MorganPEARL OurVision
Anenvironmentalresearch laboratorythat: generatesscientific knowledgethrough innovative, interdisciplinary environmentalresearch; embracesapublic university’srolein translatingthis knowledgeto stakeholdersforthe benefitofthepublic;and inspiresthenext generationofscientists, policy-makersand environmentally-aware citizensthroughcoastal fieldexperiences, mentoredresearch opportunities,and environmentaleducation.
Spring at the Morgan State PEARL involves an enriching mix of comforting consistency and exciting new developments. PEARL perennials are bloomingthese are our research and education efforts that have stood the test of time and continue to produce, year after year. Shellfish spawning, our annual blue crab field survey, and Summer intern recruitment/on-boarding are but a few examples.
Along with these old standbys, there is an exciting new research thrust emerging this spring at the PEARL, one that engages with stakeholders to inform the management of the blue catfish. An invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay that has the potential to grow to over 100 pounds - the blue catfish is a voracious predator and a threat to the health and stability of the entire Bay ecosystem. Our researchers are deploying multiple approaches, including large-scale surveys of recreational fishers, ecological modeling of the Chesapeake Bay system, and direct stakeholder engagement to better understand and manage this threat. While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources have each funded two-year blue catfish research projects at the PEARL, the continued challenges of invasive species management mean that PEARL will likely be doing applied research in this area for many years to come.
As we pass Memorial Day weekend and Spring turns into Summer, things are heating up at the PEARL. But, we can always find time to visit with familiar faces and new friends alike. If you would like to visit the PEARL, please reach out, and we will find a time that works! And finally, Summer 2025 PEARL Internships will conclude with a Symposium at the PEARL on August 6, 2025. It will feature poster presentations, lightning talks, a hearty lunch and great conversations! Please reach out to Jody.Gregory@morgan.edu to RSVP and receive updates as we get closer to the event.
Best,
Scott Knoche
PEARL is excited to welcome 12 new interns TO our 2025 Summer Internship Program
Drew Custer
Shenandoah University
Junior Biology & Conservation & Science Management Majors
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Junior Environmental Science Major
Mya Karrick
Morgan State University
Sophomore Coastal Science & Policy Major
Coastal Ecology Intern Environmental Economics Interns
Elena Saucedo
Frostburg State University
First Year Wildlife & Fisheries Major
Haley Gambrell
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Junior Mathematics & Economics Major
Noah Robinson
Morgan State University
Junior Business Administration Major
After some trial and error, the Biogeochemistry Lab has successfully started its coastal carbon cycle monitoring programs focused on understanding coastal carbon cycling in oyster aquaculture facilities and tidal marshes. Samplings occur every other month in three locations, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, Tall Timbers, MD and Cambridge, MD. Full scale samplings began in October and will continue until September 2026.
Dr. Amanda Knobloch preparing to deploy the carbon monitoring equipment
The Biogeochemistry Lab has welcomed Myla Bancroft to the lab! Myla is a Junior at Calvert High School and has volunteered at the PEARL for the past few years. Now, she is working part time in the Biogeochemistry Lab to assist with sample preparation and analyses.
The PEARL Environmental Economics Team has successfully completed three projects: one on Black Bear management in Maryland (funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources); a second on urban coastal green space in Baltimore - funded by the Maryland Port Administration and completed in December 2024; and a third on the impact of trash on outdoor recreation in rivers and streams - a three-year project funded by the Maryland Department of the Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment - completed in March 2025.
Completed in December 2024, this two-year project funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and carried out by the MSU PEARL Environmental Economics Team (Dr. Scott Knoche, Kaitlynn Ritchie, and Emily Sommerfeld) explored black bear hunter preferences, motivations, satisfaction, and hunting season details. Our team distributed a web-based survey to more than 7,200 Maryland black bear hunters who applied for a bear hunting permit or participated in a hunt between 2019 and 2023. Key findings include that black bear hunters are generally satisfied with their most recent black bear hunting season (mean 6.6 on a 110 scale), however there was strong support for a longer hunting season (currently 6 days) and a hunting season that includes Sunday. Hunters spent an average of $358 on goods/services related to their 2023 Maryland black bear hunting season; in total, 1,848 hunters spent $661,000. Much of this spending occurs in rural Western Maryland counties where outdoor recreation/tourism is an important part of the economy.
