Thathathathats all folks!

UNF had a hard act to follow after our week at KML, but Dr. Hackney and Dr. Smith didn't disappoint. This week was all about more Northern coastal habitats, focusing on high energy beaches, estuaries, and salt marshes. On Monday, we traveled up the St. John's River, examining the human impact on the river itself and the surrounding area. Because I had prior knowledge about the area, I was not surprised to see that the banks of the St. John's were almost completely altered from its natural state. Additionally, we took water quality parameters in increments starting from over 20 miles up the river to the inlet to the ocean, and compared salinity, dissolved oxygen, and other factors.

The Jacksonville Landing (a popular hangout for young people!) by water

Safety first, y'all! 

Arien and I examining water samples collected along the St. John's River 

Tuesday we visited five locations: GTMNERR North Beach Access, St. Augustine Inlet, Matanzas Inlet, Summer Haven community area, and a beach with coquina rock outcroppings. This section is further outlined in my other post this week, but below are some pictures from the excursion.

High Wave Energy Beach

Ariel's Grotto- AKA coquina rock outcroppings

The other major event this week was the 24 hour diel study at the GTMNERR salt marsh. I was, admittedly, dreading the experience, worried that the lack of sleep would make me miserable. How wrong I was! The diel study was an incredible experience. I saw things and learned more things than I ever expected to. To me, the most interesting part was the vast changes in the species diversity collected in the seine net throughout the 24 hours and at the two locations.

Shrimp!

Seining at dusk

Post 24 hour diel study!

The experiences I have had and skills I have learned throughout this course have exceeded my wildest expectations. At times, I was stressed, overtired, and aching, but in retrospect, every facet of the course had a purpose and added value to my experience. I have a much clearer understanding of the diverse ecosystems found in Florida, from off shores in the Gulf of Mexico, to mangrove mazes in South Florida, to exotic coral reefs of the Keys, to the salt marshes of Northern Florida. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that gave me hands on training that would be impossible to achieve in a traditional classroom setting. I would recommend this course to any budding biologist who wants to gain real world experience in the field, a crucial facet to undergraduate education that is often overlooked. 

I love the FIO Field Studies Course!!