Melody UR: Current Environmental Enthusiast, Future Environmental Scientist

Sunset chasing has become a constant in my life.

Taken from the peak of the Dunlawton Bridge on a recent Sunday bike ride.

Greetings! I'm Melody. I am a free spirited 23 year old from Daytona Beach. It has taken me a handful of years to discover my passion, but I believe I have finally found it--Mother Nature. On my days off I can usually be found kayaking a local creek or biking to our beautiful Ponce Inlet. While I would consider myself an outdoor enthusiast, I won't sugar coat things: I'm relatively lost on what I want to be when I grow up. I'm hoping to find the perfect niche for me while studying here at Daytona State College. I find myself on campus today after realizing I had been working in a position that brought me no personal fulfillment or satisfaction. I felt hopelessly trapped performing mundane tasks for a local insurance provider. I was compensated with exceptional pay and benefits but I was absolutely miserable. Every day spent in my dreary office I imagined working outdoors. I watched countless documentaries of environmental scientists performing experiments or observing the land. One in particular struck my fancy. The researchers of this documentary traveled to a foreign country where they were taking field samples in treacherous conditions during and after mudslides. By performing these studies they were able to conclude what environmental impacts were of natural origin and what were human disturbances. I thought how cool is this? I want to assist in stopping the human disturbances. I want this to be my life! After some deep consideration and quite a few sacrifices, I am now a full time student at Daytona State College working towards my AS in Environmental Science Technology. I'm thrilled to be enrolled in courses like our Oceanography lab that dive into the mysteries of the environment around us and it brings me only the purest joy to be working among peers with common goals and interests. I look forward to getting to know the class and working alongside all of you!

Monica (UR) Save Our Mother Earth

Me and Alex

Hello fellow environmentalist! My name is Monica Barrick and I am currently enrolled in OCE2013.

I am in the Environmental Science Technology A.S program. I am 21 years old and hope to make a difference in this world one day. I'm very environmental conscious and try to steer away from the norm that consumes our society. I hope to open the minds of my peers in my future post on renewable energy.

Some more personal things about me is that I love all animals. I have two chinchillas and two cats. My chinchillas are named after Pokemon (yes, i'm a nerd). My favorite place to be would be the beach. I love the ocean and every creature in it. I wanted to become environmental friendly because of the ocean. Long story short, if the ocean dies we will not longer exist. I work at a local grocery store called Love Whole Food and its one of the best jobs I've had. Not only do I work with awesome people, I learn new things daily about personal health. I recently got engaged to a wonderful man named Alex and I am very excited for our future. I hope to one day be the owner of a Tesla Model S P85D and then i'll be set.. and of course doing the environment a favor. Thanks for reading!

My babies, Squirtle and Togepi.

Alex Carter: Introduction :)

Here's when I went snorkling in Cabo

Hello all, my name is Alex Carter and I'm 26 years old.

I just moved to Florida this year and I'm loving every minute of it so far! I lived in Arizona for most my life, 15 years to be exact. Arizona is absolutely beautiful and it will always be home for me but theres one thing that it was missing.... THE OCEAN! I've always been drawn to the ocean for as long as I can remember and I knew it was time to finally live somewhere that theres plenty of it, hence why I moved to the sunshine state. Right out of high school I went to a community college in AZ and got my Associates Degrees in Liberal Arts. I took two years or so off after that to work, this is my first semester back and first semester at Daytona State! I am working full time and taking 4 classes.... wish me luck!! ha

Some things I enjoy when I'm not working, I'm a photographer, I was a big hiker/backpacker back home, I enjoy the gym, I love crafts, I love to fish, love being on boats or anywhere on the water really, off roading in my jeep, going shooting, I travel often, and I love meeting new people and trying new things!

Me at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa

Marine Biology has been something on my mind since my 7th grade trip I took to the San Juan Islands with my class. We went whale watching and explored the islands, we did labs, tasted seaweed and kelp plants I believe, we also dissected tiny squids! I enjoyed every minute of that trip and would love to find my calling somewhere in this field. I have only taken one Marine Bio course since then I look forward to what is to come from this class and semester! 

Pam, UR - From seaweed killer to seagrass lover!

Hello, I'm Pamela Cooper (Pam). After being a professional photographer for 30 years I decided to pursue my life-long interest in the aquatic environment, especially seagrass.

One of the many marine environments I grew up around was the South River, just south of Annapolis, Md.  I remember having to pull up the seaweed by hand so the boats could use the dock. Little did my 8 year old self know how important it was to the marine environment with the oxygen giving properties of aquatic plant life.

'Us kids" photo op. 

Currently I volunteer with the Conservation Field Station out of Marineland, Fl. My duties include assisting with dolphin surveys, water samples, and education outreach for 2nd and 5th grades in Flagler County.

Dolphin Survey coldest day of the year!

My current education will be completed with an A.S. in Environmental Science at the end of 2017. I can't wait, and am throughly enjoying all my classes along this interesting journey.

I look forward to posting more about my passion, seagrass, in the future.
Cheers!

Steve Cofone, UR- Boy scout to submariner to Environmentalist/ What a great life!

At 6 years old, I made the newspaper with this sunflower started in a dixie cup

 Hi-I'm Steve and I will say I am very excited to be here. As a child I always wanted to be a forest ranger, and at 52 I am pursuing that dream(or a close facsimile) with one semester left the anticipation is great.
I am from RI, have always been involved in boy scouts as a young person and went all the way through. I joined the US Navy at 19 and spent a little over 9 years as a submariner, going to sea the whole time I was in. I have been all over the world to include The north pole, the equator(swam in the ocean at 0 degrees) panama canal, and many places I still can't discuss. After the Navy my love for gardening and plants led to me becoming a Virginia Certified Horticulturist. In Florida I have managed several different companies, very large down to some small ones, to include my own for about 6 years.

My first run on a sub, leaving Holy Loch, scotland

When I decided to go to school to fulfill my dream, I signed on with Americorp, I volunteered for 1700 hours in a period of 11 months under a program called Project A.N.T., we surveyed, recorded and terminated non-native exotic species in our 174 state parks. With Americorp I was able to become certified Wildland Firefighter LV1, and became certified Prescribed burn crew. That was an exciting opportunity that I truly love. This led to a position as a park ranger at our state parks, I have served on several different state parks with very different missions.I was on a formal garden/post "new deal" park, I have been on a park where I preformed sea turtle patrol every morning,counting the eggs, moving the nest and recording the data. I am now at a historical state park and my job is more of a curator in a museum teaching guests history of Florida which is a great opportunity in its own right.

The largest prescribed burn I was on, a total of  945 acres

I have a second job at Petco, as an animal lover this is also an excellent position for me,  to share my knowledge of pet food and small animal care it is a delight.
I look forward to this class, I heard about this class my 1st semester and have been very excited to attend it since then. Which seems like 3 very long years ago.
I look forward to learning with all of you and hope you are as excited as I am.

Thanks for reading this-Steve Cofone

Casie UR, Introduction

Garth and I in New Smyrna Beach FL

Hello, my name is Casie Rowland and I am enrolled in the Oceanography Lab at Daytona State College. I have always been in love with the ocean and as a Florida native I have always found it a great vast mystery in need of exploration. I am excited about taking this course as I feel that it will not only introduce me to the wonders of sea life but it will give me my first taste of being a scientist. I also hope that in doing the Independent Research Project it will give me a leg up when applying to other universities.


I am interested in everything outdoors and becasue of this I pursued a degree in Outdoor Education and Leadership in Wyoming for several years. After a devastating knee injury I was forced to refocus and find another passion.  Now after some time and thinking  I hope to get my bachelors degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology at the University of Idaho and possibly a masters in Hydrology.  Last summer we took a cross country road trip to Idaho and fell in love with the state. Me, my boyfriend Garth Parish who is also taking this course and our pup Gomez will all be moving to Moscow Idaho after finishing this semester to attend the university. This has been a long time goal of ours and we can't wait to get out there and explore that part of the country.

