Images

Many different fern species prosper in the water and shade of a cypress swamp
at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

Looking southwest across the pickerelweed and waters of impoundment #7 at
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

Looking northeast, at an inflow pumping station located near the northeast
corner of Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 1 West.

At the end of the boardwalk behind the Briggs Nature Center at Rookery Bay
National Estuarine Research Reserve, clusters of magenta fruits surround the
stems of this American beauty berry shrub.

Looking from an observation deck, at Rookery Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve, onto a flock of birds resting in a brackish (somewhat salty)
pond community. Mangrove islands grow inside and along the edges of the
pond.

A great blue heron and great egret in the parking lot by the Big Cypress Bend
boardwalk at Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. The heron is enjoying a fish
dinner thanks to the hunting skills of the egret. While the egret had initially
held a fish in it's beak, the heron's squabbling caused the egret to drop it.

Flooded marshes of Water Conservation Area 3 (WCA-3), seen north of I-75
(Alligator Alley).

A large flock of birds, mostly egrets, resting and flying along a canal on Highway
833 (a short drive north off of I-75 (Alligator Alley)).

Two alligators lying along a canal, just north off of I-75 (Alligator Alley) onto
Highway 833.

The marsh of Water Conservation Area 3 as seen looking north of I-75
(Alligator Alley). Spatterdock are seen in the foreground.

A morning glory resting amid ferns, alongside the Fakahatchee Strand State
Preserve boardwalk.

The Getting Building at the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center allowed the center to expand the capabilities of the USGS to include more offices, a large sediment and coral laboratory, core archive space, electronics shop, workshop, and a loading and staging area for field research.

In 1995, the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center began construction on the second building. This building expanded the capabilities of the USGS to include more offices, a large sediment and coral laboratory, core archive space, electronics shop, workshop, and a loading and staging area for field research.

This historic brick Studebaker Building, originally built in 1925, was chosen as the location for the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in the late 1980s.

Scientists pull a seine net through a blocked-off section of a man-made ditch to estimate fish abundance.

Scientists pull a seine net through an intertidal creek to estimate fish abundance.

USGS scientist measures water velocity as part of estimating flow from a mangrove forest.

Seining for fish in open water necessitates closing the seine quickly to avoid fish escape.  Closing the seine around a pole offshore accomplishes this objective in sampling.

USGS SCEP displays juvenile tarpon captured in a poorly-connected tidal pond.

Scientists build a boardwalk to access mangrove forest to sample fish.

Scientists inspect a raised boardwalk used to access a mangrove forest to sample fish.