies of fish from ten families are now known to form tFSAs. Although tFSAs likely occur in times and places

that maximize reproductive success, little is known about the complex suite of interacting environmental pat-

terns and ecological processes that dictate the timing and locations of tFSAs. This review was funded as a VI-

EPSCoR incubator and synthesizes the latest advances in the study of tFSAs in the Wider Caribbean to: 1) il-

lustrate the current state-of-knowledge; 2) highlight gaps in our understanding of the geography and ecology of

aggregation sites; and 3) suggest future research needs and conservation strategies.

We have compiled multidisciplinary data on 108 tFSAs across 14 States and Territories in the Wider

Caribbean and reviewed the full range of approaches and technologies applied to study tFSAs. Existing re-

search and associated hypotheses are grouped and examined by data type. We propose a multi-tiered research

framework that provides an incremental approach to information gathering at individual sites and suites of

sites. We advocate applying the framework to facilitate consistent and coordinated data collection and moni-

toring across a Wider Caribbean network of tFSAs.

Coral Reefs from Multiple Perspectives

Biogeography of Transient Reef-Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Caribbean: A Synthesis for Fu-ture Research and Management



Session 2: STEM Education

D. M. Drost1, S. Michailidis2, K. Engerman3, K. Alexandridis3,4

1College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, USVI 2Michailidis Ventures, LLC

3College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA 4Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA

Email: [email protected] (corresponding author)

Two linked incubator grants: Action research in delivering CPS training to underrepresented or at-risk students in STEM disciplines and Assessing the Use of Creative Problem Solving as Curricular En-hancements to Improve Social, Cognitive, and Behavioral Transformation in STEM will be reported on. Both incubator grants were funded in mid-2010. Experimental work in Science 100 class was completed in the fall semester of 2010. Data analysis was completed in 2011. Funding of this pilot program of incorporat-ing Creative Problem Solving Thinking Skills into the Science 100 curriculum lead to an NSF-ERP grant awarded in mid-2010. Results of the pilot program funded by EPSCoR led to important refinements of meth-ods for the incorporation of CPS into the Science 100 Curriculum which commenced in the fall semester, 2011. Results will be presented, both what we learned that refined our techniques for the NSF-ERP grant and preliminary findings of our research.

Kirk Lewis1

1Eudora Keen High School, St Croix VI USA


Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants in a nutrient

rich solution). It is a recirculating ecosystem that allows for sustainable natural growing of food without the

use of harmful pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

As another method of agriculture, students examine the feasibility of aquaponics to regular soil farming. Stu-

dents learn how to manage and maintain an aquaponic system. In this presentation, daily maintenance and

management procedures and parameters will be discussed. Also, the application of aquaponics to other areas

of education and the feasibility of aquaponics to the Virgin Islands will be presented.

Creative Problem Solving Thinking Skills in the Science 100 Curriculum: Two Linked EPSCoR

Incubator Grants

Aquaponics: A Viable Venture in the U.S. Virgin Islands


Velma V. Tyson1, Vanere Goodwin1

1College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, Albert A. Sheen Campus Kingshill, St.

Croix VI 00850 USA

Email: [email protected] (corresponding author)

The 2001 Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences (CBMS) report on the Mathematical Education of Teachers and MCTM’s Principles and Standards for Teaching Mathematics share many concerns and recom-mendations regarding the preparation of mathematics teachers The 1986 Holmes Group Report, Tomorrow’s Teachers, strongly advocates improvement in the preparation of Teachers. The 1995 report of the Holmes Group, Tomorrow’s Schools of Education, makes a case for professionalization of teachers, supported by the Carnegie Task Force, NCTM, and other organizations. NCTM Strongly proposes the coming together of mathematicians and education faculty. The challenges of the twenty-first century intensify the need for strong-er collaboration between these two professions that are key influences in the preparation and professionaliza-tion of mathematics teachers. This presentation proposes the importance of incorporating quality professionalization in every mathematics teacher preparation program, fostering motivation and awareness of desirable characteristics to a level that promotes strength, flexibility, the quest for lifelong learning and ability to provide outstanding service as mathematics educators. Of particular interest are recommendations of the CBMS report and implications sur-rounding research in mathematics education as provided by NCTM. Today’s presentation provides a brief overview of how the Masters in Mathematics for Secondary Teachers Program at the University of the Virgin Islands was deliberately tailored to emphasize and implement these strengths on which its philosophy stands. (The original version of this presentation was made at MathFest 2009 in Portland Oregon)

Karisma Morton1

1College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands Albert A. Sheen Campus Kingshill, St.

