Ecological Associates, Inc. environmental consultants Florida

Meet the EAI TEAM EAI staff includes specialists in the areas of ecology, marine biology, coastal ecosystems, sea turtles, submerged aquatic vegetation, fish, ichthyoplankton, meroplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, marine mammals, terrestrial flora and fauna, environmental impact assessments, environmental permitting, and protected species management. SENIOR STAFF
Otter trawls are used to characterize fish and shellfish populations inhabiting shallow benthic habitats in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.	ROBERT G. ERNEST, President B.A., Zoology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, 1968. M.S., Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida, 1979. Over 30 years of professional environmental consulting experience, including both technical and management responsibilities. Formal training in marine science with emphasis on population biology and community ecology. Technical experience in biological inventories, invertebrate taxonomy, environmental impact assessments, protected species conservation, resource management, and technical writing. Responsible for personnel management, budgeting, scheduling, project planning, and business development. Send an e-mail to Bob Download Bob's vCard (.vcf)

A cone penetrometer is used to measure sand compaction on a recently nourished sea turtle nesting beach in southeast Florida.	R. ERIK MARTIN, Scientific Director and Vice-President B.S., Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 1972. Over 30 years of professional experience in the field of marine biology. Formal training in biological science with emphasis on marine ecology. Technical experience in sea turtle ecology and conservation, benthic ecology, environmental impact assessments, marine mammal protection, invertebrate taxonomy, and sedimentology. Provides technical guidance to all aspects of EAI’s lab and field operations. Responsible for personnel training, scheduling, and project management. Send an e-mail to Erik Download Erik's vCard (.vcf)

Fish species are censused to characterize coral reef assemblages along a proposed pipeline route in the Bahamas.	MATTHEW D. GOFF, Senior Project Manager B.S., Marine Biology, Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton, Florida, 1994. M.S., Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, 1996. Over 10 years of multidisciplinary professional experience in the environmental consulting industry. Technical experience in environmental permitting, natural resource management, wetlands delineation, environmental site assessments, aquatic and terrestrial resource surveys, environmental policy and regulation, protected species monitoring, and GIS applications for natural resource management. Responsible for project planning and development, technical writing, and proposal preparation. Send an e-mail to Matt Download Matt's vCard (.vcf)

Algae and other debris collected from the impingement screens of a coastal power plant are sorted to remove fish and shellfish as part of 316(b) studies.	MARK S. MOHLMANN, Senior Scientist II B.S., Biological Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 1994. Ph.D. Candidate, Zoology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 1995-2004. Professional biologist with a focus on ichthyology and marine biology. Manages firm’s 316(b) programs: oversees field and laboratory operations; designs/modifies sampling gear and implements sampling protocols for impingement and entrainment sampling programs; develops Quality Assurance Plans, Standard Operating Procedures and Health and Safety Plans; trains personnel in sampling protocols; supervises data collection, data management and client reporting. Serves as the firm’s Health and Safety Officer and Technology Officer. Send an e-mail to Mark Download Mark's vCard (.vcf)

Visual transect surveys are conducted aboard EAI’s 25-ft. Parker research vessel to document sea turtle utilization of nearshore hardbottom in the Atlantic Ocean offshore of Ft. Pierce, Florida.	NIKI DESJARDIN, Senior Scientist I B.S., Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, 2000. M.S., Biology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, 2005. Seven years experience conducting sea turtle research in South Florida. Formal training in marine science with a focus on behavioral ecology and GIS analysis. Diverse biological background, including marine biology/ecology, avian ecology, animal behavior, and resource management. Specializes in sea turtle conservation, shorebird surveys, data management, and statistical analyses. Manages field operations for all of the firm’s sea turtle research and monitoring programs in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties, Florida. Send an e-mail to Niki Download Niki's vCard (.vcf)

