Browsing by Author "Gillevet, Patrick M."

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Characterization of Phytoplankton Community Changes in Barnegat Bay Related to the Closure of Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Combining Next Generation Sequencing and Microscopic Analyses : Final Report
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, 2024-05) Ren, Ling; Gillevet, Patrick M.; Sikaroodi, Masoumeh
    Following Exelon Inc.’s announcement that the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS) would cease operation ahead of planned decommissioning in 2029, the NJDEP engaged with researchers to begin an investigation to determine what impacts to marine biota (i.e., phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, fish, and crabs) may occur because of the plant shutdown. Our project was designed specifically to examine the influence on phytoplankton community composition and dynamics. This report comprises a comprehensive analysis comparing all three years of OCNGS post-closure (2018-2021) phytoplankton data to baseline data collected between 2012-2017 as part of the Barnegat Bay Comprehensive Research Initiative, thus in effect the “final report” for this study (see NJDEP| Division of Science and Research | Barnegat Bay). This report also contains the analysis and interpretation of data generated in Year 3 (2020-2021) of the OCNGS project effort.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Salt Marsh Ponds as Harmful Algae Reservoirs
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, 2025-03-27) Ren, Ling; Gillevet, Patrick M.; Sikaroodi, Masoumeh; Yepsen, Metthea; O'Neill, Heidi; Enache Mihaela D.; Grothues, Thomas
    Salt marsh ponds (SMPs) make up a vital component of coastal marshes. The ponds provide unique microhabitats for diverse aquatic organisms, including algae, snails, fish, crustacea, and insects; thus, they function as year-round food sources and shelters for many birds and animals that are dependent on marshes. We carried out a two-year study from May 2022 to November 2024 to investigate the temporal and spatial changes of microalgae, with a focus on harmful algae blooms (HABs) and algal/bacterial toxins in the SMPs of the marsh on the Sheepshead Meadow peninsula in Tuckerton, New Jersey. The study is based on a one-year monthly samplings for microalgae and water quality field measurements performed between May 2022 and June 2023, and three additional samplings performed July-August 2023 for HABs toxin detection. The objective of the study was to determine the presence and extent of HABs and related toxins in the SMPs. We hypothesized that the tidal SMPs can serve as inoculants of HABs and potentially function as harmful algae reservoirs and HAB sources for coastal waters.