Five Year Achievements Morgan State University Research Magazine final.proof_MSU.research | Page 8

The Patuxent River is a
blue ribbon that winds
through Maryland for 115
miles from the western hills
to the Chesapeake Bay. It
is the longest river within
Maryland and has a rich
cultural and economic history.
Today, population increases
combined with changes in
land use patterns present
challenges to the ecological
health of the complex of
waterways that intersect
with and impact the
Chesapeake Bay.
Patuxent Environmental
& Aquatic Research
Laboratory (PEARL)
PEARL is perched near the Patuxent River in St. Leonard,
Maryland and has worked for many years to increase the public’s
awareness of the ecological impact of modern life on the bay area
and on its current and potential bounty. The PEARL mission is to
help solve environmental challenges through research, education,
and economic development.
Leadership
Dr. Scott Knoche serves as the Director
of PEARL. His research interests, which
include environmental and natural resource
economics, mesh well with PEARL’s mission
to inspire society to understand the need
for healthy waterways. Dr. Knoche leads
an interdisciplinary team that includes 12
staff members with expertise in shellfish
aquaculture, oyster genomics, environmental
education, blue crab population dynamics,
and more. For these researchers — and
future ones — the data they collect and share
creates an important snapshot of Maryland’s
treasured bay.
Research Programs
OYSTER AQUACULTURE PROGRAM
Oysters have been a staple on Maryland’s
dinner tables for centuries. Overfishing,
pollutants, disease, and land development have
taken th eir toll on the ecological health of the
bay, its tributaries, and its occupants to the
dismay of farmers, restaurants, and residents.
Acknowledging that healthy oyster beds are
essential to future harvests, the state created
a 10-Point Oyster Restoration Plan in 2010
that served as a catalyst to increase oyster
aquaculture in the bay. Researchers at
PEARL determined that a comprehensive view
of the developing aquaculture industry was
essential. So in addition to assisting
with private hatchery development, PEARL
also focuses on policy, regulation, economics,
and marketing.
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MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
In 2017 PEARL hosted a National Science
Foundation-funded workshop titled
“Chesapeake Fisheries: From Oysters to
Economics.” Attended by internationally-
recognized scholars and researchers, the
workshop focused on many of the issues PEARL
works on year round: blue crab and oyster
population levels, the economics of oyster reef
restoration, and harvesting regulations.
BLUE CRAB STUDY
The blue crab is a Maryland icon. The health
and population levels of blue crabs are
monitored annually, and even the most avid
steamed crab-lover appreciates the need for
sustainable harvest. PEARL’s annual George
Abbe blue crab population survey began
in 1968 and is the longest-running fisheries
independent blue crab study in the state.
Results from this long-term survey show
that male blue crab size has decreased
significantly since 1971. Because a healthy
crab size is linked to more vigorous
reproduction, the diminishing size highlights
a problem that may affect future commercial
harvests. PEARL’s long term involvement with
the blue crab study helps to identify such
problems and attract the necessary resources
to research solutions.
Education and Outreach
Morgan is busy developing more researchers
to carry on the vital work of PEARL. Morgan
has a well-earned reputation for identifying
and educating talented young people who
gravitate towards science. PEARL’s internship
and training programs are excellent examples
of such development opportunities targeted to
emerging scientists.
EXPERIENCING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY:
PATHWAY FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Morgan works to ensure a supportive and
sustainable pathway from high school to
university in the geoscience disciplines
through an array of integrated activities.
Students and teachers from a variety of
high schools throughout Maryland will
be engaged in inquiry-based field trips
focused on environmental issues related to
the Chesapeake Bay. An annual summer
undergraduate intern program at PEARL
provides mentored research experiences.
PLANKTON AND NUTRIENT STUDIES
FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY (PLANS)
The PLANS program is designed to provide
hands-on field and laboratory experiences
for Maryland high school environmental
science students. Students learn how to
analyze water quality, nutrient dynamics, and
phytoplankton blooms. The program is funded
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).

POWER PLANT ENVIRONMENTAL
TRAINING CENTER
In 2016, 152 students attended a new
program designed by PEARL for prospective
power plant employees (engineering and
other STEM college students). The program
provided a unique learning experience
on the interrelationship between the
operations of a nuclear power plant and
the body of water that it uses to cool its
power generation equipment.
This experience will provide STEM students
with a better understanding of this dynamic
environment and educate a more diverse power
plant workforce. The program is grant-funded by
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Minority
Serving Institutions Program.
PEARL researchers and staff
employ a hands-on approach
in offering educational
programs for students. Here
Morgan graduate students
experience a researcher’s
day where they participate in
monitoring Bay water quality
with core soil samples and
dredging and culling oysters
to determine mortality levels
in oyster populations.
DIVISION OF RESEARCH & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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