Reefs of Opportunity: Innovative Coral Reef Study and Student-Led Chesapeake Bay Project Showcase George Mason’s Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

From the vibrant coral reefs of distant tropical oceans to the vital oyster reefs of the Chesapeake Bay, George Mason University researchers and students are redefining how we protect aquatic ecosystems. 

Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) Assistant Professor Jennifer Salerno is helping redefine how we monitor and protect coral reef ecosystems. In collaboration with Amy Apprill of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Salerno co-authored a paper published in Cell Reports Sustainability. The authors introduce a novel, non-invasive approach to assessing coral reef health through analyzing microorganisms in reef water.

This method offers a significant advancement over traditional diver-based surveys, which often miss critical environmental, microbial, and behavioral indicators of reef vitality. By focusing on microbial signals, Salerno and Apprill’s work enables earlier detection of ecosystem changes, supporting timely and more effective conservation actions. The study also addresses long-standing challenges in global reef conservation, including the lack of standardized monitoring methods. Salerno introduces students to these methods in her Coral Reef Ecology course (EVPP 465/566) and in the field during annual research trips to the Bay Islands of Honduras.

That same spirit of innovation and environmental stewardship is alive in George Mason classrooms, where students translate ecological science into hands-on projects. This past semester in EVPP 480, a course co-taught by ESP Professor Dann Sklarew and ESP Assistant Professor Jennifer Sklarew,  a crucial boost by providing surfaces where they can attach, grow, and develop into natural reef structures. Unlike many species that rely on habitats created by others, oysters are the habitat. As a keystone species, their growth forms the foundation of reef structures that support a wide array of marine life.

Noah Beck, BA Environmental and Sustainability Studies ’25 and Erin Dougherty, BA Environmental and Sustainability Studies ’25 joined Camille Larkin, BA Environmental Science ’25 and Alex Peterson, BA Environmental Science ’25 to develop the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Education Project, an interdisciplinary effort focused on habitat creation, environmental education, and community engagement. The students partnered with the Living Reef Action Campaign (LRAC) to host a two-day event that brought together nearly 25 volunteers to construct 19 artificial reefs. LRAC representatives included George Mason alum and assistant director of the Coastal Conservation Association, Jesse Howe, MEd International Elementary Education, ’15. 

Using molds provided by LRAC, volunteers mixed and poured concrete to build 19 reef structures approximately two feet high. These will be deployed in reef sites across the lower Potomac and middle Chesapeake Bay, where they are expected to bolster oyster populations and habitat to support diverse marine life. 

“Oysters are critical to water filtration, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling,” explained Larkin. “Unfortunately, their populations have declined due to habitat degradation, disease, and overfishing.”

“This project started with four students who asked, ‘Why stop at improving our campus when we could make a difference across the entire Chesapeake Bay?’” said Dann Sklarew. “The [oyster] reefs were designed with rough surfaces to enhance the attachment of oysters and other stationary estuarine organisms, creating habitats for fish, shellfish, and even dolphins that pass through the Bay.”

To extend the project’s reach, miniature versions of the artificial reefs will be displayed on campus, alongside educational materials about oyster ecology and conservation in the Chesapeake Bay.

“We believe giving the George Mason community a hands-on role in this project builds awareness and fosters a sense of personal connection to local environmental challenges,” added Dougherty.

By combining cutting-edge scientific research with community-driven action research, George Mason faculty and students are advancing reef science while realizing tangible restoration results. The work reflects growing commitment to sustaining aquatic ecosystems from our own yards to ecologically significant coral and oyster reefs.