Croix VI 00850


Algebra has been identified as the gateway to favorable educational outcomes such as advanced course-taking in mathematics, academic achievement, and greater post-secondary outcomes (Oakes, 1990; Atanda, 1999; Smith, 1996). With that in mind, having access to algebra is considered crucial and has been deemed the civil rights issue of our time (Moses & Cobb, 2001), particularly since students who don’t take algebra early enough may be at a huge disadvantage when it comes to their secondary and post-secondary success (Smith, 1996). In the Virgin Islands algebra is required for all students with most students taking the course in the ninth grade. Unfortunately, key algebraic concepts are difficult for students to understand. One such concept is functions, specifically, piecewise functions. Piecewise functions have immense practical applications and, as such, are very important for students to understand. To accomplish the task of deeper understanding of piece-wise functions, students need to become more exposed to a function’s different representations, namely alge-braic, numerical and graphical. In order to achieve optimal results, exploring these representations using tech-nology can be quite helpful. The purpose of this study is to investigate student comprehension of domain and range of piecewise linear functions using graphical and numerical representations in combination with algebra-ic methods.

Professionalization and the Exemplary Mathematics Teacher: What’s the Connection?

An Investigation into Student Understanding of Domain and Range of Piecewise Functions


Special Lunchtime Presentation

Henry Smith, Director VI-EPSCoR


While VI-EPSCoR reports its annual progress to the National Science Foundation and the VI-EPSCoR Gov-

erning Committee in a regular systematic function, there is no similar process for reporting to another group of

very important stakeholders - the Virgin Islands’ public. The annual conference presents such an opportunity.

A summary report will be provided on recent significant activities and plans for the immediate future. Topics

discussed will include research and community engagement activities, facility improvements as well as fund-

ing status and plans for the immediate and longer term future. There will be an opportunity for the audience to

provide input to the VI-EPSCoR.

Session 3: Graduate Research Presentations

Leslie Henderson1,2

1Master’s of Marine and Environmental Science Program 2Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA


The relative importance of bottom-up (nutrients) and top-down (herbivory) factors in controlling the shift of

desirable, coral-dominated reef systems into the alternate state of undesirable, macroalgal-dominated reef sys-

tems is heavily debated in the literature. Reefs that are suffering from a higher number and intensity of stress-

ors are the forerunners of this unfortunate trend. Nearshore reefs are known to be particularly vulnerable due to

their close proximity to human activities while offshore reefs have a buffer between themselves and the detri-

mental effects of development. To test this hypothesis the project manipulated two common reef stressors, her-

bivory intensity and nutrient levels using exclusion cages and slow release fertilizer (Osmocote®), on shallow

(7 – 12 m) nearshore and offshore reefs found in the United States Virgin Islands from November 2011 to July

2012. Reef plots that underwent combined manipulations of herbivore exclusion and nutrient enrichment dis-

played the greatest change in benthic communities compared to all other treatments and controls, shifting from

macroalgal cover of 0% to 30%. Interestingly, offshore reef plots that received only the nutrient enrichment

treatment did not seem to display an effect of this treatment even though nearshore reefs showed increases in

macroalgal communities. This difference was most obvious in blooms in filamentous cyanobacteria increasing

in nearshore plots from 0 to 20% in some months with an average coverage of 13% compared to an offshore

average of 0.5% across the six treatment months. This difference in response between nearshore and offshore

reefs may be attributed to a healthier fish community present on offshore reefs that was able to increase graz-

ing pressure in open plots where nutrient enrichment was causing increases in macroalgal growth rates.

VI-EPSCoR: Today and Tomorrow

The Relative Importance of Nutrients and Herbivory on Benthic Community Structure: Nearshore vs.

