Jerome Fiechter

Ph.D. Student, Applied Marine Physics
Ocean Prediction Experimental Laboratory (OPEL)
Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science
University of Miami
email: [email protected]

Jerome's research interest is primarily focused on coupled physical-biological simulations (implementation of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM)) of the coastal waters off southeast Florida, where the coral reef ecosystem is strongly influenced by the Florida Current mesoscale circulation and associated frontal/eddy features.

The physical-biological interactions are multiple and affect in particular the early life history (i.e., larval dispersal and recruitment) of corals and reef fishes, as well as the dynamics of benthic communities (i.e., nutrient supply to coral reefs from bottom intrusions of offshore waters). Furthermore, phytoplankton and zooplankton populations also respond to transient upwelling events associated with the Florida Current frontal dynamics and thus create regions of enhanced biological activity and potential food sources for larvae during their pelagic stage.