VIDA Seagrass – Viral Infection Dynamics Among Seagrasses

VIDA Seagrass is an NSF-funded collaborative project with Cliff Ross (UNF), Dan Martin (UNF), Brad Furman (FWC), Karyna Rosario and Mya Breitbart (USF).

Seagrass beds are valuable ‘underwater gardens’ that provide habitat, food, and coastal protection for our Florida coasts. While they are an important piece of our environment, we know little about the viruses that infect them. Our lab aims to figure out how viruses interact with seagrasses in Tampa Bay, Florida. Are viruses hurting seagrass ecosystems, helping them, or just cohabitating with them?

Want to learn more about the seagrass habitat and what organisms live there? Explore the facts and food web below.