Thesis
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SEAGRASS BEDS AND THE WATER QUALITY AND BIOGEOCHEMISTRY IN THE PENSACOLA BAY SYSTEM, FLORIDA
University of West Florida
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2017
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis was to determine if a relationship was present between seagrass beds and the water quality and biogeochemistry of the adjacent water column in the Pensacola Bay System in Pensacola, Florida, from January 2015 to December 2015. This study was accomplished by evaluating the conditions of the vegetated and unvegetated sites in regards to water column specific conductivity, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature. The water column nutrient concentrations of each site were distinguished in terms of ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphates, and chlorophyll a concentrations. Each of these parameters was statistically analyzed against one another and also in regards to vegetated versus unvegetated sites to determine if a relationship between vegetated and unvegetated sites could be identified. This data suggests that were no significant differences in regards to nutrient concentration levels when vegetated sites were compared to unvegetated sites. However, a significant difference was observed in the chlorophyll a levels between vegetated and unvegetated sites, with the highest levels of concentrations being found in the vegetated sites.
Details
- Title
- INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SEAGRASS BEDS AND THE WATER QUALITY AND BIOGEOCHEMISTRY IN THE PENSACOLA BAY SYSTEM, FLORIDA
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida
- Format
- text
- Copyright
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
- Identifiers
- 99380090856306600
- Academic Unit
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Science (MS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida