|
Description:
Project Manager:
Mark Ladd
Project Years:
2018
Project Summary:
The Acropora palmata population at numerous upper Florida Keys reef sites were mapped in 2006. A subset of these were re-mapped in 2014 to document long term (8 year) changes to the population, and then again in 2015 to assess the short term (1 year) impact of the 2014 bleaching event. This project proposes to revisit these sites to assess the persistence of Acropora spp. at these reefs. Recent surveys from our fixed monitoring sites following Hurricane Irma indicate that the majority of stands lost more than 60% of their live tissue while a select few fared relatively well. This range of impact has not followed a predictable pattern (depth, proximity to landfall etc) making it impossible to predict where Acropora spp. has persisted. The variation in damage by reef site and high degree of damage at some sites supports the need for a more comprehensive reef-wide assessment.
Expected Outcome:
The reefs mapped in 2015 had no major disturbances prior to hurricane Irma allowing us to directly assess the changes associated with Hurricane Irma. The results from the proposed research will also be used to identify sites suitable for additional protections and/or restoration. The use of maps to describe changes to the reef and restoration efforts has been successful for past surveys. For example, previous mapping data allowed us to make temporal comparisons that revealed the impact of the bleaching event as expected, however it also revealed that restoration efforts (undertaken by Coral Restoration Foundation) were resulting in detectable increases to the standing population of Acropora cervicornis (Miller MW, Kerr K, Williams DE (2016) Reef-scale trends in Florida Acropora spp. abundance and the effects of population enhancement. PeerJ 4:e2523).
Project Locations:
Project Category:
Other Domestic or Global Project
Project Type:
Closed
Project Status:
Completed
Associated Products:
|
