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Students: Sandra Arismendez

Sandra S. Arismendez

Ph.D. Candidate
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, HRI 314, Unit 5869
Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5869
Phone: (361) 825-2079
Email: sandra.arismendez@tamucc.edu
Webpage: www.harteresearchinstitute.org

Background

Sandra is a native of South Texas having received associate, bachelor, and master degrees from Coastal Bend College, Corpus Christi State University, and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, respectively. She is a Harte Fellow at the Harte Research Institute (HRI) for Gulf of Mexico Studies and a Ph.D. Candidate in the Coastal and Marine System Science Ph.D. Program. Prior to returning to academia in 2006, Sandra was employed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, first as a Natural Resource Coastal Planner for the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, then as an Aquatic Scientist for the Total Maximum Daily Load Program.

Sandra is working under the direction of:

• Dr. Paul Montagna, HRI Endowed Chair for Ecosystem Studies and Modeling

• Dr. Wes Tunnell, HRI Associate Director and Research Scientist

• Dr. Elizabeth H. Smith, Research Scientist at the Center for Coastal Studies and Adjunct Professor of Biology

• Dr. Suzanne Bricker, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Special Projects Office, National Ocean Service, Silver Spring, Maryland

Research Interests

Sandra’s research interests focus on the nutrient coupling processes that occur between the land-water interface of contributing watersheds and Texas coastal estuaries. Nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, occur naturally in the environment and are essential to living plants and animals. However, recent population growth in the coastal U.S. and associated anthropogenic activities has resulted in elevated nutrient levels that surpass historical natural levels. This concern, along with documented climatic changes and the lack of published research of this type from the Texas coast, has lead to Sandra’s research topic: Effect of land-water nutrient coupling on central Texas estuaries. Her dissertation research will focus on the following three objectives:

1. Compile and assess historical estuarine water, sediment and biological monitoring data to determine spatial and temporal trends in nutrient loads,
2. Analyze land uses temporally and spatially to identify impacts from anthropogenic alterations in the watershed on estuarine water quality, and
3. Develop a watershed model to simulate nutrient loads to Texas estuaries from contributing watersheds.

Presentations and Publications

Arismendez, S.S., H. Kim, and J. Brenner. 2008. Anthropogenic effects on nutrient loadings and ecosystem responses in the Guadalupe Estuary, Texas, USA: A modeling study. Gulf Estuarine Research Society Meeting, November 5-7, 2008, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Kim, H., S.S. Arismendez, and J. Brenner. 2008. Effect of historical land-use on nutrient loading and ecosystem responses in the Guadalupe Estuary, Texas, USA: A modeling study. International Conference on Ecological Informatics, December 2-5, 2008, Cancun, Mexico.

Brenner, J. and S. Arismendez. 2008. Draft: Large marine ecosystems. In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [Published in the Encyclopedia of Earth June 27, 2008; Retrieved June 27, 2008] http://www.eoearth.org/article/Large_marine_ecosystems.

Brenner, J., S.S. Arismendez, and J.W. Tunnell, Jr. Accepted. The Harte model : an ecosystem-based management tool for large marine ecosystems. Abstract prepared for the International Marine Conservation Congress 2009 Conference, May 20-24, 2009, Washington D.C.

Arismendez, S.S., S. Nanez-James, T. Dellinger and J.W. Tunnell, Jr. 2008. Assessment of a hands-on science-based educational experience of a STEM academy in Corpus Christi, Texas. Poster presentation at the 111th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Sciences, March 6-8, 2008, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Wade, T.L., S.T. Sweet, S. Alvarado, N. Tindale and C. Sweet. 1999. Nutrient and Metal Deposition to Corpus Christi Bay, Texas. National Atmospheric Deposition Network Annual Meeting, Sacramento, California.

Smith, E.H. and S.A. Alvarado. 1998. Constructed Wetland at Refugio Lions-Shelly Park: A Demonstration Project. USEPA, Wash., D.C. Coastlines (Spring 1998) Vol. 8, No. 2.

Jensen, P., Y. Su and S.A. Alvarado. 1998. Corpus Christi Bay Public Health Issues. American Society of Civil Engineers Spring Conference Proceedings, South Padre Island, Texas. 11 pages.

Alvarado, S.A. 1997. Species Checklist: A Tool for Habitat Management. Pages 659-660 in M.C. Miller and J. Cogan (eds). Coastal Zone 97 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 2. Boston, Massachusetts.

Alvarado, S.A. 1996. The Occurrence and Zoogeography of Mollusca from Rocky Shores of the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz, Mexico. M.S. Thesis. Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. 67 pages.

Alvarado, S.A. 1996. Hard Substrate. Pages 111-150 in J.W. Tunnell, Jr. Q.R. Dokken, E.H. Smith, and K. Withers (eds). Current Status and Historical Trends of the Estuarine Living Resources within the Corpus Christi Bay National Estuary Program Study Area, Vol. 2. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Austin. CCBNEP-06A.

Tunnell, J.W. and S.A. Alvarado eds. 1996. Checklist of Species within Corpus Christi Bay National Estuary Program Study Area: References, Habitats, Distribution, and Abundance, Vol. 4. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Austin. CCBNEP-06D. 298 pages.

Withers, K., D.D. Rocha, S.A. Alvarado and J.W. Tunnell. 1995. Benthic Invertebrate Abundance and Community Structure in Gulf Beach Habitats on Padre Island National Seashore, Texas Following the M/T Berge Banker Oil Spill. Report to Beak Consultants and Eastham, Watson, Dale, and Foney, L.L.P., Center for Coastal Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. 17 pages.

Rocha, D.D., R.L. Lehman, S.A. Alvarado, J.W. Tunnell, Jr. and P.A. Montagna. 1995. A Comparison of the Benthic Community North and South of the John F. Kennedy Causeway, Upper Laguna Madre, Texas. Center for Coastal Studies, Technical Report No. TAMU-CC-9504-CCS. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. 33 pages.

Alvarado, S.A. and D. Rocha. 1994. Mollusca of Southwestern Gulf of Mexico Rocky Shores, Veracruz, Mexico. American Malacological Union, 60th Annual meeting, Houston, Texas.

Tunnell, J.W., Jr. and S.A. Alvarado. 1994. Texas Coastal Ecology Bibliography. Center for Coastal Studies, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. 45 pages.