The Nature Conservancy

Summary of 2016-2020 Disturbance Response Monitoring Efforts in the Florida Reef Tract

2021

The Nature Conservancy; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

"This is a summary report of the Distrubance Response Monitoring (DRM) efforts in the Florida Reef Tract from 2016 to 2020. The DRM program was developed and first implemented in 2005 to monitor shallow coral reefs from Martin County to the Dry Tortugas. The Disturbance Response Monitoring consists of a probabilistic sampling design and a stony coral condition monitoring protocol during the annual period of peak thermal stress. Information is gathered on the coral populations size frequency, size structure, bleaching prevalence, and coral condition, including disease and percent mortality. The goals of the impact assessment are to determine the extent, severity, and impacts of individual disturbance events, such as coral bleaching, to support communication and management efforts during these events. The impact assessment also aims to collect information that will help identify trends in coral bleaching patterns, and support understanding of management for long-term ecosystem resilience. In order to meet these goals, the monitoring is structured to answer management questions about the impacts of coral bleaching events across varying temporal and spatial scales."

disturbance response monitoring, Florida reef tract, coral reef, coral bleaching, stony coral tissue loss disease

NOS

OCM

FY2016 CRCP Project ID 31103; Project Title: FY16/FY17/FY18/FY19 - Non-Governmental Organization Partnership; Principal Investigator: Craig Reid; Grant NA16NOS4820106.

NA16NOS4820106