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/.