View
2
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Status and Trends in the Florida Keys: Coral Reef and Hard-bottom Communities
Mark Chiappone, Steven Miller, Leanne Rutten
Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
mc191@nova.edu, 305-898-5390
The Florida Keys Setting
Factors Affecting Florida Coral Reefs • Geography (continental influence, cold fronts)
• Tropical cyclones
• Climate-change drivers and responses:
– Coral bleaching (temperature and UV)
– Coral diseases
– Ocean acidification
• Coastal development (pollution/contamination)
• Urchin die-off (two events)
• Removal of wildlife
• Physical impacts (vessels, anchors, etc.)
• Non-native species (invasive exotics)
The Future: Minimizing the Damage?
The Everglades and Miami, 11/21/2008 Earth Snapshot http://www.eosnap.com/image-of-the-day/the-everglades-and-miami-florida-december-24th-2008/
The integrity of hydrologic and biologic components of Florida’s Southeast coast will ultimately depend upon achieving a sustainable
balance between ecosystem and human needs.
South Florida’s historic and current watershed Sources: USDOI/USGS, USEPA, FDEP, Evergladesplan.org
Cuba, South of Florida and the Bahamas, 07/23/2011 Earth Snapshot http://www.eosnap.com/public/media/2011/07/cuba/20110714-cuba-full.jpg
The Florida Keys Ecosystem: Open and Connected
Florida Keys Diversity: A result of connectivity
Status and Trends: Reef and Hard-bottom The Past
Geologic and environmental contexts
“The past is the key to the present” (Ginsburg and Shinn)
The Present
What has been observed/documented?
What are we to make of present conditions?
Possible Futures
A few years?
A few decades?
End of the 21st century?
Florida Keys Depth to Pleistocene Bedrock Surface USDOI/USGS https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2007/1751/professional-paper/bedrock-surface.html
Geologic History Influences the Present
Florida Keys Bedrock Surface Map USDOI/USGS https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2007/1751/professional-paper/bedrock-surface.html
Florida Keys Depth to Pleistocene Bedrock Surface USDOI/USGS https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2007/1751/professional-paper/bedrock-surface.html
The Past Influences the Present
Summary Illustration Index Map of the Florida Keys USDOI/USGS https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2007/1751/professional-paper/figures/summary-illustration.html
Florida Keys Benthic Maps: The Early Version
Florida Reef Tract Marine Habitats and Ecosystems Marszalek (1977-82) c/o UF Map and Imagery Library http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00016788/00001/citation
Florida Keys Benthic Maps: The Latest Version
Florida Keys Benthic Ecosystems USDOI/USGS https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2007/1751/professional-paper/benthic-ecosystems.html
Carysfort Light
Molasses Reef
Florida Keys Iconic Bank Reefs
The Elbow
Sombrero Key
Sand Key
Fowey Rocks
American Shoal Alligator Light
Tennessee Light
Florida Reef Tract Marine Habitats and Ecosystems Marszalek (1977-82) c/o UF Map and Imagery Library http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00016788/00001/citation
Hard-bottom and Coral Reef Habitats
Status and Trends: Reef and Hard-bottom
The Past (deep and shallow time)
Geologic and environmental contexts
“The past is the key to the present.”
The Present
What has been observed/documented?
What are we to make of present conditions?
Possible Futures
A few years?
A few decades?
End of the 21st century?
White Band Disease
Bleaching
Bleaching
Diadema Die-off
Gardner et al. 2003 c/o W. Precht
White Band Disease
Regional Caribbean Coral Reef Change
Regional Caribbean Coral Reef Change
Images courtesy of P. Dustan, University of Charleston
Images courtesy of P. Dustan, University of Charleston
Images courtesy of P. Dustan, College of Charleston
CREMP Sampling Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Dry Tortugas National Park
Florida Keys Reefs in Recent History
Data from CREMP, USC, UG, UNCW, NSU
Upper Florida Keys Acropora Reefs
Grecian Rocks
N-N Dry Rocks Carysfort Reef
South Carysfort
Elbow Reef
Dry Rocks
French Reef
Sand Island
Molasses Reef
Florida Keys Corals (1999-2015)
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
No
. co
ral ta
xa p
er
tran
sect
(15 m
2)
Coral Species Richness
Patch reefsShallow hard-bottomHigh-relief spur and grooveDeeper fore reef
0.05.0
10.015.020.025.030.035.040.045.050.0
% C
over
Stony Coral Cover
Patch reefsShallow hard-bottomHigh-relief spur and grooveDeeper fore reef
050,000,000
100,000,000150,000,000200,000,000250,000,000300,000,000350,000,000400,000,000450,000,000500,000,000
SSID PAST SMIC AAGR PPOR MCAV PFUR DSTK MFAV SRAD CNAT PDIV DSTR SBOU ODIF
Scleractinian Abundance: Top 15 speciesFlorida Keys 1999-2009 All Habitats
B B B B B B
050,000,000
100,000,000150,000,000200,000,000250,000,000300,000,000350,000,000400,000,000
SSID SRAD PAST AAGR SMIC PPOR MCAV DSTK PFUR FFRG SCOL DSTR MARE EFAS SBOU
Juvenile Scleractinian Abundance: Top 15 speciesFlorida Keys 1999-2009 All Habitats
85% 96% 98%
72% 88% 94%
Kissling (1964) Looe Key Fore Reef
NURC/UNCW (2012) Looe Key Fore Reef
Florida Keys Reefs of the Future?
The Past (deep and shallow time)
Geologic and environmental contexts
“The past is the key to the present.”
The Present
What has been observed/documented?
What are we to make of present conditions?
Possible Futures
A few years?
A few decades?
End of the 21st century?
Transformation from Corals to…
Re-transformation may not occur anytime soon. Coral larval supply, recruitment, and
post-settlement survivorship Algae, sponge, and octocoral
growth, fecundity, and allelopathic effects Microbiomes may also be altered.
Ajax Reef, Northern Reef Tract Reef framework may be collapsing (2015)
Projected Sea Level Rise 5 ft. by the year 2100 Sources: Climate Central, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA
Sea Level Rise Scenarios
What can be done?
Balancing Human Enterprise and the
Ecosystem
Recommended