An Example of Coastal Community Action and Stewardship *Email: [email protected]. Little Lagoon Preservation Society and Dauphin Island Sea Lab: A Collaborative Effort to Understand, Preserve, Protect, and Manage One of Alabama’s Crown Jewels D. Hatfield* - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
An Example of Coastal Community Action and An Example of Coastal Community Action and Stewardship Stewardship *Email: [email protected]*Email: [email protected]Little Lagoon Preservation Society and Dauphin Little Lagoon Preservation Society and Dauphin Island Sea Lab: A Collaborative Effort to Island Sea Lab: A Collaborative Effort to Understand, Preserve, Protect, and Manage One of Understand, Preserve, Protect, and Manage One of Alabama’s Crown Jewels Alabama’s Crown Jewels D. Hatfield* D. Hatfield* Little Lagoon Preservation Society Little Lagoon Preservation Society J. D. Leifer, L. Novoveská & H.L. MacIntyre J. D. Leifer, L. Novoveská & H.L. MacIntyre Dauphin Island Sea Lab Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Transcript
An Example of Coastal Community Action An Example of Coastal Community Action and Stewardshipand Stewardship
Little Lagoon Preservation Society and Little Lagoon Preservation Society and Dauphin Island Sea Lab: A Collaborative Dauphin Island Sea Lab: A Collaborative Effort to Understand, Preserve, Protect, and Effort to Understand, Preserve, Protect, and Manage One of Alabama’s Crown JewelsManage One of Alabama’s Crown Jewels
D. Hatfield*D. Hatfield*Little Lagoon Preservation SocietyLittle Lagoon Preservation Society
J. D. Leifer, L. Novoveská & H.L. MacIntyreJ. D. Leifer, L. Novoveská & H.L. MacIntyreDauphin Island Sea LabDauphin Island Sea Lab
AbstractAbstract
Little Lagoon Preservation Society (LLPS) in Gulf Shores, Alabama, is a grass roots group that strives Little Lagoon Preservation Society (LLPS) in Gulf Shores, Alabama, is a grass roots group that strives to “Preserve and improve the quality of life on and around Little Lagoon”. The 8- mile long, 1/2-mile to “Preserve and improve the quality of life on and around Little Lagoon”. The 8- mile long, 1/2-mile wide, E-W oriented, shallow, saline lagoon is home to diverse and abundant flora and fauna. wide, E-W oriented, shallow, saline lagoon is home to diverse and abundant flora and fauna. Spending “quality” time on Little Lagoon is a preferred activity for many of the 328 member families Spending “quality” time on Little Lagoon is a preferred activity for many of the 328 member families of LLPS, 6,000 residents of Gulf Shores, and 20,000 tourists who visit Gulf Shores on a peak summer of LLPS, 6,000 residents of Gulf Shores, and 20,000 tourists who visit Gulf Shores on a peak summer day.day.
As part of our efforts to preserve and protect the Lagoon, LLPS has partnered with Dauphin Island As part of our efforts to preserve and protect the Lagoon, LLPS has partnered with Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) to monitor water quality and phytoplankton community composition. 15+ trained (by Sea Lab (DISL) to monitor water quality and phytoplankton community composition. 15+ trained (by DISL and SEPMN) LLPS volunteers and DISL researchers sample 4 locations in the Lagoon every two DISL and SEPMN) LLPS volunteers and DISL researchers sample 4 locations in the Lagoon every two weeks. The team gathers field measurements and samples, prepares and analyzes samples, and weeks. The team gathers field measurements and samples, prepares and analyzes samples, and enters and maintains observations in the SEPMN national data base and the DISL Water Chemistry enters and maintains observations in the SEPMN national data base and the DISL Water Chemistry and Phytoplankton database. Grant moneys from Alabama Department of Conservation (ADCNR) and and Phytoplankton database. Grant moneys from Alabama Department of Conservation (ADCNR) and Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) support the nutrient analyses and have been used to Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) support the nutrient analyses and have been used to supplement equipping our lab in Gulf Shores for the monitoring and research efforts, funding the supplement equipping our lab in Gulf Shores for the monitoring and research efforts, funding the LLPS Guest Speaker Initiative, and funding the LLPS Road and Park Sign Initiative.LLPS Guest Speaker Initiative, and funding the LLPS Road and Park Sign Initiative.
