A case history of the science and management collaboration in understanding hypoxia events in Long Bay, South Carolina, USA.
Communication of knowledge between the scientific and management communities is a difficult process complicated by the distinctive nature of professional career goals of scientists and decision-makers. This article provides a case history highlighting a collaboration between the science and management communities that resulted from a response to a 2004 hypoxia, or low dissolved oxygen, event in Long Bay, off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A working group of scientists and decision-makers was established at the time of the event and has continued to interact to develop a firm understanding of the drivers responsible for hypoxia formation in Long Bay. Several factors were found to be important to ensure that these collaborative efforts were productive: (1) genuine interest in collaboratively working across disciplines to examine a problem; (2) commitment by agency leadership, decision-makers, and researchers to create successful communication mechanisms; (3) respect for each others' perspectives and an understanding how science and management are performed and that they are not mutually exclusive; (4) networking among researchers and decision-makers to ensure appropriate team members are involved in the process; (5) use of decision-maker input in the formulation of research and monitoring projects; and (6) commitment of resources for facilitation to ensure that researchers and decision-makers are communicating effectively.
Sanger
Denise
D
South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA. denise.sanger@scseagrant.org
Hernandez
Debra
D
Libes
Susan
S
Voulgaris
George
G
Davis
Braxton
B
Smith
Erik
E
Shuford
Rebecca
R
Porter
Dwayne
D
Koepfler
Eric
E
Bennett
Joseph
J
D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012106:Research; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D013022:South Carolina; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D010100:Oxygen