Gomez

Christian Vinciquerra, UR; Introduction: Science is in my genes

Hi everyone, my name is Christian Vinciquerra, I was born and raised in Daytona Beach, FL. Growing up five minutes away from multiple water sources, it was hard to stay away. Whether it was socializing on the beach with friends or fishing in the Tomoka River with my dad, there was always some sort of bond between nature and I. Through high school I believed that becoming an architect or engineer was my passion. Winning the county fair for my house plans and designs for miscellaneous technical parts multiple times, I was truly blessed with a great talent. Summer of 2013,really opened my horizons to the science community. I was staying with my aunt and uncle for the summer in the Florida Keys. My uncle working for NOAA in Key West and my aunt working for the county as a marine biologist. Shadowing them for a whole summer snorkeling, kayaking, and fishing was what made me fall in love with the marine life. I concluded the summer deciding to change my intended major to marine science. After graduating high school, I went to Florida Gulf Coast University only attending my freshman year. I came to the decision to transfer to Daytona State College to complete my AA.
Leading into the Summer of 2016, I received my first science based job. I worked for Seacamp Association in Big Pine Key, FL as an aquatics instructor teaching sailing, windsurfing

Sailing out of Newfound Harbor

Left to Right: Nick Castillos' arm,
Dr. Jeff Carrier, Christian Vinciquerra
catching an 8 foot Bull Shark.

and assisting science classes on the local environment. During my contract there, I was on a boat basically everyday and the ocean was my backyard. I had experienced many different types of marine science and environmental studies experiments. Learning the Rules of the Road for handling boats and protecting the organisms within it to reef identification for coral and fish. The most interesting course that I assisted was the shark biology course. I assisted Dr. Jeff Carrier and Nick Castillo. Throughout the course we caught and examined mostly nurse sharks. We caught an 8 foot bull shark, blacktip, lemons, and bonnetheads. We were taught how to tag a shark and assisted Dr. Carrier with some of his research for Mote Marine Laboratories. Working here excited me for my future in the scientific community and opened up my eyes to how much I enjoy captaining a vessel. After I finish my AA at Daytona State I plan to attend a Maritime Academy to further my knowledge and experience working on a boats and ships as well as study and receive a bachelors in marine science. I am extremely excited to receive more hands on experience through Oceanography 1001 lab and conduct my first independent research project.

     Dylan Radford  Introduction

   Hello class my name is Dylan Radford. I was a duel Enrollment student in high school and this is my first year going to Daytona State full time. I enjoy coming to the classes and discussions that my professors offer rather than in high school. It has been a pretty big transition for me and at 18 years old I am finally being forced to think about what I want to do for the rest of my life. At first I was interested in criminology but quickly realized that it was not a field I could see myself in for the rest of my life. So I had to really think. I thought of the things that bring me the most joy in life. 

surfing, Ponce Inlet, Fl.

   

The things that bring true joy to my life are things like running, biking, surfing, hiking. These things all share a common atmosphere which is the outdoors. I have grown up in Daytona Beach and near the ocean all my life. I really love the environment and respect it for its beauty and danger, especially when surfing. In fact, I have learned a lot more about the environment by doing all of these outdoor activities. Now that I have pieced all of this together I've decided to change my major from criminology to environmental science because I feel like I need to see if I can make an impact on this field. I believe I can because I have so much love for the environment. 

     Now a little more about me. I love music and I have been playing guitar since I was around the age of nine. My dad is the person who got me to start playing but I quickly developed my own style of playing speed metal and modern hardcore/ punk songs. I post videos on my Instagram of new techniques or songs that I learn. Music has helped me mentally overcome huge obstacles and has given me a confidence that I can do anything as long as I give it my full attention and practice. I love to surf like I said earlier but I have been kick boxing and practicing Muay Thai for about a year and a half and it has quickly become one of my favorite sports. I have also been dating my girlfriend, Madison for 3 years. we got together during our sophomore year of high school and haven't been apart since.

Thunderbird Falls in Chugiak, Alaska

Carly Magnus,UR : Introduction

Hey there!  My name is Carly, and I'm a 25 year old nerd.

Was also a Camp Counselor with these lovely people this
past summer!

