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Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology
Benthic Community Dynamics And Stony Coral Demographics In Florida In Relation To Acute Disturbances And Chronic Pressures, Nicholas P. Jones
Benthic Community Dynamics And Stony Coral Demographics In Florida In Relation To Acute Disturbances And Chronic Pressures, Nicholas P. Jones
All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations
The persistence of coral reef communities is threatened by a suite of pressures operating at varying spatial and temporal scales. In general, acute disturbances (short term stochastic events such as marine heatwaves or hurricanes) and chronic pressures, such as ocean warming, have caused the most significant changes to stony coral assemblages (order Scleractinia) and continue to impair recovery potential. Additionally, many coral reefs are subject to local chronic anthropogenic pressures resulting in poor water quality or sedimentation, which further impact stony corals and shape benthic community structure, particularly near urbanized coastlines. For the viability of communities on coral reefs, a …
Evaluation Of Nearshore Carbonate Chemistry Within Major Navigational Inlets Of The Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, Harrison Davis
Evaluation Of Nearshore Carbonate Chemistry Within Major Navigational Inlets Of The Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, Harrison Davis
All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations
The absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) by ocean surface water is causing ocean acidification (OA), a process by which the reaction between water and CO2 changes ocean carbonate chemistry. Predictions of OA trajectories modeled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are based on open ocean trends and may not accurately predict changes to variable nearshore ecosystems. The dynamic nature of nearshore ocean chemistry, and prevalence of OA vulnerable species within these ecosystems complicates the process of making accurate OA impact predictions within the coastal zone. Florida’s coral reef is a nearshore ecosystem vulnerable to …