Outer Island Research

The staff on Outer Island has purchased and maintains equipment and supplies in support of water quality monitoring. The Outer Island interns conduct water quality measurements at the end of the floating dock each summer from June through August. Water quality parameters tested include temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, secchi disk depth, and turbidity. Visiting groups and the public are encouraged to use the equipment on-site and participate in the water quality measurements under the supervision of the island interns. The water quality meters and sampling bottles (with operational manuals) are shown below:

Outer Island Pier Water Quality

Water Quality Equipment and Manuals

Water Quality Data

Outer Island annual summer water quality data can be accessed from the links below. Each link leads to yearly water quality data sheets and graphs accompanied by a brief descriptive narrative of the results.

Examination of Long-term Water Quality at Outer Island

Ian Bergemann (right in photo) examined a decade of water quality analyses at Outer Island titled “Long-term Water Quality Monitoring at Outer Island, Branford, CT.” The results of his studies were presented as a poster at the Southern Connecticut State University Graduate Research and Creativity Conference, May 2, 2022. The poster can be accessed here.

Tide Pool Water Quality Monitoring

Water quality measurements have also been conducted in the island tide pools. Water quality parameters measured were pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. Graphs showing the trends in these water quality parameters are available for the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. ( see full research report here )

Continuous Water Quality Monitoring using HOBO Data Loggers

Continuous Water Quality Monitoring using HOBO Data Loggers In summer 2022, water quality measurements were made by both the Outer Island Interns and continuous water quality probes. Three HOBO brand saltwater data loggers (conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen) were mounted in PVC pipe and installed along the dock piling at Outer Island to perform continuous water quality measurements (Figure 1). The water quality probes were installed on July 21, 2022 and were removed from Outer Island on September 14, 2022. Results of the probe measurements are shown in Figure 2. Conductivity measurements were disrupted due to biofouling on the probe surface. Figure 3 shows a comparison between the intern water quality measurements and the HOBO data loggers for the overlapping period of July 22 to August 5, 2022.

Citizen Science Bucket

The Outer Island inters encourage the visiting public to participate in water quality measurements. A bucket containing a pH meter, pH paper, a temperature/salinity probe, a hydrometer and a thermometer are available for public use in water quality testing. The meters and manuals are available for download and review in the Outer Island Research site. The interns are also available for water quality meter instruction. Results of water quality measurements will be made available for use in the research section of this website.

Student Theses and Research

Faculty supervised undergraduate and graduate student research projects have been conducted on Outer Island. A listing of the student project reports and a link to download or view the report is available below:

Casanova, Tara. The Ecology of the Japanese Shore Crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus de Haan) and its niche relationship to the Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) along the Coast of Connecticut, USA. Biology Department, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT. | View/Download Data Part 1 Part2 (Adobe PDF)

Chavanich, Suchana. 1997. Rocky Intertidal Zonation and Habitat Ecology of Gammardean Amphipods in Long Island Sound. Department of Biological Sciences, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT. 55 pp. | View/Download Data (Adobe PDF)

Gledhill, Dwight. 1997. Soil-water geochemistry of Outer Island, Branford, Connecticut: A Conceptual Model.| View/Download Data (Adobe PDF)

Renda, Christina. 1999. The Vascular Flora of Outer Island. MA Thesis, Department of Biological Sciences, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT. 40 pp. | View/Download Data (Adobe PDF)

Rodriguez, Steven. (2018). A Population Study of the Invasive Asian Shore Crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) along the North Shore of Long Island Sound. MS Special Project: Environment, Geography and Marine Sciences, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT. May 2018. 44 pp. View/Download Data (Adobe PDF)