Collecting Water Samples- Seaira

Today I went to two sites in the Indian River Lagoon to collect water samples for analysis in the lab tomorrow. While I did not find any "true" seagrass beds, I did stumble upon a large amount of Widgeon Grass,Ruppia maritima. This species is a seagrass, however it differs because it does not grow well in environments with elevated saline levels.

Widgeon Grass prefers saline levels of less than 25ppt, and is typically found in shallow waters. This particular species is the only species that pollinates with hydrophobic (water-fearing) pollen that floats across the waters surface.

 The locations of my samplings included Parrish Park in Titusville, and Scottsmoor Landing in Mims. I chose these locations because the have access to large open portions of the lagoon. I also wanted compare nutrient levels in these sites with previous ones because they are in close proximity to agricultural, residential, and industrial sites. I am curious to see if my results will show that there could be sources of runoff pollution in the area. 
While I was sampling I also noticed that there was a large amount of white foam at the shoreline and dock area at Scottsmoor Landing.

When I got home I decided to do some research about what the sea foam was exactly, and why there was so much of it in the area. I discovered that sea foam is made up of organic matter including dissolved salts, proteins, and you guessed it dead algae. I read on the NOAA website that sea foam can become thick and copious during times of algae blooms. I found this very interesting, and I wonder if my testing in the lab will support this theory of present algae blooms due to nutrient runoff.