Research Areas:

Biogeochemistry, Organic Geochemistry, Isotope Geochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Geochemical Ecology

Research:

Dr. Romero’s research focuses on uncovering geochemical signatures in the ocean as archives of how marine systems function and respond to natural and anthropogenic events. She uses organic chemistry and isotopic tracers in diverse samples from natural environments, and experiments such as sediments, water, vegetation, and biota (e.g., sponges, squid, jellyfishes, shrimp, mesopelagic and reef fishes) to study the source, transformation processes, and fate of molecules in marine systems. Her work covers from coastal (e.g., mangroves, saltmarshes) to deep-sea environments (e.g., mesopelagic, benthic) on a wide range of temporal and spatial scales contributing to chemical diversity, ecosystem function, and resilience.

Recent Publications:

Murray A., I.C. Romero, M. Riedinger-Whitmore, P. Schwing, H. Judkins. 2024. Spatial and temporal trends in microplastic pollution in the Eastern Oyster, Crassotrea virginica, in Tampa Bay, Florida. Regional Studies in Marine Science, Vol 77 (103668).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103668

Plafcan MM, Schwing PT, Romero IC, Brooks GR, Larson RA, O'Malley BJ, CD Stallings. 2024. Benthic foraminifera in Gulf of Mexico show temporal and spatial dynamics of microplastics. Mar Pollut Bull,Vol 200 (116090). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116090

Hewson I., I. Ritchie, J.S. Evans, A. Altera, D. Behringer, E. Bowman, M. Brandt, K.A. Budd, R.A. Camacho, T. Cornwell, P.D. Countway, A. Croquer, G. Delgado, C. DeRito, E. Duermit-Moreau, R. Francis- Floyd, S. Gittens, L. Henderson, A. Hylkema, C.A. Kellogg, Y.
Kiryu, K. Kitson-Walters, P. Kramer, J. Lang, H. Lessios, L. Liddy, D. Marancik, S. Nimrod, J.T. Patterson, M. Pistor, I.C. Romero, R. Sellares-Blasco, M. Sevier, W. Sharp, M. Souza, A. Valdez-Trinidad, M. Van der Laan, B. Vilanova-Cuevas, M. Villalpando, S.D. Von Hoene, M. Warham, T. Wijers, S. Williams, T.M. Work, R. Yanong, S. Zambrano, A. Zimmermann, M. Breitbart.  A scuticociliate causes mass mortality of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum in the Caribbean Sea. 2023. Journal of Science Advances, Vol
9(16), DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg3200.

Schwing P., Chanton J., Bosman S., Brooks G., Larson R.A., Romero I.C., Diercks A. 2023. Organic carbon and planktic foraminifera radiocarbon derived Holocene sediment accumulation rates in the northern slopes of the Gulf of Mexico. Deep-sea research I, Vol
193, number 103959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2022.103959.

Sutton T.T., Milligan R.J., Daly K., Boswell K.M., Cook A.B., Cornic M., Frank T., Frasier K., Hahn D., Hernandez F., Hildebrand J., Hu C., Johnston M.W., Joye S.B., Judkins H., Moore J.A., Murawski S.A., Pruzinsky N.M., Quinlan J.A., Remsen A., Robinson K.L., Romero I.C., Rooker J.R., Vecchione M., Wells R.J.D. 2022. The Open-Ocean Gulf of Mexico after Deepwater Horizon: Synthesis of a decade of research. Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 9, number 753391. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.753391.

Woodyard M., Polidoro B.A., Matson C.W., McManamay R.A., Saul S., Carpenter K.E., Collier T.K., Di Giulio R., Grubbs D., Linardich C., Moore J.A., Romero I.C., Schlenk D., Strongin, K.. 2022. A comprehensive petrochemical vulnerability index for marine fishes in
the Gulf of Mexico. Science of The Total Environment, Volume 820, No. 152892. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152892