Trend analysis of pigment and nutrient data suggest that groundwater inputs are a key driver of Trend analysis of pigment and nutrient data suggest that groundwater inputs are a key driver of phytoplankton diversity and abundance. Abundance of phytoplankton is strongly correlated with phytoplankton diversity and abundance. Abundance of phytoplankton is strongly correlated with nutrient concentrations in the lagoon, reflecting relatively slow flushing. Sampling has documented nutrient concentrations in the lagoon, reflecting relatively slow flushing. Sampling has documented blooms of the diatoms blooms of the diatoms Pseudo-nitzschiaPseudo-nitzschia sppspp. (potentially toxic) and . (potentially toxic) and Skeletonema sppSkeletonema spp. Potentially-. Potentially-toxic dinoflagellates toxic dinoflagellates Karenia brevisKarenia brevis and and Dinophysis caudataDinophysis caudata have also been detected in low numbers. have also been detected in low numbers. Future hypothesis testing will focus on identifying significant groundwater inputs, quantifying their Future hypothesis testing will focus on identifying significant groundwater inputs, quantifying their relative contribution to nutrient loads, and testing the relationships between discharge and the relative contribution to nutrient loads, and testing the relationships between discharge and the abundance and types of phytoplankton occurring in Little Lagoon.abundance and types of phytoplankton occurring in Little Lagoon.
In addition to support from ADCNR and MBNEP, our monitoring effort has been supported by NOAA In addition to support from ADCNR and MBNEP, our monitoring effort has been supported by NOAA Southeastern Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (SEPMN), and by Alabama Department of Southeastern Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (SEPMN), and by Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). These partnerships have facilitated LLPS gaining a reputation Environmental Management (ADEM). These partnerships have facilitated LLPS gaining a reputation as a “cutting edge” water-quality monitoring group with significant findings and credibility gains as a “cutting edge” water-quality monitoring group with significant findings and credibility gains amongst our peer-groups and with City, County, State and Federal governments. City, County, and amongst our peer-groups and with City, County, State and Federal governments. City, County, and State officials/politicians regularly attend our quarterly membership meetings, which have featured State officials/politicians regularly attend our quarterly membership meetings, which have featured subject-matter experts from DISL, University of South Alabama, and University of Alabama to date.subject-matter experts from DISL, University of South Alabama, and University of Alabama to date.
The Team (LLPS and DISL)The Team (LLPS and DISL)
Local outreach: classroom Local outreach: classroom phyto-exuberancephyto-exuberance
LLPS volunteers Rebecca and Liam Nevils are shown teaching students at the Episcol Day School about the phytoplankton in the lagoon.
TrainingTraining and samplingand sampling
Volunteers from LLPS were trained by personnel from DISL and NOAA’s Phytoplankton Monitoring Network
Analysis of phytoplankton, collected in bi-weekly sampling as part of NOAA’s Phytoplankton Monitoring Network, shows that bloom-forming diatoms (including the potentially-toxic Pseudo-nitzschia sp.) are common in the lagoon.
Spatial characterizationSpatial characterization
There are consistent physical, chemical and biological gradient in the lagoon. These are shown above, reduced to the first component in a principal components analysis of data from 50 stations, collected on 7/13/07. The first component explained 70% of the variability in the data. The sites sampled biweekly by LLPS and DISL are also marked.
Four sites in the lagoon are sampled bi-weekly for a suite of physical, chemical and biological parameters. Differences between sites are generally low compared to differences over time. However, inputs of nutrient-rich, fresh water occur at Site 1 are not seen at all sites.
Nitrate varies with salinity. Nitrate varies with salinity. Phosphate doesn’t.Phosphate doesn’t.
The appearance of nitrate-rich and relatively fresh water at Site 1 is obvious (left). Nitrate concentrations at the other sites were low and independent of salinity. Phosphate concentrations (right) did not vary with salinity at any of the sites.
Chlorophyll concentration (an index of phytoplankton biomass) is correlated with total nitrogen (left) and total phosphorus (right). The correlation coefficient (R) is higher for phosphorus.
A strong endorsement from the A strong endorsement from the area’s largest newspaperarea’s largest newspaper
Editorial, Mobile Press Register2/27/08
We couldn’t do it without you!We couldn’t do it without you!
