Ecology and Oceanography (ECOHAB)
NOAA works with the HAB research and management community to understand what triggers
HABs, why some are toxic while others are not, and their full impact on humans and
other parts of the ecosystem. Understanding and quantifying the causes and impacts
of HABs and their toxins is fundamental to management and mitigation.
ECOHAB is a national, competitive research funding program with two broad goals:
- Develop information and tools, predictive models and forecasts, and prevention strategies
to aid managers in coastal environments; and
- Learn how toxins are transferred across and up the food chain, including biosynthesis
and metabolism of toxins, and assess the impacts of toxins on higher trophic levels.
Research results guide management of coastal resources to reduce HAB development,
impacts, and future threats and will feed into other
HAB programs for development
of tools to improve HAB management and response. ECOHAB is authorized by HABHRCA.
Funding announcements for
ECOHAB, as well as NCCOS's other national competitive
programs (MERHAB and PCMHAB), are issued on a rotating regional basis.