Introduction

 ABSTRACT

     Recent literature deems diverse community assemblages to be both the created and the creator of stability and productivity.  But most of the work done in the realm of biodiversity and productivity involves the study of plant species, and research that explores the biodiversity of marine systems has generally focused on productivity as a mechanism of community structure, but not necessarily one of biodiversity. 

    It was the aim of this project to design and implement an experimental study that might elucidate the way productivity influences the diversity of community assemblages on the rocky shore.  Enriched and non-enriched artificial habitats were attached to algal mats on the New Hampshire coast and left for a week.  The microorganisms contained within the habitats were examined, and the diversity assessed. 

   Similarity indices that result from this work indicate that the two communities are not significantly different; however there was a lower species, individual, and productivity count in the habitats that were enriched.  The implications this work has for the scientifically curious is broad; stretching from research methods to the environmental issues threatening the marine systems of the world.                  

Background painted by Heather Richard

There once was a student from Clark

who loved to watch planktonic spark

and a new moon that showed

how marine waters glowed

in a night that’s sufficiently dark

Life Lessons

Credits