BIO

I am a second year student at FSU working towards a Bachelor of Science in Civil/Environmental Engineering. I have always been interested in the outdoors and the field of environmental science; I was recently introduced to geology and how the landscape and the types of materials in the ground can effect water supplies and the communities that rely on them. In the future, I am hoping to work as an engineer to efficiently manage the water supply of communities in need.

Meiofauna Biomass and Population Density of Reef and Subtidal Ecosystems

Abstract

The Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve (AHAP) is an estuarine bay in the northeast region of the Gulf of Mexico along the northwest coast of Florida. AHAP is administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) Florida Coastal Office (FCO) and was created in 1969. This project examines meiofauna, a group of organisms with over 20 phyla that make Alligator Harbor rich with biodiversity. AHAP provides valuable resources for a variety of species; for example, the stable saline conditions allow clam and oyster aquaculture to thrive. Meiofauna are microscopic organisms which live between the grains of aquatic sediments and are responsible for much of the nutrient cycling that occurs in benthic ecosystems. In this study, sediment samples were collected and meiofauna, specifically nematodes and copepods, were extracted from the sediments to be analyzed. The data collected includes population density, length and width, and biomass of the collected meiofauna. This information can be used to gauge the productivity and overall health of AHAP and in relation with oyster reefs, as there is a strong relationship between meiofauna counts, biomass, and environmental health status. The information collected in this study can be used to inform management and guide current and future activities in the area.

Keywords: meiofauna, environmental health, biomass, Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve, Gulf of Mexico