Community Dynamics along a Salinity Gradient in Florida Bay

This project evaluates seagrass associated fish and invertebrate (caridean and penaeid shrimp) community structure in relation to seagrass and salinity across Florida Bay. Project objectives include documenting fish and shrimp community structure:
1) at the end of the dry season (annual high salinity) and wet season (annual low salinity);
2) along local depth gradients (bank, basin and near key);
3) in relation to seagrass micro-habitat (seagrass blade density, blade length, biomass, etc.); and
4) in years when the bay functioned as a positive estuary and as a negative estuary. Field collections, conducted over 2 years, have been completed. Sample processing has been delayed but is nearing completion.

The Oracle database planned for this project, located at Everglades National Park, is running. Data entry is underway.