Aquatic Plants of Florida

APF

SARASOTA, FL – February 27, 2009 – Aquatic Plants of Florida, Inc. participated in a natural sciences project at New College of Florida to plant native vegetation in a constructed wetland at the college’s Pritzker Marine Biological Research Center.

New College students under Sandra Gilchrist, Director of Pritzker Marine Biological Research Center, initiated the Winter 2009 project as an ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and coastal ecosystem studies at the Marine Research center.

The Pritzker Center houses more than 90 aquaria, anchored by a 12,000 gallon research and display tank and six large aquariums (PHOTO).

Water is pumped by the facility from Sarasota bay every few months, filtered, ozonated, and then continuously circulated throughout the approximately 10,000 square feet marine research center. Controlled aquaria effluent is later returned to the bay through a unique, constructed wetland in front of the building, which acts as a natural filtration system.

Aquatic Plants of Florida, Inc. donated eleven species of native, salt-tolerant plants to help the wetland system absorb phosphorous and nitrates, produced by aquaria marine life waste, through the plants’ dense network of roots. Mycorrhizal fungus that colonizes the host, native plants’ roots aid in the process of filtration through a symbiotic relationship. The fungus assists plant absorption of nutrients, minerals and water from the Marine Research center’s soil.

After conducting an initial site survey of the wetland and gathering input from participating students and biology research lab staff, a native plant palette was created specifically for the project. Observations included a notation that certain species were recruiting well at the site since its original creation almost a decade ago. Other species experienced less success, due to unique site conditions such as hydrology and low light levels from nearby canopy trees. Several new plant species were added to the palette to promote diversity among the ecosystem.

Specific project challenges included: 1) Site preparation – students hand removed weeds, non-native invasive species, and organic material such as dead brush, 2) Local drought conditions existed during installation – students monitored a commercial, on-site rain gauge and provided regular watering during the plant establishment period, and 3) High site salinity levels – Aquatic Plants conditioned plants with a regiment of salt water treatments at its farm in Myakka City, FL in order to approximate site salinity levels near the effluent outflows. Salt conditioning helps mitigate hyper-saline shock upon installation.

Prior to plant installation, students and lab research staffer Suwanna Blakey (PHOTO) received a private tour at Aquatic Plants of Florida’s plant farm and nursery. Students were given the opportunity to identify more than one hundred species of native plants and present site monitoring questions to the company’s director of environmental horticulture, Justin Sklaroff.

New College students completed their project successfully and on schedule.