Abundance of Seagrasses and Algae in Relation to Distances Along a Transect Off the Coast of Tobacco Caye
Disciplines
Biology | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Marine Biology | Plant Sciences | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Seagrasses, being primary producers, are one of the most productive ecosystems and provide food and shelter to many invertebrates and fish, making them imperative for the survival of these organisms. We sampled off the coast of Tobacco Caye, Belize to determine the abundance of seagrasses and algae in relation to distances along a transect. Factors that can affect the abundance of each species could be human impact, excess nutrients, flow of the current, and light exposure along the transect. Tobacco Caye’s many tourists and wastewater wells could provide additional nutrients to promote seagrass growth. Alternatively, this could serve as a disruption to seagrass beds, diminishing growth. We expected a lower relative abundance of seagrasses and algae as distance increased north along the main transect. We found that we needed more data before we made conclusions about the patterns we observed. Our research is a starting point that can be used for future studies as it gives a general idea of the abundance of the ecosystem around the west coast of Tobacco Caye.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Troy Mutchler
Abundance of Seagrasses and Algae in Relation to Distances Along a Transect Off the Coast of Tobacco Caye
Seagrasses, being primary producers, are one of the most productive ecosystems and provide food and shelter to many invertebrates and fish, making them imperative for the survival of these organisms. We sampled off the coast of Tobacco Caye, Belize to determine the abundance of seagrasses and algae in relation to distances along a transect. Factors that can affect the abundance of each species could be human impact, excess nutrients, flow of the current, and light exposure along the transect. Tobacco Caye’s many tourists and wastewater wells could provide additional nutrients to promote seagrass growth. Alternatively, this could serve as a disruption to seagrass beds, diminishing growth. We expected a lower relative abundance of seagrasses and algae as distance increased north along the main transect. We found that we needed more data before we made conclusions about the patterns we observed. Our research is a starting point that can be used for future studies as it gives a general idea of the abundance of the ecosystem around the west coast of Tobacco Caye.