| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| DATE: | June 20, 2008 |
| CONTACT: | Dr. Wes Tunnell 361.825.2055; or Steve Paschal 361.825.2336 |
| Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Scientists Participate in National Study of Vegetation and Water Along Texas Coast | |
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Scientists from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will be among participants from numerous universities across the country participating in a major field research project to classify vegetation habitats and water characteristics of four areas along the Texas Coast.
During the week beginning Monday, July 14, researchers from the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) and the Center for Coastal Studies will take part in the Hyperspectral Imaging Project to collect and process information on the coastal environments of Redfish Bay, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Copano Bay and the Fennesey Ranch. John Woods, a Ph.D. candidate at A&M-Corpus Christi, is in charge of the collection of data from Redfish Bay. Dr. Elizabeth Smith of the Center for Coastal Studies is in leading the Fennesey Ranch portion of the project.
”The research knowledge gained from this intense, highly technical effort will help us better understand and manage the diverse and important Texas and Gulf of Mexico natural resources”, says Dr. Wes Tunnell, principal Investigator from HRI and A&M-Corpus Christi.
Hyperspectral Imaging collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum. The information gained will help researchers to better understand various coastal habitats including the areas frequented by whooping cranes. The project will include flyovers of the targeted areas in a specially-equipped aircraft provided by University of Nebraska, and “on location” collection of information by a small armada of boats from 8-to-10 universities as well as federal and state agencies.