Offshore Reefs


Leann Conlon1,2

1Masters of Marine and Environmental Science Program 2Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA


Zooplankton, particularly those associated with the deep chlorophyll maximum zone (DCMZ), may provide a

concentrated source of nutrition for corals feeding heterotrophically south of St. Thomas, USVI. We studied

the dynamics of these zooplankton using the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS). Changes in heat

flux due to global climate change may alter the depth of the DCMZ and impact its availability for coral feed-

ing. Increases in heat flux may cause the zooplankton to shoal above the depth of the reef, making this source

of nutrition inaccessible to corals. We tested these predictions by releasing passive tracers representing plank-

ton in ROMS and simulated their dispersal under control and increased heat flux regimes. While plankton

were present at the reef in both control and increased heat flux scenarios, the reef in the increased heat flux

scenario experienced an overall decrease in plankton of approximately 22.5%.

Davril Huggins1,2, Latisha Ramsey 1,2, Kimarie Engerman 2 , Kostas Alexandridis3,4

1 UVI Masters in Psychology Program, 2 College of Liberal Arts and Social Science, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas VI 00803

3 Institute for Geocomputational Analysis and Statistics, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas VI 00803

4 Computer and Computational Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Is-

lands, St. Thomas VI 00803 USA


Time has a profound way in guiding our actions, thoughts, and emotions. For more than ten years of conduct-

ing research in the field of psychology of time, Zimbardo has coined the idea of time perspectives. Zimbardo

and colleagues (1999; 2008) noted that there are six most common time perspectives in the western hemi-

sphere. The relevant literature supports the proposition that one’s time perspective is reflected in her or his atti-

tudes, beliefs, and values. Furthermore, the relationship between time perspectives, sociocultural and cognitive

characteristics, reflects a complex system of associations with important implications for student academic

outcomes and success. Our study of time perspectives is important to determine if social and cultural aspects

such as motivation and perceived family support have any association with time perspective and the impact of

there association academically. The data sample UVI students (n= 1017) over a three year period. Quantitative

and qualitative data will be analyzed to investigate any association between time perspective, motivation, soci-

ocultural characteristics, and academic outcome of UVI Students.

The Effects of Increased Heat Flux on the Availability of Zooplankton for Heterotrophic Feeding by

Mesophotic Coral Reefs

Time Perspectives, Motivation, Sociocultural Characteristics, and Academic Outcomes of UVI Students

Leann Conlon1,2



Zooplankton, particularly those associated with the deep chlorophyll maximum zone (DCMZ), may provide a

concentrated source of nutrition for corals feeding heterotrophically south of St. Thomas, USVI. We studied

the dynamics of these zooplankton using the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS). Changes in heat

flux due to global climate change may alter the depth of the DCMZ and impact its availability for coral feed-

ing. Increases in heat flux may cause the zooplankton to shoal above the depth of the reef, making this source

of nutrition inaccessible to corals. We tested these predictions by releasing passive tracers representing plank-

ton in ROMS and simulated their dispersal under control and increased heat flux regimes. While plankton

were present at the reef in both control and increased heat flux scenarios, the reef in the increased heat flux

scenario experienced an overall decrease in plankton of approximately 22.5%.

Davril Huggins1,2, Latisha Ramsey 1,2, Kimarie Engerman 2 , Kostas Alexandridis3,4

1 UVI Masters in Psychology Program, 2 College of Liberal Arts and Social Science, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas VI 00803

3 Institute for Geocomputational Analysis and Statistics, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas VI 00803

4 Computer and Computational Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Is-

lands, St. Thomas VI 00803 USA


Time has a profound way in guiding our actions, thoughts, and emotions. For more than ten years of conduct-

ing research in the field of psychology of time, Zimbardo has coined the idea of time perspectives. Zimbardo

and colleagues (1999; 2008) noted that there are six most common time perspectives in the western hemi-

sphere. The relevant literature supports the proposition that one’s time perspective is reflected in her or his atti-

tudes, beliefs, and values. Furthermore, the relationship between time perspectives, sociocultural and cognitive

characteristics, reflects a complex system of associations with important implications for student academic

outcomes and success. Our study of time perspectives is important to determine if social and cultural aspects

such as motivation and perceived family support have any association with time perspective and the impact of

there association academically. The data sample UVI students (n= 1017) over a three year period. Quantitative

and qualitative data will be analyzed to investigate any association between time perspective, motivation, soci-

ocultural characteristics, and academic outcome of UVI Students.

