Abstract
Water is an important resource for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and therefore it isimportant that we monitor the quality of water. Anthropogenic activities such as agriculture and
land development can negatively impact water quality, resulting in low oxygen conditions,
reduced water clarity, and more frequent phytoplankton blooms, for example. The estuaries of
southwest Florida experience such consequences of degraded water quality, resulting in declared
impairments and efforts to reduce nutrient inputs in an effort to improve water quality. This
thesis utilized real-time data collected by continuous water quality monitoring networks to study
the spatiotemporal dynamics of water quality and phytoplankton in Southwest Florida estuaries.
As the data were livestreamed on the internet, a survey was conducted to the public perception of
accessing and using these data. The thesis closes with a summary of findings and
recommendations for the future of this research.