I'm originally from Georgia, and about two years ago I graduated from Georgia State University (Atlanta, GA) with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts with a concentration in drawing, painting, and printmaking.  My original interest was to work in the video game industry as a concept artist, but after graduating I moved to Florida where my parents now reside.  They were right down the street from Marineland Dolphin Adventure so I applied and have now been working in Guest Services for
almost two years!  Now, along with Guest Services I volunteer with our Aquarists weekly.

In my downtime I enjoy video games of all sorts, practicing drawing, reading graphic novels, and going to movies or restaurants with friends.  I love exploring new parts of Florida and zoos or aquariums, so if you have any suggestions let me know!

I've been taking science courses to eventually work towards a Bachelor's in Marine Science, Biology, or Zoology.  I still haven't fully decided, which is a reason I'm taking a rigorous course in Oceanography, which I am super excited for!  Thank you for joining me on this adventure!

*wink* from Marineland's Kemp's Ridley Pokey

Stephanie, UR--Introduction to me...

Me at South Carolina Aquarium 

                                                                
Hello Everyone,
My name is Stephanie Guyotte and I am currently working towards my A.S. degree in Environmental Science and Technology. After my time ends at Daytona State I'm still not sure where I will be going but I am sure that I will continue my education somewhere. I have a wide interest in all Earth Sciences including the aquatic environment and all the secrets of the oceans. Growing up in New Hampshire (a state with about ten miles of coast line) I do not have too much experience in an ocean environment so I am looking forward to all the new skills I will acquire from this class. I am especially excited about the independent research project that I will be working on very soon. I think I might do something with maritime archaeology or perhaps atmosphere but my heart is not set in stone just yet. When I am not doing school related work or working at my job I enjoy going somewhere I have never been like a park or a new restaurant or reading a good book. Although something tells me that I wont be doing anything but aquatic science for the next few months. I have two dogs; Little Dog and Foxy Lady both are rescue mutts who are true members of the family. Both hate going to dog beach and swimming in the ocean but will run for the ball all day long. I                

don't really know yet if I share my dogs dread of the ocean but I think I will be finding out very soon.



Emily CUR - Blacktip Shark Tagging & Water Quality Correlation Study

Welcome!
My name is Emily Reyes, a Continuing Undergraduate Research student with Daytona State College Institute of Marine and Environmental Studies. I graduated DSC with my Associates of Science in Environmental Science Technology in May 2016 and have returned to the blog to share information about a collaborative research proposal for an exciting shark tagging and water quality correlation study I'm currently involved with. 

Introduction
Blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) are a well-known coastal species of shark along the East Coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico which are named for and identified by their black-tipped dorsal, pectoral, anal and caudal fins. Due to its low reproductive rate and high value to fishers, this species has been classified as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)(Citation).

Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)
Source

Few studies have been done to understand this species so a team of researchers from Daytona State College, the Marine Science Center & the Marine Discovery Center propose to track two blacktip sharks, one male and one female, to determine how our local population (off the coast of Daytona Beach, Florida) responds to changes in various water quality parameters. The team will be working with OCEARCH, a non-profit organization leading the world in generating critical scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological study of keystone marine species. This collaboration will allow our sharks' location to be tracked by researchers as well as the general public on OCEARCH's website, displayed as pings. A ping refers to the approximate location where a sharks' tag made successful contact with a satellite. By clicking on a ping, you can learn the date and time the ping was generated, the gender of the shark, the location and the date of the initial tagging and choose to view the shark's profile which provides information on the shark species.

Approximately 1,678 sharks pictured in this frame, taken
during belt transect.Source

What is Known
A study released in March 2016 revealed that blacktip sharks participate in what is known to be the largest aggregation of sharks in the East Coast of the United States. One belt transect conducted by the researchers of said study found shark abundance to have peaked with 12,128 individuals counted within the 75.6 km belt transect in 2011. The sharks are reported to have traveled from as far north as the waters of North Carolina in search of warmer water but there are several other factors that have not been studied that may also contribute to this migration. For example, blacktips are known to have a tolerance for low salinity environments and have entered estuaries so salinity may be as much of a contributing factor for their migration as water temperature is.