The Effects of Increased Heat Flux on the Availability of Zooplankton for Heterotrophic Feeding by

Mesophotic Coral Reefs

Time Perspectives, Motivation, Sociocultural Characteristics, and Academic Outcomes of UVI Students

Nikita Thompson1,2, Charles Martin3, Nalinie Ramnaraine3, & Richard S. Nemeth2 (Mentor)

1Master’s of Marine and Environmental Science Program 2Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA

3College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA

Email: [email protected] (Corresponding Author)

Over the last decade, the invasion of the Indo-Pacific lionfish have captured the attention of many scientists

and researchers, due to the poorly understood ecological impacts the invaded species can have on the marine

ecosystems and native organisms. Because of its voracious appetite and lack of predators, the lionfish popula-

tion is rapidly increasing; therefore, this may be challenging for managers when trying to control the popula-

tion and reduce the potential negative impacts. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the lionfish sighting have become

more frequent over the last few year; the lionfish sightings have increased about 45% over the last year. To aid

USVI managers in the efforts to control the population and reduce the number of lionfish, this study will focus

on evaluating the distribution patterns and habitat preferences of the lionfish. In order to do so, a database was

constructed from past and current data of lionfish sightings within the territory. The database included basic

information such as collection date, location, depth, habitat, and size. Preliminary analysis shows that the lion-

fish most commonly occurs in coral habitat, followed by seagrass then mangrove habitats. By continuing to

gather such data will allow me to map the distribution of lionfish and examine the effects of habitat on lionfish

demographics.

Alex Webb1,2 and Kostas Alexandridis2



Due to an unprecedented human presence and influence on the earth’s natural resources and processes the en-

vironmental sustainability and resilience of many areas is uncertain. Our research took an inductive, social-

ecological systems (SES) approach to investigating the collective perspectives of community groups on the

drivers and social process that influence environmental sustainability and social resilience within the US Vir-

gin Islands. We used scenario planning themed focus group discussions, organized among livelihoods based

community groups, in order to investigate their social knowledge and cohesion related to stewardship, sustain-

ability and resilience. We hypothesized that separate groups would exhibit distinct knowledge structures re-

garding the SES dynamics as well as different operational definitions for sustainability. During part of the sce-

nario planning process, an adapted Q method was implemented. Using an experimental analytic SES frame-

work, participants ranked and coded the most significant drivers of change within the system. In addition to

this, each discussion was transcribed into text documents then analyzed using semantic network analysis. Pre-

liminary analysis shows that there was no significant difference between participants regarding the ranked

drivers but varying degrees of cohesion between groups. This project was done in cooperation with local natu-

ral resource management agencies in the hope the results could inform outreach and policy decision making in

the future.

.

Evaluating the Abundance and Size Distribution of Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois spp.) in the

U.S. Virgin Islands

Community Perspective on Sustainability and Resilience within a Social-Ecological Paradigm

Alexis Sabine1,2, Marilyn Brandt2, Tyler Smith2, Dana Williams3


3University of Miami, FL USA


Coral lesions can increase susceptibility to diseases and impair growth and fecundity. Recovery from injuries

that cause partial mortality may be affected by differences in water quality. We assessed tissue regeneration

rates in Montastraea annularis colonies at sites exposed to different levels of water quality around St. Thomas,

USVI. We hypothesized that sites closer to developed areas would have poor water quality, and that this would

impede tissue regeneration. Experimental lesions were inflicted on corals at all sites and monitored for recov-

ery for 64 days. A suite of environmental parameters was measured, including sedimentation rates and water

flow. Multivariate analyses revealed that sediment flux and water flow contributed most to water quality dif-

ferences across sites. The most turbid, impacted site, located adjacent to a cruise ship dock in Charlotte Amalie

Harbor, had significantly slower lesion recovery, while the site located furthest from shore had the highest re-

covery rate. Water flow and turbidity significantly affected lesion recovery rates the most out of all variables

measured. Our results illustrate that in addition to lesion-specific factors known to affect tissue regeneration,

environmental conditions can also control corals’ recovery from damage. Natural resource managers can use

the results from this study to better predict trends in reef health and to protect reefs that have slow recovery

rates by minimizing sources of anthropogenic stress.

Session 4: The Human Dimension: Research and Outreach

Kostas Alexandridis1



Human dimensions in natural resource management and policy represent an emerging area of scientific re-

search internationally. Linking social-ecological systems and the coupling of natural and human factors in are-

as with critical ecosystems is in the core of the science informing environmental sustainability and resilience.

