Author Archives: Randall

About Randall

Dr. Randall Hughes is an ecologist and marine biologist focusing on the causes and consequences of species and genetic diversity in coastal systems. She has conducted experimental work on plants and animals in seagrasses, salt marshes, oyster reefs, and kelp forests. The common thread throughout these activities is a long-standing interest in generating information that can enhance the effectiveness of conservation and management decisions.

Did You Say Mangroves?

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab A few weeks ago, Dr. Ed Proffitt from Florida Atlantic University visited FSUCML to give a seminar here and on campus. Ed and I have collaborated on several proposals, so we used … Continue reading

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The Magic

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab When I worked as a technician for our current collaborator Jon Grabowski back when he was in graduate school, one of his favorite sayings as we headed out to the field was … Continue reading

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The search for patterns

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab The end of summer is a good time to pause and think about any general patterns that emerge from observations over the course of the last year(s). Sometimes it is easy to … Continue reading

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Autumn in the marsh

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab One doesn’t need to look at a calendar to realize that fall is upon us – recent cool mornings are a welcome sign. The marsh is also showing signs of change, with … Continue reading

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The Prairie of the Sea

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab Most of my blog posts have revolved around my research in salt marsh habitats, with mention of seagrasses only in the context of their role as wrack in the salt marsh. However, … Continue reading

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Rain Delay

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab After a summer of relatively problem-free field work, it appears that our luck has run out. Our plan for this week’s post was to discuss our research on seagrass and algal epiphyte … Continue reading

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Is it over?

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab Since my last post, oil has stopped spewing from the Deepwater Horizon well, a very welcome development in what has been a long and grim story. Although it is tempting to feel … Continue reading

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Eating contest: grasshoppers vs. snails

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab One of the really interesting aspects of the marsh community is that it is a mix of sea-based and land-based critters. At low tide, insects and rodents move in, whereas at high … Continue reading

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Can plant species diversity provide protection against oil?

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab Watch Dr. Hughes’ species diversity experiment.  The results could help determine how best to restore marshes affected by oil. With oil arriving on FL beaches, the race is on. We’ll be out … Continue reading

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What were we doing before Deepwater Horizon?

Dr. Randall Hughes FSU Coastal & Marine Lab Watch the “snail experiment.” One of the marsh animals that we have been studying for the last year (in the absence of oil) is the marsh periwinkle, Littoraria irrorata. This snail is … Continue reading

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