What is Chlorophyll a?

• Chlorophyll a is the green pigment found in plants and algae. Plants and algae use this pigment to trap the energy from the sun so they can grow. Chlorophyll a is measured in micrograms per liter ( µ g/l) units. Micrograms per liter is micrograms of chlorophyll a per liter of water. In estuaries, chlorophyll a measurements can range from 1 µ g/L to higher than 20 µ g/L.
• Scientists measure chlorophyll a in the lab by separating the chlorophyll a from the algae in the water.

Why is Chlorophyll a Important?

• Chlorophyll a tells us how much algae is in the water. Algae are small plant-like organisms that float in the water and use the sunlight to grow.  Too much algae can cause problems. As algae die, bacteria eat them. This can lower the oxygen in the water since bacteria need oxygen to grow. If there is no oxygen, some of the animals and plants in the water can die!
• Some algae are poisonous to fish, shellfish, and even humans.

What is Salinity?

• Salinity is a measure of how much salt is in the water.
• Salinity is usually measured in parts per thousand (ppt) units. Parts per thousand is how many grams of salt are dissolved per liter of water.

Why is Salinity Important?

• All plants, animals, bacteria, and algae need a certain salinity range in order to survive. Changes in salinity can kill an organism.
• The salinity in the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound can range from 0ppt to 35ppt.

Why is Temperature Important?

• All plants, animals, bacteria, and algae have a temperature that they prefer, and most grow quicker in warmer waters. Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water, and this makes the summer months more likely to have dangerously low levels of oxygen. If there is no oxygen, some of the animals in the water can die!
• The temperatures in the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound usually range from about 6 o C to 30 o C (43 o F to 86 o F).

The Pamlico Sound holds the distinction of being the largest estuary in the US about which there is the least known. The NC estuaries provide essential forage and refuge habitat for a variety of important fish populations. There is a critical need to predict ecosystem response to water quality change in the Pamlico Sound for guiding future management action. Quick action is required given the accelerated pace of land use change in tributary watersheds and predicted continued increase in the frequency of tropical storms.

Scientists, water quality managers and the public (through the website) are kept informed of water quality conditions in the Neuse River Estuary and Pamlico Sound by simple measurements, such as salinity, temperature, oxygen, and chlorophyll a.

By using the ferry system to take measurements, the scientists and managers spend less time collecting samples, and devote more time to using the information to inform the agencies, researchers and public of up to date water quality and fisheries habitat conditions. FerryMon generates a clear, useful day-to-day picture of the environmental conditions of the Neuse River Estuary and Pamlico Sound.