Among the most pressing issues at hand is the need to understand, study and analyze how individuals, human

communities and societies respond, adapt and mitigate environmental changes and transformations. From hu-

man cognition, attitudes and perceptions, to collective knowledge and learning, through to decision and policy

making, human dimensions affect and being affected in fundamental ways by environmental transformations

including climate change, marine and landscape ecosystem degradation, and depletion of our natural resources.

This presentation will provide an overview of some of the key inferences and findings informing our under-

standing of human dimensions research in marine and environmental social-ecological systems in the US Vir-

gin Islands. It will also look at areas of research for which attention has been given and areas where additional

research is needed to understand sustainability and resilience transformations for the future of our local and

regional social-ecological systems.

Impact of Environmental Factors on Recovery of Coral Lesions in the U.S. Virgin Islands

How Critical is the Role of Human Dimensions and Social-Ecological Resilience in Understanding

Environmental Transformations in the US Virgin Islands?

Liam M. Carr1

1Southeast and U.S. Caribbean Conservation Campaign, The Pew Charitable Trusts D.C. 20004


As fishery science continues to make strides toward stakeholder-inclusive, co-management styles of fishery

management, there remain concerns on how the participation of commercial fishers affects the direction of reg-

ulations, particularly where perceptions of fisher bias and self-interest dominate. Fishers, particularly in small-

scale, artisanal fisheries, possess valuable fishers’ ecological knowledge (FEK) on the status and trends of their

resources. FEK provides a uniquely valuable source of ecosystem information, and can be applied to manage-

ment where other forms of data may be absent or difficult to regularly obtain through traditional research and

monitoring approaches. This research combines a bias assessment (Q-Method) to identify the range of com-

mercial fisher views on fisheries management with a coupled behavioral-economic model that can be used to

better describe commercial fishing effort for St. Croix’s major reef stocks. The model demonstrates that Lang

Bank represents a particularly productive fishing ground for St. Croix’s fishing community when they apply

their FEK to maximize value of trips made there. FEK can therefore provide an alternate path from which to

more fully understand fishery health and trends, thereby establishing the foundation from which locally appro-

priate and supported fishery management can form. FEK can also act as a bridge by managers to more fully

invest in relationships and partnerships with the fishing community.

Bernard Castillo II1

1College of Science and Mathematics Albert A. Sheen Campus Kingshill, St. Croix VI 00850


Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is a food borne illness caused by the consumption of fish that contain ciguatera

toxins (CTXs). Typically, ciguatera fish poisoning symptoms include gastrointestinal and neurological effects.

Ciguatera toxins are secondary metabolites that are produced by marine dinoflagellates, more specifically, of

the genus Gambierdiscus. Local government agencies and environmental groups have encouraged the con-

sumption of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) whose white flesh tastes similar to a snapper

or grouper. Our preliminary results showed that 40% (N=20) of the lionfish tested from the west end of St.

Croix indicated the presence of CTX in their tissue. Results also showed that 15% of the tissue samples had

levels above the 0.1 ppb FDA guidance for consumption.

Identifying and Modeling Fishers’ Ecological Knowledge through a Coupled Behavioral-Economic

Model as a Means to Describing the Commercial Fishery of St. Croix, USVI

Screening of Ciguatera Toxins found in Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans) in St. Croix, US Virgin

Nicolas C. Drayton, Assistant Director VI-EPSCoR


This presentation examines the need to stimulate greater K-12 student interest in Science Technology Engi-neering and Mathematics (STEM) in the Virgin Islands, in order to create a more STEM-competent workforce, and to make our contribution to improving the nation’s lag in Global Science and Technology leadership. It describes some of the challenges faced in recruitment and retention of students with a STEM interest, and de-scribes VI-EPSCoR’s Outreach and Education initiatives and partnerships that seek to address these challeng-es.

Outreach and Education: Strengthening the STEM Pipeline of K-12 Students in the Virgin Islands

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under

Grant No. 0814417. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations ex-

pressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of

the National Science Foundation.

Financial support for the work presented during this Conference was also provided by others,

including the Lana Vento Charitable Trust, the Black Coral Penalty Settlement Fund, the Re-

search Institute for Humanities and Nature (RIHN), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-

ministration (NOAA), and the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations (SCRFA).

Documents

Booklet for EPSCoR 2013 Conference