EcoElectrica s 2016 Biological Monitoring Plan and Outreach Report

EcoElectrica s 2016 Biological Monitoring Plan and Outreach Report Luis R. Rodríguez Matos Ernesto Otero Rosamar Ayala UPRM-Mayagüez

Summary Monthly Water Quality Sampling Continuous Water Quality Monitoring (YSI Sondes) Impingement Sedimentation Seagrass Habitat Mapping Fosforescent Bay Monitoring

Water Quality Monthly sampling of temperature, salinity, turbidity, phytoplankton and cyanobacterial biomass indicators (chlorophyll and phycoerythrin), and colored organic matter fluorescence. Continuous Monitoring of ph, turbidity, salinity, DO, temperature.

Study Area Water Quality Stations at Guayanilla Bay.

Turbidity (NTU) Turbidity Time Series 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Estacion 11 Estacion 12 Estacion 4 Estacion 4N Estacion 5 Estacion 8 Estacion Intake Estacion Outfall

Temperature C Temperature Time Series 32.5 31.5 30.5 29.5 28.5 27.5 Estacion 11 Estacion 12 Estacion 4 Estacion 4N Estacion 5 Estacion 8 Estacion Intake Estacion Outfall 26.5

Chlorophyll (ug/l ) Chlorophyll Time series 4.8 4.4 4 3.6 3.2 2.8 2.4 2 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 0 Estacion 11 Estacion 12 Estacion 4 Estacion 4N Estacion 5 Estacion 8 Estacion Intake Estacion Outfall

Phycoerythrin (RFU ) Phycoerythrin Time Series 360 310 260 210 160 110 Estacion 11 Estacion 12 Estacion 4 Estacion 4N Estacion 5 Estacion 8 Estacion Intake Estacion Outfall 60

SALINITY Salinity Time Series 37 36 35 34 33 Outfall Intake 12 4N 32 31 Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan

YSI Sonde at the Intake. Data collected every 3 min for 14 days intervals

Dissilve Oxygen (ul/l) Continuous Monitoring at Intake and Outfall (YSI Sondes) 8.5 Average Dissolve Oxygen 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 Outfall Intake

Turbidity (NTU) Continuous Monitoring at Intake and Outfall (YSI Sondes) 1000 Average Turbidity 100 10 1 Outfall Intake

Impingement

Number of Individual Impingement Impingement Day Time Survey 2015 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 January February March April June July August October November December Sampling Month Atlantic bumper Atlantic Spadefish Atlantic Surgeonfish Black Margate Blue Head Wrasse Blue Tang Dog Snapper Foureye Butterflyfish Grey Snapper Horse-Eye Jack Ocean Surgeonfish Porkfish Queen Angelfish Sargent major School master Snapper Surgeon Fish Tarpoon Yellow tail Snapper

Number of Individual Impingement Impingement Night Time Survey 2015 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 January February March April June July August October November December Sampling Month Atlantic bumper Atlantic Spadefish Atlantic Surgeonfish Black Margate Blue Head Wrasse Blue Tang Dog Snapper Foureye butterfly fish Grey Snapper Horse-Eye Jack Ocean Surgeonfish Porkfish Queen Angelfish Sargent major School master Snapper Surgeon Fish Tarpoon Yellow tailsnapper

Sedimentation 350 300 265 289 250 200 223 235 199 225 205 232 204 182 209 178 158 150 140 148 107 152 100 92 98 93 95 97 82 91 77 75 97 50 34 25 28 46 54 0 4-Apr-14 7-Apr-14 2-May-14 5-May-14 5-Dec-14 15-Apr-15 22-Aug-16 15-Sep-16 4N EAST INTAKE OUTFALL WEST

Seagrass Mapping Benthic photographs were taken along 50 m long transects, 12-15 m apart from each other and oriented perpendicularly to the pier. Photographs were taken using a surface deployed quadrat and camera array in navigable waters. Photographs were taken while snorkeling when precise navigation was not possible due currents, depth or unsafe navigation conditions were present (i.e. too shallow). Photographs were geotagged by synchronizing GPS coordinates collected during sampling and a specialized geotagging software (RoboGeo). Seagrass Cover was estimated at each site using Coral Point Counter software (CPCe). Seagrass cover countoures were created using Grapher (Golden Software)

Seagrass Mapping

Outreach: Fosforescent Bay

Chlorophyll Time Series at Fosforescent Bay 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4 Station 5 Station 6 Station 7 200 0 29-Jul 18-Aug 7-Sep 27-Sep 17-Oct 6-Nov 26-Nov

Bioluminescence Levels Bahía Fosforescente 2.50E+12 2.00E+12 1.50E+12 1.00E+12 Estacion 1 Estación 2 Estación 3 Estacion 4 Estación 5 Estación 6 5.00E+11 0.00E+00 29-Jul 18-Aug 7-Sep 27-Sep 17-Oct 6-Nov 26-Nov 16-Dec 5-Jan

Pyrodinium bahamense abundance 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 Estacion 1 Estación 2 Estación 3 Estacion 4 Estación 5 Estación 6 2000 0 29-Jul 18-Aug 7-Sep 27-Sep 17-Oct 6-Nov 26-Nov 16-Dec 5-Jan

Future Impingement An extension to corroborate seasonality with better intervalometers and light sources.

Sedimentation Results from trace element (i.e. Cu, As, Pb) contents of sediments from traps. Samples were sent and analytical results are expected to arrive during January 2017. Evaluate the possibility of trace element transport along suspended sediments in Guayanilla Bay.

Seagrasses Complete sampling and analysis of seagrass distribution close to EcoElectricas pier at unsampled sites. Evaluate the temporal distribution of seagrasses at sites close to the Outfall Station.

Water Quality Continuous Analysis of Water Quality at the Intake and Outfall Sites Monthly sampling of other sites. Intercalibration between sampling strategies. Intercomparison with previous studies.

Expand monitoring to include determinations of the appearance of subsurface oxygen depletion that may affect the production of bioluminescence Evaluate alternative means of bioluminescence determination using economic photographic approaches. These may be suitable to expand stakeholders monitoring. Fosforescent Bay