Florida Estuary Research Articles

Identification of Yeasts From the Suwannee River Florida Estuary1

The yeast flora of the Suwannee River estuary in Florida has been studied. The predominant genera were Candida and Rhodotorula; however, the yeast most frequently isolated was Cryptococcus laurentii. Nine ascosporogenous species were isolated, with Hansenula saturnus predominating. The salinity range of the sediments was 0.4 to 20.6%; in the estuary water, 0.07 to 0.25%; and in the open Gulf of Mexico, 18 to 20%.

Animal-sediment relations and community analysis of a Florida estuary

Five species assemblages of the intertidal infauna of Old Tampa Bay, Florida, USA are identified. Two assemblages are judged to constitute distinct communities, while a third is shown to be an interdigitation of the two communities. Dominance by on species is the prevalent pattern within the assemblages. Numbers of deposit feeders are found to be inversely correlated to that of filter feeders, and both trophic types are found to be correlated to the sediment parameters of median grain size, sorting and skewness. Three transects with three stations each were established along the south side of Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa Bay, Florida. A faunal sample (0.4 m2), a sediment sample, and a water sample were taken at each station in September, December, and March of 1968/1969. Sediment samples were wet-seived. Animal samples were reduced to numbers of organisms and biomass per species. Trellis diagrams and correlation tests were generated. Support is shown for the trophic group-amensalims hypothesis, however, the silt-clay fraction is apparently of lesser importance to deposit feeders in Florida sediments than in Buzzards Bay sediments. An attempt is made to relate an analysis of the optimal grain size for filter feeders to the trophic group-amensalism hypothesis. A view of communities as abstractions from continua is more realistic than communities as discrete units.

Tidal And Non-tidal Characteristics Of WaterLevels And Flow In The Apalachicola Bay, Florida

Apalachicola Bay is one of the most productive estuaries in Florida. Tidal forces influence water levels, current velocities and salinity mixing in the estuary. These parameters in return affect the aquatic habitats and their productivity. The tidal wave enters the bay in the east and exits it through several barrier island cuts in the west. Accordingly, the tidal amplitudes are higher in the eastern than in the western section of the estuary. The bay shows a mixed tidal type, mainly semidiurnal in the eastern and central sections, but diurnal in the western part of the bay. The rotary tidal currents show complicated elliptical flow paths. Fluctuations of the tidal water levels result in short-term periodical variations of salinity and are responsible for the mixing of fresh river water and saline ocean water. Long-term mean currents influenced by the non-tidal shelf currents from the Gulf and density gradients created by fresh river water and oceanic saline water are responsible for the net current flow of the estuary.

Tidal characteristics of two estuaries in Florida : Stelzenmuller William B., 1965. J. Waterway Harbour Div. Am. Soc., civ. Enginrs., 91 (WW3): 25–36.

Tidal characteristics of two estuaries in Florida : Stelzenmuller William B., 1965. J. Waterway Harbour Div. Am. Soc., civ. Enginrs., 91 (WW3): 25–36.

Tidal Characteristics of Two Estuaries in Florida

Although the Waccasassa and Fenholloway River estuaries are superficially similar, there are differences in their mixing characteristics resulting from steepness of gradients and exposure to winds and the tidal front. Wind effects are especially important in the shallow waters of the Florida West Coast. Determination of mean velocity variation in such streams can be readily effected by a process of cubature, provided that good tidal records are available at a few key points between the mouth and the head of the estuary.