This project conducted by the PEARL Environmental Economics Team (Dr Scott Knoche, Kaitlynn Ritchie, Emily Sommerfeld, and Dr Kehinde Ojo) involved developing a public survey to evaluate both quantitative and qualitative levels of trash and its impact on the recreational and aesthetic enjoyment of rivers and streams. This initiative was conducted in partnership with the Maryland Department of Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Washington D.C. Department of Energy and Environment. The findings from this survey will help inform the development of a trash threshold that supports the river’s designated recreational and aesthetic uses and may also guide efforts in similar waterbodies Survey responses revealed a clear trend: as visible trash increases, the public’s willingness to engage in recreational activities decreases. Results suggest that a greater than 90% reduction in trash (from current levels) would be needed before the environment is considered acceptable for recreation by at least half of survey respondents.
The PEARL Environmental Economics Team (Dr. Kehinde Ojo, Dr. Scott Knoche, and Kaitlynn Ritchie) concluded a two-year project funded by the Maryland Port Administration in December 2024. The study explored Baltimore residents’ perceptions, preferences, awareness, and their value of coastal urban greenspaces, with a particular focus on Masonville Cove. Masonville Cove - located in South Baltimore - consists of land restored through trash/debris removal, with it now serving as a wildlife refuge. Understanding the value that residents of the Baltimore region place on coastal urban greenspace is crucial for informed decision-making regarding government spending and environmental restoration efforts. The research, which surveyed over 1,300 Baltimore-area residents, found that the total annual economic value of Masonville Cove is estimated to be over $10 million, with an average household willingness to pay of $131 for its preservation. Finally, this study also found that safety concerns are a major reason Baltimore-area residents are not visiting Baltimore City parks more often.
Last November, the PEARL sent staff and students to the Alliance for the Bay’s Watershed Forum. Dr. Tom Ihde, Dr. Amanda Knobloch, two graduate students (Chukwudum Anyiam, Tameka Taylor), and three interns (Sara Dapp, Britt Douglas, Duke Ogoti) were able to attend the Forum to learn more about conservation and research efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Chukwudum, Sara, Britt, and Duke were all able to present posters focused on the work they do at the PEARL during the poster session. Tom and Amanda also led a session focused on providing a safe and inclusive space for students and new professionals to present an oral presentation for the first time in a professional setting. Intern Duke Ogoti was also able to participate in this session.
The Ihde lab is delighted to share news of the start of a new project focused on modeling the effects of stakeholder-identified management strategies aimed at controlling invasive blue catfish populations while also maximizing the benefits of the new fishing opportunities presented by these fish The $500,000 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will allow us to support a graduate student and postdoctoral researcher at PEARL, who help facilitate a series of intensive workshops with recreational anglers, commercial watermen, charter and guide captains, seafood processors, conservation groups, and biologists from around the Chesapeake Bay. Our goal is to work with all these groups to identify the best management strategies for each of the Bay’s jurisdictions.
Invasive Blue Catfish have now spread to all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. It is the largest catfish species in North America, growing to 150 pounds and 65 inches long, and living up to 20 years.
https://www.fisheries.noaa.g ov/species/blue-catfish
This summer, the Blue Crab Survey continues in its 57th year with the support of three PEARL Summer 2025 interns: Mya Karrick, Drew Custer, and Max Makovitch The interns will be collecting information on blue crab abundance, size, and sex, along with key environmental conditions. It is the longest-running scientific blue crab survey in the Chesapeake Bay, the only survey that spans more than half a century and uses gear comparable to the commercial fishery. As climate and environmental conditions shift, this dataset remains a critical resource for understanding blue crab population dynamics and supporting annual harvest predictions. PhD graduate student Amanda Bevans will be mentoring this summers’ interns along with the project lead, Dr. Ihde. Throughout the spring and next summer, Amanda also continues to work with Dr. Ihde on novel analyses of PEARL Blue Crab data to support the ongoing Blue Crab benchmark stock assessment.
