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ASSESSING THE CONDITION OF THE COASTAL RESOURCES OF PUERTO RICO
Citation:
Macauley, J M., W G. Craven Jr., J. Rivera, AND J K. Summers. ASSESSING THE CONDITION OF THE COASTAL RESOURCES OF PUERTO RICO. Presented at EMAP Symposium, Pensacola Beach, FL, April 24 - 27, 2001.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation abstract
Description:
Forty seven stations located in the coastal estuaries of Puerto Rico were sampled during the summer of 2000 using a probabilistic design. Fourteen estuaries were classified as "large" at 4.19 km2, 25 "medium" at 3.46 km2, and 8 "small" at 0.55 km2. Samples were successfully collected for all indicators with the exception of fish tissues. Preliminary water column data indicates that the dissolved oxygen at all of the stations was greater than 4.2 mg/l. Surface temperatures averaged 29.6 ?C and salinity ranged from 35 to 39 with the exception of one station in San Juan Harbor which was at 11. Water column turbidity was high with 59 ? 14.5% of the area sampled having less than 51% of the ambient light striking the water surface penetrating to a depth of 1.0 meter. The application of the Coastal 2000 sampling design was successful, despite having to overcome the logistics of operating in an island territory.