What is Not Known
Blacktip sharks are a coastal-dwelling species but have been seen several miles offshore, highly unusual behavior that may be related to changes in the marine environment. In addition to this, there may be dramatic differences in movement between male and female sharks that have been previously unobserved. By studying differences in movement between gender and relating that to various water quality parameters, we may be able to reveal a relationship between the marine environment and behavior of these sharks.

Scientific Question

Can the movement and behavior of blacktip sharks be correlated with changes in the quality of water in the local marine environment?

#OurSharks Lift Platform, created by
team researchers Josh & Dennis Munsey

Materials & Method

• Rods & Reels
• Circle Hooks
• Bonito fish, as bait
• Shark Lift 
•  2 Wildlife Computers Model 258A SPOT Tags

Model 258A SPOT Tag in Dorsal Fin
Source

1.  Two sharks will be caught via rod & reel by a team of researchers 
2.  Sharks will be placed onto submerged lift platform and raised above water level
3. An irrigation hose will be placed in the mouth of the shark to flush salt-water over its gills and a water soaked towel will be placed over the eyes to reduce stress experienced by the shark 
4. SPOT Tag will be screwed into a rigid section of the dorsal fin, the shark will be measured for length to determine maturity, identified as male or female and released 


Water Quality Monitoring  
In order to determine a correlation between shark movement and water quality, the team will be using satellite data from NOAA & NASA to obtain the Sea Surface Temperature (SST), Sea Surface Salinity & Chlorophyll Concentration data from the area where the sharks have pinged. 

• Sea Surface Temperature (SST)(degrees Celsius)

Emily UR - Conclusions

Well the time has come to use what I've learned these past two years and try to get paid for it! Graduating in a week will open so many doors through which I'll be able to work outside, doing what I love. That being said, it's time to review and conclude my semester long research regarding Nutrient Pollution in Stormwater Management Ponds (SMPs).

Stormwater Management Ponds are man-made ponds designed to prevent flooding and act as a reservoir for the rainwater as well as the surface runoff that fills them from the higher elevations surrounding. These ponds generally have a weak current, if any at all and absorb sunlight all day which allows perfect conditions for algae growth and eutrophication of the water body. Nutrients and other debris associated with surface runoff and atmospheric deposition become introduced into the pond and feed these algae. I became curious about these sources so I came up with the official scientific questions of:
1. Does the setting surrounding an SMP influence the input of nutrients by surface runoff?
&
2. Does atmospheric deposition play a role in nutrient input?

HPSMP

 So  the pond to the left, HPSMP, is the Halifax Plantation Stormwater Management Pond located in Ormond Beach.

Below, TPSMP, is the Tuscawilla Park Stormwater Management Pond located in Tuscawilla Park in Daytona Beach.

TPSMP

Difference of water quality seen at each site in HPSMP

I decided to study these two ponds because of their locations and the area surrounding them. HPSMP is surrounded by 4 houses to its North, a golf course to it's South and a small path for residents and golf carts to cross to the East. I decided to take three samples from each pond since each side is effected by different environments hoping I would find some sort of variance of nutrient concentrations at each site.
Materials I worked with include:

•  Field Journal
• 4 2-Gallon Pail w/Handle
• Hach 2100N Turbidimeter
• Hack DR/890 Colorimeter
• VWR Clinical 20 Centrifuge
• NOAA Surface Weather Maps
• 500mL Bottles for Water Samples
• AquaFluor Handheld Fluorometer
• Wide Mouth Quart-Size Mason Jars
• NOAA Hi-Def Radar App for iPhone
• Fisher Scientific MaximaDry Filter Pump

 My method used to answer my questions was rather simple; I wanted to see the difference of nutrient content before and after a storm to see how much content varied but I also wanted to see how much the rain itself contributed as well. So therefore my method was to:

1.      Three water samples from different sites in each pond were collected prior to a storm and brought to the lab to be tested for Total Inorganic Nitrogen using Method 10021 and Total Phosphates using Method 8048. Chlorophyll & Turbidity were analyzed using the AquaFluor and the Hach 2100N Turbidimeter, respectively.

 

2.      Tracking a storm using the NOAA Radar app, two buckets were placed around each pond to collect the rainwater associated with the later runoff. This water was jarred and stored in a cool, dark place for later analysis.