Photo credit: Black Bear By Amit Patel on Maryland Department of Natural Resource Wildlife Heritage Service
In addition, we’re excited to continue our partnership with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, collaborating with Dr. Michael Cyrana on a project that leverages machine learning and AI to analyze marine fouling communities. With support from PEARL Summer 2025 intern Elena Saucedo, the project aims to develop tools that can aid in monitoring ecosystem health, predicting ecological tipping points, and detecting invasive species. As part of the fieldwork, Elena will be recording organism abundance data and periodically collecting microbial swabs from collection plates to support analysis. Elena will have three mentors to learn from this summer, including Dr. Cyrana, Emily Sommerfeld, and Dr. Ihde.
PEARLaquacultureteamplacingclamseedintoculture gearsbeforedeployment.
The PEARL Aquaculture Team has advanced to the next phase of the Maryland Sea Grant funded project evaluating the feasibility of soft-shell clam aquaculture in Maryland. This phase involved collaboration with several oyster farmers across the Chesapeake Bay, where clams were deployed using our patent-pending culture gear to assess performance in diverse environmental conditions. The clams will be investigated in June and September to evaluate growth and survival. By partnering directly with oyster farmers, this effort also offers growers firsthand experience and insights into the potential of soft-shell clam aquaculture as a new opportunity for product diversification.
Spring2025hasmarkedthefifthconsecutiveyear ofsuccessfulsoft-shellclamspawningatPEARL.
AspartoftheMarylandSeaGrantfundedproject“GeneticBreedingtoImprovetheHeatTolerance ofSoft-shellClams”-theaquacultureteam focusedondevelopingaheat-tolerantclamline. Broodstockwereselectedfromsurvivorsof previousheatshockexperiments,alongwithwild clamscollectedfromMaryland'sEasternShore. SpawningtookplacefromlateMarchthrough earlyApril,resultingintheproductionoftwolines: aheat-tolerantlineandawildcontrolline.Both lineshavesuccessfullycompletedmetamorphosis. Thesurvivalandperformanceoftheheat-tolerant linewillbetrackedandcomparedtothewildline throughoutthissummerandintonextyear, providingcriticalinsightintoheattolerance improvements.
These clams were spawned in early April and were just over a month old when the photo was taken. You can really see the definition of the shells showing all of the growth rings. The left arrow is depicting the clam’s foot, which helps it move and the right arrow is showing the siphon, which is used for feeding and filtering seawater.
At Morgan State University’s Office of Technology Transfer annual Innovation of the Year Awards, Dr. Ming Liu was honored with the Innovation of the Year Award in the “Life Sciences” category. This recognition celebrates his sustained efforts in developing PEARL’s fast-growing, low-salinity tolerant oyster lines. The award marks a significant milestone for Dr. Liu and his team, highlighting their hard work, innovation, and contributions to advancing sustainable aquaculture in Maryland and beyond.
Starting in 2020, PEARL has been developing diploid and triploid oyster lines with desirable economic traits, including low-salinity tolerance, fast growth, and disease resistance. Now entering the fifth year, some lines are being further refined through inbreeding and hybridization through our ambitious summer breeding program.
Caption: PEARL aquaculture team are putting clam seed into the culture gears before deployment.
The first spawning attempt this Spring took place on May 5, using conditioned broodstock and a natural spawning method. This effort focused on producing the F1 generation of a hybrid line that combines low-salinity tolerance and disease (MSX and Dermo) resistance. Previous laboratory testing has shown that this line exhibits 24% greater low-salinity tolerance compared to wild oysters. While its disease resistance has not yet been fully evaluated, it was developed in direct response to recent MSX outbreaks. This line will be deployed this summer in high-salinity areas of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where MSX is prevalent, to assess its field performance. Additional spawnings of both low-salinity lines and triploid oysters are scheduled for late May as part of PEARL’s ongoing genetic improvement program.
