A Case History of the Science and Management Collaboration in Understanding Hypoxia Events in Long Bay, South Carolina, USA

Abstract

Communication of knowledge between the scientific and management communities is a difficult process complicated by the distinctive nature of professional career goals of scientists and decision-makers. This article provides a case history highlighting a collaboration between the science and management communities that resulted from a response to a 2004 hypoxia, or low dissolved oxygen, event in Long Bay, off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A working group of scientists and decision-makers was established at the time of the event and has continued to interact to develop a firm understanding of the drivers responsible for hypoxia formation in Long Bay. Several factors were found to be important to ensure that these collaborative efforts were productive: (1) genuine interest in collaboratively working across disciplines to examine a problem; (2) commitment by agency leadership, decision-makers, and researchers to create successful communication mechanisms; (3) respect for each others' perspectives and an understanding how science and management are performed and that they are not mutually exclusive; (4) networking among researchers and decision-makers to ensure appropriate team members are involved in the process; (5) use of decision-maker input in the formulation of research and monitoring projects; and (6) commitment of resources for facilitation to ensure that researchers and decision-makers are communicating effectively.

Constrained enrichment contributes to hypoxia formation in Long Bay, South Carolina (USA), an open water urbanized coastline

“…Few cases of hypoxia have been observed for shallow coastal ocean environments such as those along the open-ocean, shallow shelf, coastal region off of South Carolina, USA, where hypoxia was first quantitatively observed in 2004 (Sanger et al 2010). At this time, hypoxic conditions were found in the nearshore waters (5 to 7 m depth) off an open beach in the central portion of Long Bay.…”

“…That hypoxia occurred just seaward of the surf zone (~0.3 km from the beach-face) was somewhat surprising, given this is an area generally considered to experience high physical mixing. Analysis of limited water quality and meteorological data revealed that the first documented hypoxic event occurred during a period of sustained southwesterly upwelling-favorable winds that coincided with the occurrence of cold bottom water (Sanger et al 2010). Although Long Bay is influenced by coastal upwelling, no evidence existed to suggest that the upwelled water was a direct source of high nutrients or low DO.…”

“…Several alternative mechanisms or hypotheses for hypoxia generation were proposed at that time, based on experiences from well-known hypoxic events elsewhere (Sanger et al 2010). This then led to a variety of research and monitoring activities 2006 to 2008, with the goal of further documenting and understanding the occurrence of hypoxia in this shallow open-coast environment.…”

“…Following the initial observation of hypoxia in the summer of 2004, a multidisciplinary team of scientists and managers from a variety of academic, state, and federal institutions was assembled to investigate the potential cause of hypoxia in Long Bay (Sanger et al 2010). Several alternative mechanisms or hypotheses for hypoxia generation were proposed at that time, based on experiences from well-known hypoxic events elsewhere (Sanger et al 2010).…”

Long Bay Hypoxia Monitoring Consortium

“…Water quality surveys conducted during the following week documented hypoxic conditions in the nearshore bottom waters. The unusual flounder behavior was subsequently attributed to these low dissolved oxygen levels (Sanger et al 2010).…”