Comparative study of the conditions in La Parguera and Puerto Mosquito: the dangers of sedimentation and development pressureFernando Gilbes SantaellaGERS Lab-Department of GeologyUniversity of Puerto Rico at Mayaguezfernando.gilbes@upr.edu

gers.uprm.edu

PYRODINIUM BAHAMENSE

Bioluminescence is the emission of light by living organisms

Bioluminescence of bio-bays is at risk due to the rapid development of the surrounding areas

Urban Development

Light Pollution

Effect of Sedimentation

Why sedimentation is important for bio-bays?

Contaminant and Erosion Control Baseline Database for the Puerto Mosquito Watershed In Vieques, Puerto Rico

Fernando Gilbes, Principal InvestigatorUPRM-Department of Geology

Roy Armstrong, Co-Principal InvestigatorUPRM-Department of Marine Sciences

Puerto Mosquito Bioluminescence Bay

La Parguera Bioluminescence Bay

Objectives of the study

Evaluate the impact of sedimentation processes.

Determine the land use and land cover of the area by using image processing and GIS.

Evaluate the latest technology in field instruments for measuring bioluminescence.

Compare the conditions in Puerto Mosquito Bay and in La Parguera Bay.

Sediment traps

Made with 15 cm wide and 15 cm long PVC tubes with a rod of 2 cm wide and 1 m long for stabilizing the trap in the bottom.

Placed at three different locations in both bays.

The collected sediment was recovered every 24 days during one year period.

Laboratory analyses

Sediment composition: the samples were washed with commercial bleach until the fezzes stopped, they were washed again, dried and weighed. The lost material was the organic fraction. Then, they were washed with HCl at 10%, this process takes the carbonate fraction away, the sample was dried and weighted again. Everything left were terrigenous materials.

Grain size: The samples were sieved and serigraph analyses were made.

Average Collected Sediments

Vieques

Parguera

S1260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

Amount (g)

Place

Grain Composition of Mosquito Bay, Vieques

Terrigenous33%

Organic22%

Carbonates45%

Grain Composition of La Parquera Bay, Lajas

Terrigenous65%

Organic25%

Carbonates10%

Grain Size

Puerto Mosquito Bay had coarse and medium grain size (Φ=0 and 1).

La Parquera Bay had very fine grain size (Φ=3 and 4).

The results suggest that there is a process in La Parquera that favors the movement and deposition of very fine grains.

020406080

100120

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >9Phi

Cum

ulat

ive

%

Parguera Vieques

05

1015202530354045

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >9Phi

Wt %

Decrease Size

Boat counting during a weekend

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

place

Boa

ts parguera

vieques

Note: Boat counting were made during a weekend with crecent moon.

IKONOS images of 2002 for land-use and land-cover analyses

Puerto Mosquito Bay La Parguera Bay

Supervised classifications using IKONOS images of 2002

Blue=Water Red=Vegetation Green=Exposed Soil Yellow=Other

Condition of the areas as detected on August 19, 2004

Vieques

La Parguera

GLOWTrackaBioluminescence sensor

GLOWtracka’s precision flow meter stimulates bioluminescent organisms – principally dinoflagellates. The instrument then measures the light flashes as the organisms pass the detector. The complete range of flashes that can occur – from single events to mesoscale – is measured.

Testing the GLOWTrackain La Parguera

Conclusions

This study clearly demonstrates that La Parguera Bay received much more terrigenous material than Vieques Bay during the studied period.

It suggests important differences in the processes affecting the sedimentation.

GIS analyses showed that La Parguera has less vegetation and more human development closed to the bay than in Vieques.

Conclusions

Such conditions in combination with the geology and climate of the areas could explain the sedimentation trends found during this study.

A baseline database has been created for Puerto Mosquito and La Parguera bays.

Future work is necessary to fully understand the impact of these sedimentation on the bioluminescence.

