This week we discussed the importance of water quality in our oceans. Our oceans are a delicate ecosystem. Just the slightest change can be detrimental to our marine environment.

​

Did you know that ocean water is so much more than saltwater? Saltwater is rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium. These can help reduce inflammation, protect our skin and heal any scrapes, cuts or sores. But, the list of sea water health benefits is almost endless.

​

It's good for your mood and boosts your health.  It stimulates our body and promotes the feeling of well-being that surfers very well know.

​

On average, sea water has 3.5 percent of salt (sodium chloride). In other words, you get 35 grams of salt for one liter of water. And then small parts of magnesium, sulfate, and calcium. The ocean is fantastic medicine for people with a weakened immune system, anemia, and high blood sugar levels. It is good for bone and muscle pain, arthritis, circulatory, and post-surgical issues. And, because it contains magnesium, sea water will calm you down. People who live a stressful life are advised to go to the beach for its relaxing atmosphere and because of the soothing medicinal properties of sea water. The list goes on and on,

​

All of the water in South Florida is VERY important!  The Everglades provides over 80% of our drinking water. And our oceans are a source of food, a place for recreation, a source from medicine, and an important part of our economy. 

​

Today some worry that about our water. Do we have enough fresh water for our growing population? Is our fresh water safe for drinking and are our ocean clean? Water quality can affect which organisms live in it, and in some cases alter the drinkability of the water or the ability to enjoy things like swimming, surfing, snorkeling or fishing. 

This week we looked at the water quality at our local beach by checking for things such as phosphates, nitrates, pH, turbidity, salinity, and temperature.  Scientitsts measure water quality with sophisticated instruments in labs for accurate results. We looked for the same things scientists test for using a water monitoring. We were able to find out key things about the health of our local aquatic.

​

What did we measure the quality of our water? Below are some of the things we tested for:

​

Phosphate 

Phosphate helps plants take energy from the sun and make food. Although naturally occurring phosphorus in small amounts is a good thing, high concentrations of phosphorus can cause rapid and extensive growth of aquatic plants, especially algae. Scientists have determined that excess phosphorus in the form of phosphate has put the fragile Everglades and ocean environments environment at risk. High phosphate concentrations favor the growth of simple algae and plankton over more complicated plants. Increased growth of algae and some plants will overcrowd the ecosystem, changing native plant communities and resulting in a loss of open water area where wading birds feed. For example, the characteristic sawgrass marshes are being overrun by a monoculture of cattails, which thrive in areas of high nutrient pollution by growing faster than other aquatic plants. The excessive growth of cattails in the Everglades prevents sunlight from reaching a variety of slower-growing aquatic plants, limits access for wading birds and fish, and blocks natural water flows to Florida Bay. Although cattails in southern Florida are native, because of elevated phosphorus conditions, native cattails can now be classified as “invasive” plants in the Everglades system. 

​

Nitrate 

Nitrogen is an element found in nature that uses the help of bacteria to fix it into organic compounds called nitrates. Sewage and agricultural runoff are the main contributors to high levels of nitrate in a waterbody. High levels of nitrates in a waterbody increase plant growth and decrease the amount of oxygen available in the water. Freshwater habitats in the Everglades feed into saltwater ecosystems that do not tolerate excess amounts of nitrate. Because of Lake Okeechobee discharges, excess nitrogen is one of the main culprits increasing the frequency and intensity of nearshore red tides in the Gulf of Mexico. 

​

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) 

All aquatic animals need oxygen to survive. Although water (H2O) contains an oxygen molecule, this oxygen is not the one that living organisms use. There is a small amount of oxygen, about 10 molecules of oxygen to 1 million molecules of water, that is dissolved in the aquatic environment. Dissolved oxygen saturation is dependent on water temperature and a relative measure of how much oxygen is dissolved, or carried proportional to the maximum concentration that can be dissolved. Natural and human-induced changes to the aquatic environment can affect the availability of dissolved oxygen. High levels of phosphorus and nitrogen affect ecosystems and potentially lower the amount of oxygen available, threatening aquatic animals and plants. 

​

pH 

Excessive plant and algae growth can raise the pH of a water body, altering the ecosystem water chemistry and creating an imbalance in microbial bacteria, all of which alters species composition and dominance, markedly reducing species diversity. pH can also be affected by industrial waste, agricultural runoff, or from mining operations. Most aquatic organisms are adapted to a specific pH level and may die if the pH of the water changes even slightly. The Everglades has a water quality criterion for pH of not < 6.0 or > 8.5. Values lower than 6.0 are routinely reported in the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge, but not considered of an ecological concern because of the Refuge’s naturally low alkalinity. The ocean also must maintain a critical pH level to prevent our reefs and sea life can be devasted by ocean acidification.

​