 
3.     Once the storm had passed, three new samples were collected from the same sites and stored in a cool, dark place for later analysis using the same methods listed earlier. 


My Results:

Measurements of Total Nitrogen

Measurements of Total Phosphates

Positive Correlation of Chlorophyll & Turbidity

 Very fun this experiment was. The storm that brought me the rainwater traveled across the Northwestern United States before it reached Florida as it is seen as the cold front (blue line with blue triangle) entering the state, proceeding on its way Southeast. I decided not to create a HYSPLIT model because it was an overcomplicated version of a regular surface radar map. Anyway, considering my results, I've determined that atmospheric deposition does play a role in nutrient input into the pond and that the setting surrounding a pond does play a role in nutrient runoff as well. Next time though, I'd like to collect a sample of surface runoff as it's entering the pond, for comparison.

Hope y'all enjoyed the ride!

Pedro UR; wrapping up

So, it's been an exciting semester. The most interesting by far. My independent research project was  to conduct a series of test in the canals off of the Matanzas river and the river it self and try to pinpoint a particular source which may be causing poor water quality. this Idea was brought up by a concerned resident, Mr. Charlie Faulkner.  Mr. Charlie Faulkner is convinced that a nearby water treatment facility with a not so squeaky clean track record may be contaminating the river and leading to excess nutrients flowing into the canals upon which his community was built. 

Flagler Beach Water treatment facility

My scientific question was , Is the treated effluent water discharge contaminating the canals? After conducting a transect of samples from North of the canals to the back of Mr. Faulkner's community and South of the discharge point. I have compared various results with criteria of the water body. one example is this.

The levels of chlorophyll found at the furthest point of the canal system (site three) of the transect Showed chlorophyll in this area exceeds the standard criteria. This one of  the major areas of concern because it is the furthest away from the fresh supply of water. The results of the research at this time do not prove that the treatment facility is damaging the canals or surrounding areas. In the future I plan to return to the Matanzas river and the canals to perform the same test. I feel that the conditions in this area may change during the warmer months of summer. If my future results validate Mr. Faulkner's concern I feel that the city of Flagler Beach will have to listen not only to me but, to the rest of the EST students of DSC.

Deanna UR- The Results Are In!

Q & A: Jeff sec. 50. What will you do if you don't catch any red drum and what does that tell you about the fact that you weren't able to catch anything and the current regulations?

Thanks for your question! If I was not able to catch anything I would assume that red drum in the area have been overfished and that perhaps the regulations should be adjusted to allow the population to grow again. This could be done by imposing a closed season, where a few months out of the year it would be illegal to harvest red drum in the area.




Total Red Drum Length Measurements- the green
represents the legal harvesting size.

Fortunately, that did not happen and my persistence paid off. We ended up fishing a total of six different areas in Flagler and northern Volusia County and caught a total of thirteen red drum. We fished eight or nine times, going to a couple of the same areas a few times. I did not always fish from the kayak, I fished from the banks a few times. Of the thirteen fish we caught, ten of them were legal harvesting size (18 - 27 inches in total length). To my surprise, ten of the fish we caught were caught in Volusia County and three were caught in Flagler County. My scientific question is: do the current harvesting rules and regulations for red drum in Flagler and Volusia County need to be adjusted? I would say yes based on my data. I would say that perhaps the harvesting bag limit for red drum in Flagler County (which is currently two per person per day) should be dropped down to one fish per person per day. Or perhaps increasing the Volusia County bag limit from one to two per person per day.



Fish Length by County- the green box represents
the legal harvesting lengths.

As far as what did I learn from my IRP, I surprisingly learned more than I thought I would. This project was a great way for me to learn more about my local environment and the marine life living in it, which is a plus considering my future career goal of being a game warden with FWC. Also, I typically prefer freshwater fishing but from this project I am starting to enjoy salt water fishing more than I originally used to. And of course any fishing trip is a reminder of how important patience and perseverance are.

"A bad day of fishing, is still better than a good day at work".

Victoria UR- Tigers, and Bulls, and Teeth!! OH MY!!!

Through thick and thin, you have to push your way to the top. It has been a long process, but the work has been accomplished.

