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Description:
Title:
Final report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coral Reef Conservation Program. Part 1, Status and trends in habitat characterization of the Florida Middle Grounds
Alternate Title:
Status and trends in habitat characterization of the Florida Middle Grounds
NOAA CRCG 2002 habitat characterization of Pulley Ridge and the Florida Middle Grounds
Author(s):
Coleman, Felicia C.
Dennis, George D. (George David), 1956-
Jaap, Walter C.
Schmahl, George P.
Koenig, Christopher C.
Reed, Sherry A.
Beaver, Carl
United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)
Corporate Name:
United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)
Dates of Publication:
2004
Abstract:
The intent of this study was to assess the current status of the biotic communities of the Florida Middle Grounds, an area off the West Florida Shelf in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. We compared our data with that of other similar studies done 25 to 30 years ago in the 1970s to determine whether the area has experienced significant change in benthic cover and associated fish fauna. The Middle Grounds is unique because it represents the northernmost extent of midshelf octocoral communities in North America. and is the confluence of at least two faunal components, Caribbean and Carolinian. This study was not intended as a description of community dynamics, but only as a 'snapshot' of present conditions. We found no indications of coral die-off nor of other diseases in the benthic community, but there was an obvious paucity of economically important fish species which we attribute to fishing. The Florida Middle Grounds should be monitored at least decadally to assess the potential impacts of global warming, coastal development, offshore oil and gas exploration, and ocean dumping--all of which can have profound influences even in remote areas and affect the quality of the associated communities.
Keywords:
Benthos
Coral reef conservation
Coral reef ecology
Coral reef fisheries
Coral reef fishes
Corals
Habitat
Monitoring
Place Keywords:
Florida
Gulf Coast
Local Corporate Name:
CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)
Type of Resource:
Professional Paper
Note:
The intent of this study was to assess the current status of the biotic communities of the Florida Middle Grounds, an area off the West Florida Shelf in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. We compared our data with that of other similar studies done 25 to 30 years ago in the 1970s to determine whether the area has experienced significant change in benthic cover and associated fish fauna. The Middle Grounds is unique because it represents the northernmost extent of midshelf octocoral communities in North America. and is the confluence of at least two faunal components, Caribbean and Carolinian. This study was not intended as a description of community dynamics, but only as a 'snapshot' of present conditions. We found no indications of coral die-off nor of other diseases in the benthic community, but there was an obvious paucity of economically important fish species which we attribute to fishing. The Florida Middle Grounds should be monitored at least decadally to assess the potential impacts of global warming, coastal development, offshore oil and gas exploration, and ocean dumping--all of which can have profound influences even in remote areas and affect the quality of the associated communities.
2004
CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)
Library
Public Domain
1858
URL:
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