TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- For the most part, if you're a fish, you're either prey or predator, but Florida research is finding the symbiotic relationship is at risk after outbreaks of harmful algal blooms.

Dakota Lewis, a graduate student at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and a 2020 fellow in the Forage Fish Research Program, has studied algal blooms and fish kills in the Indian River Lagoon, which stretches along 40% of Florida's East Coast.

Using data sets from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a new computer-modeling framework, she found faster declines of forage fish, like mullet and anchovies, after an algal bloom, and years of decline for fish-eating species, like trout and redfish.

"And so, there's a potential for a loss of that balance, due to that decoupling of those two communities that are so intertwined and, in the food web, related to one another," Lewis outlined.

Lewis thinks shifts in community dynamics for forage fish and sport fish could have harmful effects on popular recreational fisheries, now and in the long term. Lewis' research is published in the journal Ecological Indicators.

Emily Farrell, another UCF graduate student, uses an emerging new genetic technique, known as environmental DNA or 'eDNA,' to help get a high-resolution snapshot of the marine ecosystem in the lagoon.

"The dust in our houses is mostly shed skin cells; that would be environmental DNA," Farrell explained. "But in a fisheries context, it's mucus or scales, or other things that fish are releasing into the water by swimming through it."

Farrell's method can account for even the smallest species, like forage fish, simply by collecting seawater samples along the lagoon. The eDNA analysis will help create a map of local biodiversity hotspots.

The Forage Fish Research Program is a public-private partnership between Florida Wildlife Research Institute, leading academics and a coalition led by the International Game Fish Association.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

A Wildlife Corridors Action Plan for New Mexico identifies 11 priority "safe passage" projects, such as underpasses and overpasses, to improve driver safety and connect more natural habitat for the state's native wildlife.

Garrett Vene Klasen, director of northern conservation for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, said the state has a high number of hot spots for wildlife-vehicle collisions, partly because climate change continues to compromise historic wildlife habitats.

"We're seeing all animals having to travel further for dependable food and water," he said. "Elk, deer and other wildlife are being drawn into urban areas because of food availability."

The Wildlife Corridors Action Plan is a joint project of the New Mexico Departments of Transportation and Game and Fish. Public comments about the plan are being taken through March 12. The draft and instructions for how to comment are online at wildlifeactionplan.nmdotprojects.org.

Vene Klasen admitted that the infrastructure needed is expensive, but said so is the damage to vehicles when they hit large animals - and the cost of human life can't be measured.

"I hit an elk last winter on my way to Taos, N.M., and it's a 600-pound animal - and it could have killed me," he said. "So, we need to create safe passage and corridors for them to move back and forth."

The New Mexico Legislature's current 30-day session is primarily devoted to budget issues. Vene Klasen said he believes the state should use its budget surplus to address the recommended projects identified in the report.

"We need to designate significant sums of money annually to address this really, really growing problem," he said. "This should be a priority of our legislators and the governor. This is serious stuff."

The federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program was included in the bipartisan infrastructure package signed into law last November.

A bill before the Michigan Legislature would allocate $2.4 billion dollars in federal funds for repairs to the state's aging water infrastructure.

It would make use of funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as the American Rescue Plan, to improve the state's water supply, replacing old lead water lines, and repairing dams and residential sewer lines.

Tim Minotas, legislative and political coordinator for the Sierra Club's Michigan Chapter, noted most of Michigan's water infrastructure is between 50 and 100 years old.

"We are seeing massive flooding from extreme weather events, because our infrastructure cannot handle it," Minotas observed. "People's water is being contaminated from lead service lines, PFAS and other pollutants. We are also seeing raw sewage discharged into our rivers, lakes and streams."

The state Senate has passed the bill, and it's now up for a House vote. Minotas described the bill as a "great first step," but said even more could be done to get water infrastructure up to par. His group estimated Michigan should be spending more than $2 billion a year on drinking water, storm-water and sewer infrastructure needs.

Even after Flint's water crisis, places like Benton Harbor, a majority-Black city in southwest Michigan, are still facing lead-contaminated water, which has not been a concern in neighboring majority-white suburbs.

Minotas pointed out the bill could make a dent in disparities.

"This is really a reversal in the trend of disinvestment in drinking water, wastewater, stormwater infrastructure that we have seen here in Michigan for decades," Minotas argued. "This bill is a really good down-payment toward addressing our drinking and wastewater needs, especially in a time of climate change."

In addition to water infrastructure, he emphasized it is important for Michigan to prioritize making progress with electric vehicles, community solar and utility accountability, either through federal funds or legislation in Lansing.

Environmental advocates are in favor of investments in climate action and nature projects New York Gov. Kathy Hochul put forth in her executive budget.

Among the proposals is a $4 billion Environmental Bond Act - with projects geared toward protecting clean water, reducing pollution, and reducing local climate risks - and $400 million for the state Environment Protection Fund.

With implementing New York's Climate action plan at the forefront, Jessica Ottney Mahar - New York policy and strategy director with The Nature Conservancy - said her group hopes the Legislature will agree to make the proposed investments.

"Take a look at that climate plan, and really calibrate the future of the next few budgets to make sure that we're meeting the demand that it's going to take to change the way we're running New York," said Ottney Mahar, "from all different kinds of perspectives to achieve those goals."

The governor's budget also proposes $500 million for offshore wind manufacturing, $200 million for capital projects at state parks, $90 million in capital funding for the Department of Environmental Conservation and $500 million for clean-water projects.

The proposed budget will now be considered by the state Legislature. The final version is due March 31.

According to Ottney Mahar, the investments are an opportunity to merge environmental restoration and flood prevention.

"Thinking about how, as communities, we're relating to water," said Ottney Mahar, "making sure that we're restoring floodplains, the area that water will naturally flow and giving space for that water to move, and also restoring natural areas that can help us by absorbing water."

Hochul also has proposed an expansion of one million additional acres of freshwater wetlands to the state-protected areas.

Ottney Mahar said her group looks forward to working with Hochul to bring the initiatives to fruition.

"We're really excited to see her embracing the environment, and embracing the need to tackle climate change," said Ottney Mahar, "as we build a new era for New Yorkers and the next generation of New Yorkers."

Voters will still have to decide upon the proposed $4 billion Bond Act this November.