Flower Garden Banks – A Refuge in the Gulf of Mexico?Emma L. Hickerson, George P. Schmahl, Michelle A. Johnston, Marissa F. Nuttall, John A. Embesi, and Ryan J. EckertPresented by Dr. Billy Causey

USA

MEXICO

CUBA

PHOTO CREDIT: FGBNMS/G.P. SCHMAHL

• FGBNMS located 204 km south of the TX/LA border•Near physiological edge of conditions required by hermatypic corals• Dominated by large boulder and star coral colonies• 50% to 80% coral cover on shallow and mesophotic coral reefs• 20 year + long term-monitoring program reflects continued flourishing reef system, however warns of possible anthropogenic and natural stressors threatening the high level of health

• Annual data collection at all banks. Monitoring co-funded by NOAA/FGBNMS and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management•100m x 100m study sites on EFGB and WFGB coral caps, plus deep reef stations (33-40m)• Photostations along pinnacles at Stetson Bank • Repetitive and random photographs taken to assess change over time for individual colonies, percent cover, species composition, and dominance. Fish surveys conducted to assess abundance, diversity, and biomass.

2009 EFGB 2010 EFGB 2009 WFGB 2010 WFGB

53.34 53.84

0.13

31.85

13.32

0.10

30.03

14.93

54.49

0.25

32.93

11.15

65.95

0.25

22.03

10.2

•Spiny lobster and sea urchin counts conducted. Cores collected for sclerochronology bi-annually. Water quality parameters measured on seafloor and profiles taken opportunistically.• Stable reef conditions since the late 1970’s at East and West FGB

Stetson Bank

Long-term monitoring results

Coral Cover

Benthic community cover

Acknowledgement: • Long-term monitoring co-funding provided by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management• Bathymetry – Dr. James Gardner, USGS/UNH, NOAA, MMS

PHOTO CREDIT: FGBNMS/G.P. SCHMAHL

http://flowergarden.noaa.gov