Led by Mike Piehler, Director of the UNC Institute for the Environment and Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor, this work is part of more than 20 years of oyster reef research at Carolina, recognized among the leading programs in the country.
At UNC’s Institute for Marine Sciences in Morehead City, the Piehler Lab is studying how reef design can enhance nitrogen removal. Postdoctoral researcher Anne Smiley and her team conduct field and lab tests to understand how different reef structures influence this process.
Oyster research at Carolina is supported in part by the NC Wildlife Habitat Foundation and the Institute for the Environment Director’s Fund.