

;;fiiStSsf^ 



Figure 6. — Ontral Boc-a Ciega Bay near Treasure Island Causeway in IfMO before major bayfill construction (idioto- 



grapli courtesy of Airflite, St. Petersburg, Fla. 



C(ii)ipech/en.s/x) and pink shrimp {Pena&iis chw- 

 raruin) are nhiiiulani (Salomaii, l'.)(')5: Taylor and 

 Saloiiian, 1!)()T). I^ioniass estimates of turtle grass 

 are also minimal because, the sampler did not col- 

 lect roots and rhizomes that penetrate sediments 

 beyond -l-l.'t rn\. (!) inches). 



TEMPERATURE, SALINITY, AND pH 



Temperature, salinity, and pll of Boca Cicoa 

 Bay are similar to those in water near tlie mouth 

 of Tami)a Bay becau.se land drainage is not appre- 

 ciable and four |)asses lead directly to the (lulf of 

 Mexico. Furtiiermore, tliere is little or no stratifi- 

 cation of water masses in unprotei'ted pai'ts of the 



bay because of shallow depths and tidal and wind- 

 driven circulation (table 1). 



The most detailed record of wat^r temperature 

 •for lower Tampa Bay comes from daily observa- 

 tions over IS years by the X^.S. Coast Guard at 

 Egmout Key. The monthly means cori'espoud 

 closely to means of our water temperature data for 

 l!)6;')-()4 and to means of other records from Boca 

 Ciega liay between 1!)61 and 1065 (tables 1 and 

 2). The range of water temperature over shallow 

 flats, however, is considerably greater than the 

 range of monthly means. For example, Phillips 

 (l!)»i()b) recorded ;5(;.9° C. from wafer standing 

 over turtle grass in July 1958, and a low of -1.8° C. 



220 



r.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



