Ecology of Atlantic Shores Erin Miller, 2008

Home -------------------------- Nahant -------------------------- Narragansett Bay: Introduction Water Quality Methods Observations Results Discussion -------------------------- Bermuda: Introduction Water Quality Coral Disease Aspergillosis Hypothesis and Methods Results Discussion -------------------------- Conclusions -------------------------- References

Narragansett Bay Results Water data was compared to data collected by BART in order to test the validity of the results. Only four samples sites were in close proximity to BART sites, including the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket, RWU, Greenwich Bay, and URI GSO. Of these four locations, data from Greenwich Bay and URI GSO were only available from 2006 and RWU data were not up to date. Data from Phillipsdale, just south of the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket on the Seekonk River, were available and up to date. When compared with the data collected, Phillipsdale data signified the possiblity of error in dissolved oxygens measurements. For all locations, dissolved oxygen levels were very low, possibly due to the freezing process used to hold the samples until they could be examined in the lab. Phillipsdale measurements showed 83.31% dissolved oxygen at the surface at 10am on October 4, 2008, whereas the data I collected showed levels at or below 37% for all locations. Data from 10am on October, 4, 2006 in Greenwich Bay and URI GSO showed levels of 53.1% and 77.1% respectively. Below 50% saturation signifies very poor water quality, so I determined that the data I collected for dissolved oxygen was incorrect and therefore I did not use it in the results. pH levels were consistent with BART data, but BART does not take data on nitrate and phosphate levels, so I incuded all three measurements in the results (29). Results show little difference in water quality across sites and across sample dates (Figures 1 and 2). pH levels were consistent across all samples, showing that there was no significant input of pollutants and nutrients that could have affected pH levels. Nitrate levels fluctuated slightly between sample sites and sample dates, and phosphate flucutated even less. Figure 1: Water test rankings for Narragansett Bay, 4 Oct. 2008. Ranks are determined according to the "methods" section. Rankings are consistent across all locations, aside from Greenwich Bay, URI GSO, East Matunuk which showed poor nitrate levels. Figure 2: Water test rankings for Narragansett Bay, 15 Nov. 2008. Ranks are determined according to the "methods" section. Rankings were relatively consistent, aside from Greenwich Bay which showed poor nitrate levels.