Comparing Habitats at KML

This week was amazing and we experienced so many different habitats. We snorkeled through mangroves and shallow spongy (and algal) areas, studied seagrasses, but most of all we snorkeled at several different reefs - both artificial and natural.

Comparing the Sites
The reefs we visited on Monday were different from the reefs we saw Wednesday, which were also different from Thursday. One of the coral reefs on Monday had less species diversity and more of a sandy bottom and flatter reef than the reefs at Looe Key, which had higher species diversity and abundance (corals and fish alike) and these reefs were more mountainous. The reef on Wednesday was an artificial reef, using pieces from the old 7 mile bridge as a base for growth. There were some areas of mountainous coral as well as sandy ocean floor.

Looe Key Dive Center - we departed from here on Thursday

 The water surrounding the coral reefs was always very clear, unlike the water at the mangroves and seagrasses, and even sponge/algal areas, which were all more cloudy with easily stirred up soft sediment. These areas benefit from nutrients in the water, whereas corals tend to live in waters with low nutrient content, but yet remain one of the most productive habitats. Corals and mangroves protect the coastline during high wave energy events, by either absorbing it or slowing it down before it reaches the coast. On a smaller scale, mangroves, seagrasses, and corals will all help with sedimentation and preventing erosion. They do this by slowing the water movement enough that it will deposit the suspended sediment. Primary productivity in coral reefs is primarily from their symbiont Zooxanthellae and algae; in seagrass beds, macroalgal beds and mangroves it is themselves. In addition, all of these areas provide food and shelter for other organisms.

End of the Week Recap

Queen Angelfish (at Mote)

Foureye Butterfly fish (at Mote)

On Thursday we went to Looe Key and snorkeled at two different and beautiful locations on the reef. At the first location we did a fish survey, and experienced a snorkeling version of RVC (Reef Visual Census) Survey. We had learned the names of 50 fish common to the area that we would likely see, then wrote a master list on waterproof paper, with room for tally marks. Once in the water, we chose a location and started the survey. In the first 5 minutes we tallied every fish we saw, and in the second 5 minutes we only tallied fish of species that we hadn't seen in the first 5 minutes. I really enjoyed the RVC because it made learning all of the fish species rewarding, and we experienced something that we could potentially be a part of some day if we were SCUBA certified (as that is how RVC's are done). After a great morning on the reefs we travelled to Mote Marine Lab in Summerland Key and learned about some really interesting coral research they are doing. They have discovered that by putting small colonies of the same strain (genetically identical) coral close together on a plate, they will grow, in about a year's time, to the size of a coral colony that normally takes 5 years to form. They are doing some really great research over there!

Acropora cervicornis skeleton

Small colonies of coral - part of the research

 

They use pasta as a biofilter!

 After Mote, we went to Bahia Honda and wandered down the beach looking in all of the tidal pools. We found lots of small fish, several Sergeant Majors, crabs, algae and coral fragments. When we went into the water we looked through the Sargassum and found many larval filefish, shrimp, a pipefish, and a tiny Sargassum fish!

Small piece of partially living coral I found in a tidal pool.

Some small Sergeant Majors

Unicellular alga!

Smallest sea anemone I've ever seen!

On Friday we went to Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park. We learned about the quarrying, the original bridge through the keys, several species of trees, and were able to identify many of the coral fossils in the rock.

Sand from the Sahara Desert!

Gumbo Limbo trees - they have a soft bark that enables them to bend toward light.

Quarrying device, and the quarry

Some coral fossils in the rock

This week has been amazing! We were able to experience so many different habitats, and snorkeling over so many different reefs is an experience I'll never forget! I learned so much this week; in the beginning I couldn't name any of the corals or fish I was looking at, but now I can see a picture of a fish, coral, or alga, and name it right away! Thanks for everything KML!