ASGSB 1999 Annual Meeting Abstracts

PLANKTON ASSEMBLAGES IN MOSQUITO LAGOON, CAPE CANAVERAL. K Gresh, S Frias-Torres, G Gilmore, Ph. D. Kennedy Space Center, Dynamac Corporation, Florida Institute of Technology, Saint Vincent College.

Essential for the survival and success of the aquatic ecosystem, plankton form the basis of the aquatic food chain by providing nutrition for most fish larvae and small aquatic animals. Numerous variables impact plankton development and assemblage. One major influence is predator population. Other influences include light intensity and nutrient concentration, both of which are highly affected by oceanic currents. Also, plankton undergo diel migration patterns, determining vertical distribution of the organism.

In order to track plankton assemblages, sampling is conducted at dusk, the time in which plankton ascend to the surface. Two tows (zooplankton and ichthyoplankton tows) are conducted at each of three sites for ten minutes at a boat speed of 600 RPM. A YSI (Yellow Springs International) instrument records sample area salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentration. Samples are sorted and counted for fish eggs and larvae.

The data collected aims to determine qualitative and quantitative variables of plankton samples, identify favored aquatic environmental parameters of plankton, evaluate predation influences, and grasp the effects of natural and human impacts. Plankton assemblages in seagrass exceed those in open water and environmental parameters differ at each habitat. Also, areas containing large plankton predator populations minimize plankton sample size, whereas a reduced predator count optimize collection of samples. Investigation into plankton assemblages may provide further information concerning simpler forms of life on Earth. Expansion into other worlds begins at home: without thorough understanding of innerspace, limited success in outerspace exploration will ensue.

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