NEW WEB TOOL FOR UNDERSTANDING BIOLUMINESCENT BAYS

ArcGIS 9

Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.

(ESRI)

ArcIMS ArcIMS 9.1®

◦ Scalable◦ Extendable ◦ Organizational application ◦ Map distribution and

geographic information system (GIS) data on the Internet.

◦ Create easy-to-use, task-focused applications that use geographic content.

◦ Deliver dynamic maps and data via the Web.

◦ Share data with others to accomplish tasks.

Configuration at GERS Lab

Configure Server

Computer

Install and Configure Supporting Software

(Java 2SDK, Tomcat 5.028, and ISS 6.0)

Install ArcIMS 9.1

Create Projects in ArcView

Create and Customize

ArcIMS Web Application

Publish Map Interface in

the Web

Field Data Presence of heavy

metals in La Pargueraand Puerto Mosquito Bioluminescence Bays.

Samples were collected from four different environments:◦ bottom sediments

under mangroves◦ mangroves leaves ◦ bottom sediments ◦ water column

DatabaseTable: GIS Data Layers used for Biobays Map Projects

Layers Description Source(s) Location Used

Sampling Sites From heavy metals study GERS LAB Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Hydrology Surface hydrology USGS Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Roads Major roads JP, DTOP Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Topography Elevation contours USGS Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Drainage basin Delimiting drainage basin USGS, JP Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Benthic Habitats Benthic community types NOAA Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Geology Major geological feaures USGS Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Soil Types Soil Types and Series NRCS-USDA Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Wetlands Wetland features distribution USFWS Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Aerial Orthophotos Aerial Photography (2004) US-COI, NRCS-USDA Mosquito Bay

IKONOS image Satellite imagery (2007??) UPRM-GERS Parguera Bay

Municipality Puerto Rico Municipality name JP Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Labels Important Places UPRM-GERS Mosquito Bay, Parguera Bay

Aerial Orthophotos Aerial Photography (1999) NOAA Parguera Bay

Web Publishing ArcMap◦ Project (.mxd)

ArcIMS Administrator◦ New Service Image Server Arcmap

ArcIMS Designer◦ HTML Viewer

Customize Viewer Elements◦ Table of contents, tools, layout, etc.

HTML Viewer for each site. ◦ Mosquito Biobay - http://gersview.uprm.edu/website/mosquito◦ Parguera Biobay - http://gersview.uprm.edu/website/parguera

Web Page development

http://gersview.uprm.edu

http://gersview.uprm.edu/website/mosquito

http://gersview.uprm.edu/website/parguera

GERSVIEW.UPRM.EDU

Current ProjectsBioluminescence BaysMayaguez Bay Watershed

Future ProjectsParguera Reefs

Central GDBRaster Catalog

(Data)

GERSVIEW

ArcServerMapping Interface

Mapping Interface(World-Wide Users,

Researchers)

ArcViewInfo Projects

Next Steps Continue working with Mayaguez Bay database. Start working in a database of Coral Reefs.◦ La Parguera Bio-optical database.

Enhance HTML Viewer ◦ Hierarchical Table of Contents◦ Hyperlinks, Graphics, etc.◦ Enable Java Viewer

Purchase a New Server ◦ Better storage and processing

Upgrade to ArcServer Include RS imagery analysis products Incorporate other coastal areas

Conclusions

GIS is an excellent tool for better understanding the dynamics of bio-bays, including sedimentation processes and development pressure.

An important database was accomplished and it is now published in the web for public used.

Other databases of coastal environments and marine habitats of PR could be published using a similar system.

Acknowledgment to the involved students

Amarylis Arocho (Department of Geology)• Field work, laboratory work, and data analyses

Pamela Torres (Dep. of Mechanical Engineering)• Image processing and GIS development

Nazira Mejia and Diana Beltran(Department of Marine Sciences)• Field work

William Hernandez (Dep. Marine Sciences)• Development of GIS database and GERSVIEW

Acknowledgment to the sponsored agencies