Seagrass Restoration in Tampa Bay, Florida

Seagrass Restoration in Tampa Bay, Florida - Biogeochemistry

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Seagrass Restoration in Tampa Bay, Florida

Dawes, Clinton (USF), Meads, Michael (USF), kyates@usgs.gov (USGS/GD), Fernandez, Mario (USGS/GD) and Kellogg, Christina (USGS/GD)

Biogeochemistry Research Question:

The SHARQ chamber is 16 (l) x 8 (w) x 4 (h) feet in size and is designed to isolate several cubic meters of water and underlying benthos from the ambient environment.

1. How do the metabolism and growth rates of native seagrass beds in Little Cockroach Bay compare to those in Feather Sound?

Measurements of metabolism and growth rates of benthic communities like seagrass beds have generally been accomplished by calculating rates of photosynthesis, respiration, and biogenic calcification from rate changes in key chemical parameters in the water column. This study uses the Submersible Habitat for Analyzing Reef Quality (SHARQ), which uses a flow-through analytical system to continuously measure the following parameters:

in situ salinity
pH
dissolved oxygen
fluorescence
temperature

Water samples are removed from a sample port every four hours to calculate alkalinity.

SHARQ chamber is assembled at the study site.

Submersible Habitat for Analyzing Reef Quality (SHARQ) is assembed at the study site.