Seaira- Water sampling and Project supplies

For my project I would need a plant press to collect my plant samples, and refractometer to test water salinity. This weekend I had the ability to use a refractometer to test water salinity in the Gulf of Mexico. I will continue to take samples from various locations as I also collect plant samples. The area where I took my salinity records and water samples from class was a very interesting ecosystem. This location on the gulf is located in Sarasota Bay adjacent to the Sapphire Shores, a site of Native American settlements and mounds. I took samples from the bay, which had a salinity of 35ppt which is standard for ocean water. I also took samples with the refractometer from a stream that was flowing into the bay, the water here was brackish with a salinity of 7ppt. The plants I could identify in the area included: Sea Grapes, Sea Purslane, Sea (manatee) grasses, and Red Mangrove trees. The area was abundant with coral and shell remains, so the sediment consisted of biogenous and lithogenous substances. The actual water samples I took to use in lab this week came from the area where the stream met the bay, the salinity there was also about 7ppt. The sample area was abundant with fish, flora, and organisms of all kinds because of the brackish water. My samples were taken in the evening when the tide was low and the weather was agreeable. I immediately put the samples in a cooler for my three hour drive home, however overall these samples will provide me with interesting salinity comparisons for the future of my research project.