Length and weight data are recorded for fish and shellfish captured during 316(b) trawl sampling aboard EAI’s 25-ft. Parker research vessel in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.	JULIET CHRISTIAN, Senior Scientist I B.S., Marine Biology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, 1999. M.S., Marine Science, University of South Alabama/Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Mobile, Alabama, 2003. Six years of experience working in seagrass and mangrove systems within the Florida Keys, Biscayne Bay, and the Indian River Lagoon. Serves as a Field Team Leader for EAI’s 316(b) power plant work. Responsible for ensuring field operations are conducted in accordance with established SOP and health and safety protocols. Conducts taxonomic analyses of meroplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates collected from a variety of project sites. Send an e-mail to Julie Download Julie's vCard (.vcf)

Computer-interfaced dissecting and compound microscopes are used to identify fish and shellfish larvae and benthic macroinvertebrates collected during EAI studies.	R. ERNESTO CALIX, Senior Scientist I B.S., Marine Biology, San Francisco State University, San Fransisco, California, 1988. Over 15 years experience in the environmental sciences, including benthic infaunal sampling, water quality monitoring, bioassay, wetland mitigation, water quality analysis, intertidal surveys, impingement and entrainment studies, and scientific diving surveys. Specializes in ichthyoplankton and crustacean taxonomy. Responsible for training personnel in the principals of taxonomic analyses and developing and implementing related quality control protocols. Send an e-mail to Ernesto Download Ernesto's vCard (.vcf)

ATVs are used to conduct early morning surveys of sea turtle nesting beaches in south Florida. Biologists encounter a rare daytime nesting event by an endangered leatherback turtle.	BRENDA BODDIGER, Biologist II B.S., Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 2004. Professional biologist responsible for managing laboratory operations: develops sample processing protocols; conducts training, scheduling and quality control of sorting staff; coordinates activities of sorters and taxonomists to ensure project deadlines are met; manages data to meet deliverable requirements; and orders lab equipment and supplies. Field responsibilities include biological sampling for 316(b) power plant studies and sea turtle monitoring, including nesting surveys, nest relocations, and nest excavations and evaluations. Send an e-mail to Brenda Download Brenda's vCard (.vcf)

ATV's are used to aid in surveying large stretches of beach for sea turtle monitoring and reproductive success excavations.	GRACE W. KWONG, Biologist II B.A., Marine Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 2000. M.S., Biology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, 2006. Professional biologist with diverse biological background, including marine biology/ecology, molecular biology, and developmental biology. Technical experience in sea turtle research and conservation, beachfront light management, environmental data management and analysis, and invertebrate taxonomy. Conducts lighting evaluations of beachfront properties to assist coastal communities with implementation of light management programs. Assists with field sampling in support of 316(b) power plant studies and identifies meroplankton component of plankton samples. Send an e-mail to Grace Download Grace's vCard (.vcf)

Digging in freshly deposited sea turtle nests is sometimes necessary to locate the eggs so they can be precisely marked with protective barriers, as required under Volusia County, Florida’s Habitat Conservation Plan.	AMBER BRIDGES, Biologist I B.S., Wildlife Ecology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 2005. Background includes wildlife management, wildlife ecology, marine biology, and plant ecology. Formal training in environmental management with an emphasis on marine conservation and behavioral ecology. Specializes in sea turtle conservation, sea turtle rehabilitation, gopher tortoise surveys, shorebird surveys, and database management. Serves as lead Field Biologist for EAI’s sea turtle protection program in Volusia County, Florida providing support to staff responsible for managing the County’s Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take Permit for beach driving. Send an e-mail to Amber Download Amber's vCard (.vcf)

OTHER STAFF AND ASSOCIATES EAI employs a number of full- and part-time technicians to assist senior staff with a variety of field and laboratory activities. Additionally, EAI has established a broad and diverse network of associate scientists whose expertise can be drawn upon as project demands dictate. EAI also has excellent working relationships with a number of state-certified laboratories that can perform a broad spectrum of chemical analyses on ground water, surface water, and sediment samples.