Sea Grass Beds

Day 4: Friday, February 26
Post by: Chela Novak

When we woke up this morning, the weather was much better than the day before. The wind had calmed down, and the air was warming up. We were all exhausted (from the storm the night before), but excited to start our day. In our first class, we learned about sea grass and its impact on marine life. We talked about how sediment builds on the bottom of the ocean, and how in each level different types of organisms grow. After we learned about sea grass (how to identify, growth patterns, and ecological succession) we went out in our wading clothes and measured a patch of sea grass (to analyze its profile). We measured the depth of the limestone (below the sediment) and the elevation of sediment (to the water level). We noticed how in the center of the sea grass meadow it becomes deeper. Knowing how much sea grass there is is important because the animals of the ocean depend on it for food, rearing young and shelter. After we finished getting our data, we were very cold and went back to our dorm rooms to get ready for the rest of the day. Later that night we graphed the results of our study, showing the profile of the patch.