Zane grey creek

On tuesday morning, even though the weather was looking nasty, we still made it out to two unique sites, Big Sponge and Zane grey creek. Zane grey creek, being a mangrove intertidal creek had an immense amount of species diversity due to the constant inflow and outflow of tides creating microhabitats. This intertidal zone had very little freshwater inlfux but is still considered brackish. The low energy habitat contained loose sediment dominated by mangroves, seagrass and macro algae. It was mostly dominated by red mangroves (Rhozophera mangral) creating a stable nursery for juvenile fish and small organisms to inhabit. The seagrass diversity was the highest compared to all the other sites by consisting of Thallasia testudium, Haloduli wrightii, and syringodium filiforme.

Thallasia testudium Turtle Grass and Pinicillus underneath

It also held very diverse macro algae such as Penicillus, Udotea (Mermaid fan), Acetabularia, and Culerpa (Feather algae). There was little coral cover compared to seagrass and algae consisting mainly of Siderastria sp., but abundant sponge diversity. As we traveled through the mangrove tunnels we came in contact with species from all different phylums simultaneously creating a thriving habitat.

Bartholomea annulata or corkscrew anemone surrounded by Acetobularia crenulota or mermaids glass macroalgae

Cassiopea a unique upside down cnidarian found floating in the  water column in low energy areas. 

A colonial tunicate found settled onto a fallen mangrove branch

Ascida niger