Elkhorn Coral Spawning at Turtle Rocks

Spawning! Gamete bundles rise from an Elkhorn Coral colony - 10:50pm 3 nites after full moon (photo K Neeley)

 KML staff divers had the opportunity to assist FWC/FWRI coral biologists with the Acropora spawning project at Turtle Rocks (Upper Keys). Scientists from 7 agencies combined forces to monitor various sites in the Upper Keys to witness the annual event and collect samples.

Divers head to the reef to monitor for spawning

Diver Bill Ferrell rigging a marker buoy at sunset

Elkhorn Coral colonies (Acopora palmata)

Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis) provides a sheltered bed for a juvenile parrotfish (photo C Lewis)

Moonjellies dancing in the moon beams

Scientists measure oxygen consumption in coral sands

Diver checking on "tripod" of eddy correlation instruments at their monitoring site 

 Dr. Markus Huettel, from Florida State University, returned to KML in August 2013 with his colleague, Dr. Peter Berg from the University of Virginia and a team of divers to once again carefully deploy an array of equipment on the ocean floor. They are investigating the role of light, currents and dissolved organic matter on oxygen consumption of coral sands and carbonate mud. (permit: FKNMS-2012-137)

Despite several days of rough seas, the team returned to their site each day over a 10-day period to download data and re-deploy equipment.

Wallops Island Marine Consortium Class Explores the Keys

Once again, Dr. Sean Cornell, professor at Shippensberg College (Shippensberg, PA) traveled to the Florida Keys with the Marine Science Consortium class, (Wallops Island, VA).

Students gathered data at one of the KML Living Laboratory Near-shore Benthic Monitoring sites

photos by T Bartlett

Exploring the rocky inter-tidal/hard-bottom habitat along the south shore of Indian Key State Park

Thirteen students from 7 universities enthusiastically participated in comprehensive comparisons of the coastal ecosystems between Wallops Island and the Keys.

Shark research continues at KML

Capturing Bonnethead and juvenile Lemon and Nurse sharks temporarily held in the KML Mesocosym for transport

Christine Bedore, Duke University (Durham, NC), used KML as home port while collecting lemon sharks for her PhD research. She is studying "Shark predation on cryptic prey" & "Oxygen demands of sharks during swimming". Assisted by Jack Morris and her colleagues from Mote Marine Lab, they captured juvenile sharks and held them in the KML's 120,000-gal Mesocosym for later transport.

KML welcomes new Staff Biologist

 Tom Bartlett joined the KML team as our new staff biologist in July 2013. He received his Bachelors of Science degree in Biology from the University of North Florida, Jacksonville. Tom served as research assistant to Dr. Joe Butler studying populations of Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in the Florida Big Bend region, and with Dr. Cliff Ross studying the physiological effect of environmental stressors on coral larvae (Porites astreoides) in the Florida Keys. He then managed the Research Laboratory for the UNF Biology Department. Tom's cave diving, fishing and boating experience will make him a welcomed member of the KML team.

Florida Aquarium "Teacher workshop on coral reef ecosystems"

Fifteen teachers, grades 8-12, experienced a week of "total immersion" in the various ecosystems of the Florida Keys. Heather Judkins, Teacher Programs Coordinator for The Florida Aquarium (Tampa, FL), offered a workshop on "Chemical Processes Associated with Coral Reef Ecosystems" in July 2013. 

Learning water sampling techniques at a Florida Bay site

 After each snorkel, everyone gathered around Heather to summarize their experiences.

Heading back to KML after a day of snorkeling

 They all left with exhausted smiles and a greater appreciation of The Keys. This was Heather's first KML experience and she promises to return.

Summer Solstice Ocean Sampling Day

NOAA scientist, Christopher Sinigalliano, sampled water at Tennessee Reef as a part of the
Earth Biome Project: Ocean Sampling Day.

Bacterial community genetic profiling on water samples collected  will provide a  snapshot of global microbial biodiversity & community structure around the world.

Intern/volunteers assisting with collecting water samples

Summer course: FIO Study Abroad in Florida

KML has been the venue for Week 4 of the first-time ever, FIO Study Abroad in Florida: Field Studies in Marine Science. The students began their adventures May 28^th  at the University of North Florida. The next week they relocated to the University of South Florida – St. Petersburg, then on to Florida Gulf Coast University. 

 Florida Atlantic University is hosting the week spent at KML, where students will explore the marine habitats of the Keys.

Day 1 at KML: Students were eager to board the R/V Diodon for their trip to the reef habitats

The class snorkeled 3 different reef sites in the Middle Keys

Recapping with their professors and discussing what they observed after a snorkel

Day 2 at KML: the students explored Florida Bay habitats, such as these mangrove islands in the Florida Everglades National Park

Assessing a seagrass bed site near a mangrove island

Macroalgae lab with Dr. Dennis Hanisak from Florida Atlantic University

Day 3 on the water: a visit to an artificial reef habitat - the Long Key Bridge Rubble

Back in the classroom at KML, Dr Josh Voss discusses final exam questions with the class

Students will return to the University of North Florida for the final wrap-up week.

 You can meet the students and follow their adventures on their class blog: http://fiofieldstudies2013.blogspot.com/.

Randolph-Macoun College Marine Biology Class

Professor Grace Lim-Fong once again brought her Marine Biology students from Randolph-Macoun College (Ashland, VA) to explore the tropical marine habitats of the Keys

Ready for a day on the water aboard the R/V Diodon

The water was chilly but the students had a great time

The class also participated in the KML Living Lab Benthic Survey project, battling the challenges of data collection in the marine environment

Combing an intertidal zone

The class visited Windley Key Geological State Park

Annual KML Open House

Questions about a Cushion Star at the Tide Pool 2012

 Annual Keys Marine Lab

Open House

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

2:00-4:00 at Keys Marine Lab

Mile marker 68.5 bayside, Long Key

During Layton's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Information and posters in the classroom

Guided tours around the Lab

Slide show in classroom 

“KML: Past & Present”

Touch tanks with live animals

A young visitor checking out the sea cucumber

KML staff explaining Queen Conch to visitors

Many questions around the Tide Pool

 ~ Uneven terrain ~

Appropriate footwear strongly suggested