Bluefish

The fishing trip on Saturday was an interesting event. Fishing took place from around 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the inlet of New Smyrna Beach. There were a lot of other people fishing and enjoying the beautiful day outside. Through the 2 hours we were out, the only fish caught was a 15" bluefish.




Although no sharks were caught during my research this semester, I was still able to collect data through online sources such as OCEARCH and the George Burgess International Shark Attack File as well as the information from Dr. Eric Reyier at the Kennedy Space Center.

With all of the information available, I was able to put enough into excel to make multiple graphs, determining how many of the sample were male versus female, as well as an average length of the species caught. The species found were blacktips (the most abundant), one bullshark, two great whites (the largest in length), and some tiger sharks.

Although there were others found in the area, there were no sex, length, or weight recorded. Most of the information found on OSEARCH we the tracking of sharks that were tagged in other states, like the great whites tagged in Cape Cod. But the satellite tags tracked one, who swam to the shore right off of Bethune Beach at one point in her recent travels.

Myself and my boyfriend out shark fishing
with Dr. Woodall and Dr. Osmon.

Due to many conflicts in schedules, I was only able to be in the field once myself, but in future research, a planned out schedule will make data easier to collect. While collecting data, it is not guaranteed to collect the data you set out to find.

In the end, I found that of the species I found had been collected, there were more Females than Males. I had a sample size of 17 sharks, with 3 that had not been recorded and are marked as unknown.

I personally feel like continuing this research on my own to determine what conditions may affect the catchability of the different shark species as well.

Q&A
Phaleisa-section 01
          What species of sharks can we find in the Atlantic Ocean?

Book cover to sharks found in the Atlantic.

To answer this question correctly, it would almost be a book, since there are just so many different species. I will answer in a more simplified way.

The major species found here off the eastern coast of Florida can include Blacktips, Blacknose, Sandbars, Tiger Sharks, Sand Tiger Sharks, Spinners, Threshers, Scalloped Hammerheads, Smooth Hammerheads, Bonnetheads, Lemon Sharks, Nurse Sharks, Great White Sharks, Mako Sharks, Blue Sharks, Sixgills, Smoothfin Dogsharks, Altanic Sharpnose, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Carribean Reef Sharks, Whitetips, and Bull Sharks.

Among these are others, but farther off the coast in deep waters you can also find Whale Sharks and Basking Sharks since they are so huge, they need deeper waters in order to swim. There are a lot of other species of sharks found all around the world. These are just some of the most common species found around here, although the Great Whites are found here, they prefer deeper and cooler waters and can migrate from Cape Cod, around Africa, and into the Australian waters. So just listing the sharks in the Atlantic doesn't always work for these guys.

I hope that answers your question enough, and Thank you for asking such an interesting one too.

Renee; UR: Welcome to the finish line!! Kinda....

This is my final blog for the Aquatic Environments Class! I know tis very sad... but I do plan to start my own blog in a week or two concerning my own continued research and any other related research I might come across in my travels through existence. So this is not an ending but yet another beginning! Now to wrap the semester up in a nice bow...

A pH of 4 or less is preferred by S. minor

 Sadly I have not yet received my results from the UF IFAS Extension so anyone curious as to how that mess turns out will have to come out to the Florida Lake Management Symposium in June. You can register for it HERE.

Luckily I had the means by which to take pH and redox potential readings as I mentioned in a previous post. Remember my lovely assistant?

400mV is the accepted minimum redox potential for
aerated wetland soils. Considering the dry state
of my bog the soil can be considered aerated.

There was no evidence of stark differences in pH or redox potential between the root zone and contrast samples. Hopefully more interesting numbers will come back from UF and give us a better idea of the details of the soil content.

Along with the data from UF I am considering taking a closer look at the flooding patterns within the big during the coming rainy season along with aiding Dr. Emmett in further study of the germination rates of S. minor's seeds and other seed dispersal mechanisms. Provided he doesn't mind the company and my tendency to talk rather constantly.

Once I have my new blog set up I do hope all of you will join me there for more carnivorous plant fun! Including some fun updates on my exotic babies here at home. A preview in two words: feeding time!