PARENT SESSION
Poster Session #4: Invasions.
Monday, August 6, 2001. Presentation from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Exhibition Hall
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A survey for exotic vegetation in the estuarine waters along the Gulf of Mexico coast from Suwannee Sound, Florida to Horn Island, Mississippi Sound.
Arrivillaga, Alex1, Carter, Jacoby2, Fredriques, Suzan3, Merino, Sergio1, 1 2 3
ABSTRACT- As part of a global climate change research project we surveyed 217 submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds in the waters along the Gulf of Mexico from Anclote Key Florida to Mississippi Sound, Mississippi in June 2000. Survey points were selected random from maps of SAV beds that had been prepared from aerial photography. These maps, until this project, have not been extensively ground truthed. As part of the protocol for surveying the SAV beds we made a special effort to note any exotic aquatic vegetation and now present the preliminary results of that effort. Only one exotic species was found, Myriophyllum spicatum. It was found in 4 out of 6 low salinity locations. No exotic angiosperms were found in mesohaline or saltier waters. No exotic macro algae (such as Caulerpa taxifolia) have been found to date, but macroalgal identification is still continuing. A similar survey of freshwater aquatic systems in the same region would find many exotic species. Why the difference?
KEY WORDS: Gulf of Mexico, estuary, exotic species, survey