Monday, June 2, 2014

24 hour!
We set off for our 24 hour study at the GTMNERR reserve in Ponte Vedra beach on Wednesday around 11:00 AM. We set up in our two areas between the dam, one above the dam in Guana lake and the second in the Estuary below the dam. We spent 6 hours in each place sampling the water quality every hour and 10ft sample seining ever three hours. We observed how the species diversity changed with the tide along with the water temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll levels and turbidity. We found that the sun was the main factor driving these variables facilitating the processes. The temperature and chlorophyll levels were the highest at midday with the low tide and bright sun. The fish species that were most abundant in the lake were the mosquito fish (Gambusia) and the mature greater blue crab. In the lower estuarine area the were more Baywiff and mullet. After the long 24 hours of scattered sleep and dodging gators we all made it slightly unscathed. After a well needed sleep we formulated graphs of our data and came to some very interesting conclusions about species diversity in the reserve. Overall     the whole UNF week was full of knowledge adventure and many many laughs! Next up is the keys!



And lets not forget our sneak peak of the greenhouse on the top floor of the UNF biology building!


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