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Message CHESAPEAKE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY I SOLOMONS, MDISSUE 102Lab Lines February 20251Directors ViewThe snow days have certainly not hindered activities, as many ofour scientists have been attending various national andinternational meetings and workshops. Johan Schiff was inMonaco highlighting a new energy contaminant gadolinium that isused in MRI’s. Solange Filoso is nearing the end of her visitingscientist position in Brazil engaged in expanding internationalcollaborations between Brazil and the USA.Our issue study groups classes continue to result in products thatprovide publicly available information that managers and policymakers utilize. Check out the new publications from IAN orBaltimore Harbor that was a product of the Spring 2024 ISG thatJoy Amadi was a part of. Also Johan Schiff’s class provided awebsite on the pros and cons of iron addition to the environmentOur UMCES 100 year celebrations continue with a recognition onFebruary 25th from the Maryland Senate and our upcomingScience for Community series will be a focused look back of CBL’s100 years over a five week period. The kick off on April 8th willfeature UMCES President Emeritis Don Boesch who is also a partof our Distinguished speaker series March 12th, he will present anoverview of his new book on the history of UMCES.Please keep an eye out on CBL’s event calendar. On WednesdayMarch 5th, we have our UMCES President Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm visiting CBL all day, please make every effort to attend theall hands meeting in the Bernie Fowler laboratory at 11.30am andthe group meetings throughout the day as appropriate.

In Case You Missed It2"Johan Schijf spent 1 week at theMarine Environmental Laboratories ofthe International Atomic EnergyAgency in Monaco. He gave a seminarabout his recent work with HaliKilbourne on coral geochemistry anddiscussed issues related to the globallyprogressive environmental emergenceof gadolinium-based MRI contrastenhancing agents. Gadolinium (Gd) isa heavy rare earth element with highpotential ecotoxicity.Dr. S. Filoso presented at a two-day workshop held onFeb. 6 and 7 with the members of the Forest HydrologyLaboratory at the University of São Paulo, includingProfessor Silvio Ferraz, undergraduate and graduatestudents, and post-doctoral researchers. The workshopfeatured in-person presentations, with additional talksfrom lab members abroad—a post-doc from Colombiaand a graduate student training in the UK—who joinedremotely to share their ongoing research projects, severalof which Dr. Filoso is involved in. The event fosteredcollaboration and knowledge-sharing among allparticipants working on scientific research related toforests, water, and streams.Photo Credit: Johan SchijfPlease note that the graduate student in the front row, Matheus Ogasawara,from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, spent six months at CBL between2023 and 2024 in my lab. He is now completing his PhD, with Dr. Filososerving as his thesis mentor, providing guidance and support for his research.Photo Credit: Solange FilosoPhoto Credit: Solange FilosoLee Cooper and Jackie Grebmeier traveled tothe Pacific Environmental Marine Laboratory ofNOAA in Seattle for a cruise planning meetingand a meeting of principal investigators forNOAA's Arctic Ecosystem projects supportedthrough its Global Ocean Monitoring andObserving Program.Photo Credit: Lee Cooper

This booklet was a project Joy Amadi alongwith her classmates and instructors, workedon last spring 2024 semester. This booklet highlights Baltimore Harbor'scultural and economic significance,environmental challenges, and recentimprovements in water quality. It discussesthe impact of wastewater, climate change,and environmental justice issues whileemphasizing ongoing efforts to revitalizeareas like Middle Branch Harbor for asustainable future.https://ian.umces.edu/publications/environmental-management-of-baltimore-harbor/In Case You Missed It3CLICK HEREHave any noteworthy news to share with thepublic? Don’t forget to share it with the UMCEScommunication team!Ocean Iron FertilizationA Method to Attain the Zero Net CoalitionAs part of the fall ISG course MEES718L "Iron Addition to the Ocean: Climate Fix or Climate Disaster?", ledby Al Place (IMET) and co-instructed by Victoria Coles (HPL), Greg Silsbe (HPL), and Johan Schijf (CBL),our 8 students produced an informative website https://sites.google.com/umces.edu/testwebs?usp=sharing&pli=1 on the scientific pros and cons of this geoengineering concept. The site is currentlyaccessible only from within the UMCES system, but there are plans to further develop it and eventuallymake it available as a public resource.Carbon dioxide is converted by phytoplankton into organic carbon compounds such assugars (the sinking particles) throughphotosynthesis. Phytoplankton can then be consumed byzooplankton or other small fish and crustaceans providing moreenergy to other species. If thephytoplankton are not predated upon, they will go through biological death and sink to the seafloorwhile still retaining the organic carbon they sequestered.

