University of Rhode Island

Graduate School of Oceanography

The coast of Southern Rhode Island is defined by its coastal lagoons.  These water bodies are very productive ecosystems that provide for recreation, wildlife habitat, and commercial fishing. Collectively they contain significantly more eelgrass acreage than all of Narragansett Bay. Despite their ecological significance, many have gone virtually unstudied, and others haven't been studied in 20-30 years.

The Coastal Habitat Research Program at the Graduate School of Oceanography strives to understand the terrestrial and marine linkages that drive the lagoon ecosystem. The program focuses on the impacts of natural and human alterations.