You are here: Home › Stressors › Resource & Land Use › Puerto Rico / Vieques Cruise 2006 Mission Web Page › Day 2
Puerto Rico Cruise Day 2
posing with the seagrass core.
Photo: Amy V. Uhrin)
Up bright and early, the small boats were launched and we were off to our sites at 8am.
Today we began seagrass sampling within a manatee feeding area. A number of random plugs of seagrass were collected from within a heavily disturbed meadow of seagrass where manatees are known to feed in large numbers. In addition, a number of plugs were taken from outside the disturbed area. A plug of seagrass is extracted using a 15cm diameter coring device which is pushed into the sediment, capped, and then pulled out manually.
counting seagrass shoots.
Photo by Amy V. Uhrin
The number of individual seagrass shoots per plug are then counted and the shoots are separated into blade material and root material. At this stage, the seagrass is frozen and will be processed further back at the lab.
Our second mission today was to begin our fish and habitat survey work. At each site, one of a pair of divers swims along a 30m transect line while identifying and recording all fish sighted within 1m on either side of the line. The second diver follows behind and estimates the percent cover at 6 m intervals of various habitats falling within a 0.5 x 0.5 m square. Today we focused on deeper (~ 60 ft) sites composed primarily of algae fields and soft coral forests. A team of six divers (3 pairs) completed 7 sites today. A great start!
A school of yellow goatfish Photo: Amy V. Uhrin |
A smiling porcupine fish! Photo by Amy V. Uhrin |
Scientist Amy V. Uhrin estimates algal cover Photo: Mike Judge) |
Scientist Abby Poray lays out a transect tape for the fish/habitat team. Photo: Mike Judge) |