In Case You Missed It4On February 21st Carys Mitchelmoregave the plenary talk to open thesymposium on emerging contaminantsin the Chesapeake Bay, held atMorgan State University in Baltimore.The symposium was sponsored byAlliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Thesymposium highlighted contaminantssuch as microplastics, PFAS,pharmaceuticals and personal careproducts with the goal, to bringscientists together to provideinnovative solutions and collaborativestereotypes to tackle challengesrelating to emerging contaminants.On Tuesday February 25th the Maryland State Senatepresented UMCES with a resolution recognition of the 100 yearAnniversary of improving and preserving Maryland’senvironment through a comprehensive scientific program ofresearch, educator, and public service. This was sponsored bySenator Guy Guzzone.A paper led by Dr. Lisa Wainger, Modifying Social Vulnerability Indices toComplement Physical Exposure Risk Analyses, was chosen as an Editor’sChoice selection by the journal Natural Hazards Review. Editor's Choicepapers are highlighted on the journal's website because the journal's editorshave found the paper to be particularly noteworthy or impactful. The papercan be read for no charge at https://doi.org/10.1061/NHREFO.NHENG-2237and is co-authored by Matt Weber and Elizabeth Price.The article details an evidence-based approach for targeting flood riskmitigation investments to the places where they will reduce the most harm.The research develops an equity weighting factor that increases thepredicted benefits of flood risk mitigation based on the presence of sociallyvulnerable populations. The approach differs from earlier methods ofassessing social vulnerability because it isolates a small set of factors thathave been shown to exacerbate flood risk or slow recovery, after controllingfor degree of physical risk (e.g., storm size, flood depth).

5ASPIREActive Societal Participation in Research and EducationASPIRE combines community knowledge of the most pressing environmental issues with the strengths ofrigors of solutions-oriented geoscience. To facilitate the expansion of community partnership in geoscience,we offer opportunities for early career geoscientists, community members, and academic leaders to enhancecommunity driven geoscience solutions.ASPIRE Immersive Institute Now Accepting ApplicationsWhen: June 16-22, 2025Where: Seattle, WAApply Here by March 15, 2025ASPIRE provides a $2,000 stipendand covers travel costs for thisoffering. For more information,including eligibility and participantbenefits, visitaspiregeoscience.org/programmatic-offerings/immersive-institute/ orcontact Marco Hatch athatchm5@wwu.eduImmersive Institute NowAccepting ApplicationsThe Immersive Institute is centeredaround a week-long workshop forgeoscience postdocs to assistantprofessors to take their community-centered research practice to adeeper level. We invite participantsto join a small cohort ofcommunity-engaged scholars tolearn together with experiencedgeoscientists and our featuredcommunity partner, the DuwamishRiver Community Coalition.

6● Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) TailWinds expanded our projectportfolio with the addition of theMBON project, led by scientists atSERC and MARACOOS. Theproject will aggregate acoustictelemetry and passive acousticmonitoring data collected over theprevious decade and augment itwith long-term offshore eDNAsampling over the next two years.The 2024 field season came to a close in mid-November with the successful completion of our fourthcruise of the year. Due to further industry slowdowns, the FRM portion of TailWinds will now be pausedthrough 2026.Now begins diet analysis! Find Kirsten and Becca digging through fish stomachs in the Secor lab –many thanks to Evan Kostelecky and Ryan Woodland for help in identifying the digested blobs!● Real Time Whale BuoyThe Real-time Whale Buoy continues its surveillanceoffshore Ocean City, Maryland, informing marinersnearby when large baleen whale species are in thearea. Recently awarded a long term extension, theRTWB project is important in conservation efforts toprotect baleen whales including fin, sei, humpbackand North Atlantic right whales! Winter is considered the peak season for detectingprotected humpback whales, endangered fin whalesand critically endangered North Atlantic rightwhales. This is the busy season for us whale folks. Our daily detections can be viewed at the Ocean City Robots4Whales homepage or WhaleAlert app for those interested in seeing whichwhales the buoy is currently detecting. Anticipatingan exciting spring with lots of humpback whalessinging and hopefully less snow! Check out the dielplots to the right showing daily calling patternsdetected for each whale species spanning October2024 to now.● Fisheries Resource Monitoring

Zhu, X., Li, T., Cooper, L.W., Yang, E.J., Jung, J., Cho, K.-H., Yao, Y., and Tang, Y. (2025). Bio-optical properties andradiant heating rates in the borderlands region of the Chukchi Sea: The roles of phytoplankton biomass and sea icecover. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 218, 104458,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2025.104458 Wang, Y., Z. Feng, P. Lin, H. Song, J. Zhang, H. Wu, H. Jin, J. Chen, D. Qi, and J.M. Grebmeier. 2024. Enhanced windmixing and deepened upper mixed layer in the new normal Pacific Arctic Ocean with low summertime sea ice. NatureCommunications 15:10389 Koch, C.W., Sonsthagen, S.A., Cooper, L.W., Grebmeier, J.M., Riddle-Berntsen, A.E., and Cornman, R.S. (2025).Prevalence of pelagic diatoms and harmful algae in tellinid bivalve diets during record low sea ice in the Pacific Arcticdetermined by DNA metabarcoding. Frontiers in Marine Science Volume 12, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1480327. Sultana, A., Asari, V.K., Aspiras, T., Liu, R., Sudakow, I., and Cooper, L.W. (2024). "NABLA-N for meltpond detection ",in: Pattern Recognition and Prediction XXXV: Proceedings Volume 13040, SPIE Defense.https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3016570 Sultana, A., Abouzahra, S.N., Asari, V.K., Aspiras, T., Liu, R., Sudakow, I., and Cooper, L.W. (2024). "Diffusion model-based generation of sea ice data", in: Pattern Recognition and Prediction XXXV: Proceedings Volume 13040, SPIEDefense. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3016574 Frey, K.E., Stock, L.V., Garcia, C.O., Cooper, L.W., and Grebmeier, J.M. (2024). "NOAA Arctic Report Card 2024: ArcticOcean Primary Productivity: The Response of Marine Algae to Climate Warming and Sea Ice Decline,"https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/66872Lucchese, V. M., Vargas-Nguyen, V., Dennison, W. C., Vissering, C., Amadi, J., Matthews, M., Jacobs, G., Komolafe, B.,Fairfield, K., Zais, A., Seddon, H., and Jalkowski, S. (2024) “Environmental Management of Baltimore Harbor.”https://ian.umces.edu/publications/environmental-management-of-baltimore-harbor/Burns, Emily; Mitchelmore, Carys L., Williams, John; Heyes, Andrew; Gonsior, Michael and Davies, Iain. 2025: “Chronictoxicity of the UV filter Octocrylene to the sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata.” Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology.Recent Publications & Awards7AwardsLee Cooper and Jackie Grebmeier wererecognized by NOAA for their continuedefforts writing the NOAA annual ArcticReport Card that is released during the fallAGU meeting and receives lots of mediacoverage. It is a peer-reviewed publicationPublications

In the News8Leadership Maryland announces Executive Program Class of 2025(Maryland Daily Record/Southern Maryland News) February 13.Leadership Maryland announced the Executive Program’s Class of 2025,consisting of 53 business and community leaders from across the state chosen toparticipate in the professional development program dedicated to building a betterMaryland…participants include… Carys L. Mitchelmore, Interim Director andProfessor, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science CBL.Right whale sighting off Ocean City, Maryland, coast: 'Slow Zone' in effectthrough March (Delmarva Now) February 21.North Atlantic right whales were redetected near Ocean City, Maryland,this month. Now, boaters are being asked to slow down until March. TheOcean City buoy operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institutionand University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science redetectedthe presence of right whales east of Ocean City on Feb. 18.Photo Credit: Nick HawkinsWelcome to CBLMaya Drzewicki was promoted to FRA reporting to Michael Wilberg atthe end of January."Hello! I joined CBL as a student in 2022 and recently completed myM.S. thesis titled, “spatial analysis of spot (Leiostomus xanthurus)population dynamics.” I am excited to continue working at UMCES asan FRA! In my new role, I will be working as a modeler for theupcoming blue crab stock assessment. In my free time I enjoy cooking,knitting, and watching movies!"Sophia Kaplan started as an hourly employee working with Lora Harris.Sophia Kaplan (she/her) is the interim ASPIRE Program Coordinator.Sophia is Los Angeles born-and-raised, but moved to the east coast to gether double B.A. in Political Science and Religion at Haverford College.Before joining UMCES, Sophia was a Program Assistant in USAID's Bureaufor Global Health, where she assisted in the creation and implementation ofdigital health policy and programs. Outside of work, Sophia is an activemember of her local community garden, a voracious reader and baker, andpassionate women's soccer fan (go Washington Spirit!).

Upcoming Events9The American Association for UniversityWomen (AAUW) subunit at CBL is hosting the2nd annual March Mammal Madness. Anyoneat CBL can fill out a bracket and we would lovefor YOU to participate! Similar to the NCAABasketball Tournament, several animals will bebattling each other (through a simulation). Ifyou would like to participate, please fill out yourbracket by picking your winners battle bybattle. When your bracket is completed, pleaseshare it to kwade@umces.edu by March 10that 5pm. There will be prizes for the first threewinners as well as bragging rights

Vacuum Pump Safety1. Read the instruction manual. Check the cord to be sure it is in good working order.2. Use only vacuum (thick) tubing. Do not use thin Tygon tubing on the vacuum pump. Usethe shortest length hose required to get it where needed. Replace any old, cracked tubing.3. Place a pan under pump (where necessary) to catch any oil drips.4. Make sure belts and pulleys are covered.5. The exhaust from the pump should be vented to a chemical hood or snorkel. Do not putpumps in an enclosed, unventilated cabinet where heat and exhaust are allowed to buildup.6. Use the appropriate vessel when filtering samples to avoid the risk of implosion. UsePVC coated glass or Nalgene filtering flasks. Check glassware for any cracks or scratches.You can also use heavy walled glass covered with duct tape.7. Use a trap when necessary to protect the pump and tubing from water or harmfulchemicals entering the system.8. When using a rotary evaporator, use a cold trap to prevent solvent vapors from reachingthe pump.9. As always, be sure to wear personal protective equipment when working in thelaboratory.https://www.safety.duke.edu/laboratory-safety/work-practices-ppe/working-safely-vacuumhttps://ehs.princeton.edu/laboratory-research/laboratory-safety/laboratory-equipment-and-engineering/pressure-and-vacuum-systemshttps://ehs.utexas.edu/working-safely/equipment-safety/vacuum-pumpshttps://547446.fs1.hubspotusercontent- na1.net/hubfs/547446/LM%20Landing%20Page%20Downloads/72150_LM_Vacuum%20Pump_eBook_JL%20V2.pdfWWW.UMCES.edu/cbl I 410-326-4281P.O. Box 38 I 146 Williams Street I Solomons, MD 20688-003810Safety Corner: Cheryl Clark