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Macroalgae Study


Bioavailability and Sources of Nutrients and Linkages to Nuisance Macroalgae (2008-2010)


A team of scientists from SCCF, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), the University of Miami formalized a partnership with local governments to investigate the linkages between water quality and "blooms" of macroalgae. Following several active hurricane milbrandt divingseasons and high volume discharges from Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee basin, a massive red algae bloom was observed in Lee County. While it was not the first report of red algae accumulations on local beaches, it caused public outcry for a solution and plan was developed by local governments. The plan was to secure grant funding for research on the causes of the massive algae blooms. Several teams of scientists competed for the funding to study the red drift algae problem and their proposals were evaluated by City of Sanibel and Lee county staff. Drs. Milbrandt, Coen, and Bartleson from SCCF were an integral part of the team that was selected to perform the study last fall. The research project goals are to examine bioavailable nutrients, including those released by the sediments and determine the connection with attached macroalgae growing off of Sanibel and Fort Myers beaches. The work will be conducted for two year period and will cover the 2 inshore stations near the causeway and 10 offshore area from Redfish Pass to Bonita Beach.

A related effort, in collaboration with Drs.Grizzle and Riegl from the University of New Hampshire and Nova Southeastern University, will use a combination of hydroacoustic, videosurveying and related ground-truthing to map positions of the sea floor off Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva Islands in conjunction with ongoing efforts related to macroalgae 'blooms' existing work. SCCFdivers will collect bottom samples in conjunction with UNH and Nova scientists to assess accuracy and gather more detailed information. A catalog of geo-referenced and groundtruthed sonar samples representative of the major categories of vegetation and substrates will be collected with a Biosonics DT-X echosounder and two multiplexed, single-beam digital transducers operating at frequencies of 38 and 420 kHz. A SeaViewer model 550 color video camera will be deployed concurrently with the Biosonics system as in two different modes to provide supplementary data for the hydroacoustic survey.

February 2010 Report
July 2009 Report
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