Undergraduate ReSEArch: Seagrasses in Florida Bay
Post by Kai Lopez
Kai Lopez taking a benthic seagrass in a dense seagrass bed
Among Everglades researchers, Florida Bay and the shallow seagass beds within it are
often forgotten. However, much of Florida Bay is encompassed within Everglades
National Park. Much of Florida Bay is dominated by
seagrass beds, which provide important
ecosystem services, such as vital
nursery habitat for many fish species, sediment stabilization, and increased
water quality, in addition to providing
food to turtles and manatees. As an undergraduate technician in the Seagrass
Ecosystems Research Lab (SERL), I have had the opportunity to get up close and
personal with Florida Bay seagrasses.
Cassiopea, the killer jellyfish!
From
fleeing smacks of jellyfish to almost being swallowed by liquid sediments in a
canal, the adventure never stops in the seagrass lab. One time I even got to go
mano-a-mano with a stone crab bigger than my head over a tidbit. But don’t get
the wrong idea, everyone here in the seagrass lab has spent days engrossed in
the monotonous work of scraping seagrass as well. As a wise man once said
“Seagrass never sleeps!"
My
research focuses on how productivity of one seagrass species has been changing
over time and what role salinity may play. This may give insights into how CERP
(the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) may affect seagrass
productivity and even community structure.
A perturbed lobster coming to defend its home from the Seagrass Rangers!
When the GERS (the Gulf Estuarine
Research Society) conference approached, the whole lab loaded into a rental van
and off we went on a road trip of science! After many hours of “are we there
yet?” and WAY too many country songs we made it to Pensacola Beach and the real
fun began. I was one of only a handful of undergraduates at the conference. My
uneasiness over being a novice in a room of experts was soon put to rest as my poster
won second place for best poster presentation. It was an extremely enriching experience to be able to hear
about related science in my field and to speak to the scientists responsible
for the research. It has helped me better understand the scientific process and
what direction I may want to pursue in my career.
Kai Lopez accepting her second place award for best poster presentation at GERS
I would like to thank FCE for
awarding student travel funds, which allowed me to attend this conference. I
plan to continue furthering my research and I will be presenting at the
Conference for Undergraduate Research at FIU (CURFIU) on March 29th.
You can also check out my poster which is posted on the 3rd floor of
VH.
Post by Kai Lopez
Post by Kai Lopez
 |
| Kai Lopez taking a benthic seagrass in a dense seagrass bed Among Everglades researchers, Florida Bay and the shallow seagass beds within it are often forgotten. However, much of Florida Bay is encompassed within Everglades National Park. Much of Florida Bay is dominated by seagrass beds, which provide important |
ecosystem services, such as vital
nursery habitat for many fish species, sediment stabilization, and increased
water quality, in addition to providing
food to turtles and manatees. As an undergraduate technician in the Seagrass
Ecosystems Research Lab (SERL), I have had the opportunity to get up close and
personal with Florida Bay seagrasses.
 |
| Cassiopea, the killer jellyfish! |
From
fleeing smacks of jellyfish to almost being swallowed by liquid sediments in a
canal, the adventure never stops in the seagrass lab. One time I even got to go
mano-a-mano with a stone crab bigger than my head over a tidbit. But don’t get
the wrong idea, everyone here in the seagrass lab has spent days engrossed in
the monotonous work of scraping seagrass as well. As a wise man once said
“Seagrass never sleeps!"
My
research focuses on how productivity of one seagrass species has been changing
over time and what role salinity may play. This may give insights into how CERP
(the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) may affect seagrass
productivity and even community structure.
 |
| A perturbed lobster coming to defend its home from the Seagrass Rangers! |
 |
| Kai Lopez accepting her second place award for best poster presentation at GERS |
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