The Mote Marine Laboratory established the “Protect Our Reefs” specialty license plate program to cover research expenses for coral reef research and restoration. Since its inception in 2004, the program has awarded grants totaling more than $5.2 million to support partnerships that focus on research, education, and conservation efforts. During her time at the Mote lab, Taylor Queen, a rising-senior environmental studies and marine science student from Athens, Tennessee, will be working alongside Gillian Smith, a rising-junior marine science student from Indianola, Iowa.
Taylor had previously conducted research with Eckerd students at the Mote lab last summer, focusing on stone crabs. The current project involves studying the behavior and physiology of Caribbean king crabs in relation to coral restoration efforts, particularly in new climate conditions. Taylor is focusing her senior thesis on three main research questions. The first question centers around how chemical cues in the crabs’ natural environment impact their growth and survival as larvae. The second question explores the survival, oxygen consumption, and hatching success of larvae under different ocean temperatures. Lastly, the third question examines how various ocean temperatures affect the swimming speed and behavior of larvae, providing insights into potential population demographic changes as water temperatures rise.
The “Protect Our Reefs” Grants Program has reviewed 433 proposals since its inception and awarded grants to 245 projects to support partnerships that focus on research, education
