 Seagrass with (left) and without (right) heavy smithora load |  |
Nutrient enrichment stimulates algal blooms
That steal all the light and leave seagrass in gloom
Some meadows are heartier than others
And not all algae species are like their brothers
So its important to understand what controls the algae we see
So we can save seagrass systems for future you and me
I work with seagrass algal epiphytes:
Algae that grows in seagrass at certain sites
Specifically a red one named Smithora
It really is a beautiful type of flora
Smithora grows in seagrass in certain places but only some
And I began to wonder if it matters where the seagrass is from
I switched seagrass between places with smithora in full swing
To places where there was no algae-not a single algal thing
What I found was quite interesting
It sent my scientific senses a whirring
Smithora that has started to sprout
Won’t leave when you move it about
But a blade that was normally completely green
When placed near smithora becomes no longer clean
Clearly something is amiss
How could smithora do this?
Well that is the question I would like to address
But unfortunately school has me under considerable stress
So while I’m learning about evolution and stats
I’ll keep thinking about those seagrass quadrats
Yearning for the day when research isn’t on the side
And I can fully enjoy those late night low tides
Gwen and Neha in the field
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