FGCU WEEK:
Thur.-Fri.
FGCU week was the most overwhelming week so far.  It was unimaginable the amount of information we were expected to know and to understand.  I did learn a lot, but at the price of feeling burned out and apathetic. 
Thursday we covered seagrasses and in general it was information that we learned the first week.  However, I did gain some knowledge about using pivot tables in excel and entering formulas into excel.  This information will help me in the future with my research.  However, this day was the longest day of them all and at the end I was ready to throw in the towel. 
Friday we covered oysters and what factors are affecting their distribution in Estero bay.  Freshwater from Lake Okeechobee is entering Estero Bay and lowering the salinity, making it difficult for the oysters to thrive.  Also, the average temperature of the ocean is rising and this is also making it difficult for the oysters to thrive in Estero Bay. 
We also took the final test on Friday and it was difficult, but pretty reasonable.  However, certain questions on the test blew me away.
I also finished my independent research portion for this site on Friday and I took pictures!

 

A Journey Among the Mangroves:

 

Gastropods are everywhere among the branches!

Various mollusca use prop roots as a substrate to attach! These are usually good markers to determine the general tide.

Aratus, a mangrove "ninja"! These crabs actually live as juveniles in the water column near the mangroves and crawl up into the canopy as adults.

This picture shows the mangrove propagules waiting to fall off and become new trees, as well as the fallen yellow leaves that mangroves "sacrifice" to rid themselves of excess salt.

Baby red mangrove that has attached itself to oysters on the surface of the sediment.  Oysters contribute greatly to the expansion of mangrove forests.

Look at me grow!

This picture is just an example of what I have to walk through:( It seems so dense because much of the "branches" are just red mangrove prop roots.

Oysters!!!!!!!

Striped barnacles!!!! These guys also colonize mangrove prop roots.