Exploring Biodiversity Shifts in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Human-caused pollution in the northern Gulf of Mexico has increased over recent decades as a result of land-use and waste management practices. Nutrient enrichment increases rates of primary productivity, resulting in greater organic accumulation on the seafloor, which can lead to the development of oxygen-poor conditions. How do changing environmental conditions impact seafloor-dwelling communities? We will compare living clam communities on the continental shelf to historical shell assemblages and discuss shifts likely due to environmental alterations.