Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)

• Home
  • NCCOS Home
• About Us
  • Biogeography
  • COAST
  • Accomplishments
  • Integrated Assessments
  • Contacts List
• News & Features
  • Press Releases
• Research
  • Search by Location
  • Search by Stressor
  • Search by Ecosystem
  • Advanced Search
• Publications & Products
  • Top Requests
  • Biogeography Products
  • COAST Products
• Data
  • National Status & Trends
  • Hurricane Katrina
• Stressors
  • Climate Change
  • Extreme Natural Events
  • Invasive Species
  • Land & Resource Use
  • Pollution
• Ecosystems
  • Coastal Oceans
  • Coral Reefs
  • Estuaries
  • National Marine Sanctuaries
• Opportunities

CRES: Component: Water Column Transport Processes

• Objectives
• Description
• Relation to Other Research Components
• Milestones
• Contact Information

Project Components:

• Sediment Loading and Associated Impacts
• Water Column Transports Processes
• Physical Oceanography
• Transport of Watershed-based materials: Sediment Studies
• Coral Diseases
• Demographic Studies: Coral Reef Communities
• Coupling Species and Habitat
• Socioeconomic Studies
• Ecological and Socioeconomic Coupling
• MPA and Marine Reserve Studies
• Database Management

You are here: Home › Biogeography › Products › CRES › CRES: Component: Water Column Transport Processes

CRES: Component: Water Column Transport Processes

OBJECTIVES

1. Characterize the temporal and spatial variability of turbidity and phytoplankton biomass among different zones using continuous/autonomous instrumentation coupled to other measurements of salinity, temperature and turbidity.
2. Determinine spatial and seasonal differences of water transparency, suspended sediments and colored organic matter among different locations.
3. Determinine of the distribution of organic and inorganic nutrients (N and P) to determine their availability to planktonic and benthic producers.
4. Estimate abundance and productivity of microbial communities.
5. Determine the interaction of seagrass, mangrove and coral reef habitats through transport of materials derived from those habitats.

DESCRIPTION

Coral reef systems are exposed to numerous natural and anthropogenic stressors. At present there are limited data on environmental conditions, water quality and material transport in coral reef systems of Puerto Rico. This sub-component of PR-CRES focuses on research of spatial and temporal patterns of water quality indicators of both inanimate and biological nature to increase our insight on responses of coral reef systems to environmental change. One of the central themes of this research component seeks to resolve water quality variations at various temporal scales (daily to seasonal) in order to establish probable water provinces in La Parguera study site, which can serve to explain extant bottom community composition and/or health. In addition, a unique feature of these studies is the utilization of microbial abundance and growth response-knowledge to address nutrient sources to coral reef systems. The fast response of planktonic microbial species to nutrient enrichment will be used as an indicator of nutrient availability and thus inputs to coral reefs and associated habitats.

The above analyses will be conducted periodically at 10 stations established to cover the range of coral reefs habitats found within the study area. Moored autonomous sensors for the determination of turbidity and phytoplankton biomass (SCUFA, Turner Designs) will be positioned at these stations to develop precise spatial and temporal patterns of both parameters( Fig. 1; Link to figure 1). In addition, discrete water sampling for turbidity, chlorophyll a, picophytoplankton and bacterial abundance, water column productivity (phytoplankton and bacterial), suspended solids, light attenuation and nutrient analysis are part of the present effort. To better assess the link of terrestrial inputs to coral reef systems, sampling efforts were expanded to include water quality analysis at a number of nearcoastal stations encompassing fringing reefs, mangroves and seagrass sytems in addition to those examined in other PR-CRES efforts. Acquisition of data from these stations will provide the opportunity to assess the extent of particulate and dissolved species inputs due to episodic rains within the watershed of the study area (Fig. 2; Link to Figure 2). In addition, a series of low cost CTD's will be deployed to track the frequency of watershed inputs due to tidal effects (tidal flat inputs) and rain inputs into nearcoastal stations. These data will provide evidence for the influence of nearcoastal inputs to coral reef systems of La Parguera Natural Reserve.

RELATION TO OTHER RESEARCH COMPONENTS

Coral reef composition and characterization. Close observation of water quality patterns can be used in coordination with the observed distribution of reef diseases. Provide basic data for mechanistic models as well as validation opportunities. Interaction with land transport studies.

MILESTONES

Water Quality Measurements: Turbidity, Chla, salinity, temperature. Suspended sediments and nutrient sampling program to be developed.	1st Year
Extension of terrestrial inputs: colored dissolved organic matter, rain events	1st Year
Microbial Productivity: nutrient limitation bioassays. Bacterial productivity assays are being conducted at the time.	1st Year
Light Attenuation: attenuation coefficients	1st Year
Water column respiration	2nd Year
Sediment Respiration	2nd Year
Bacterial Productivity	2nd Year
Particulate organic matter	2nd Year
Organic and inorganic nutrients (N and P)	2nd Year

CONTACT INFORMATION