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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 …
A Survey Of The Order Tetraodontiformes On Coral Reef Habitats In Southeast Florida, Anne C. Sevon
A Survey Of The Order Tetraodontiformes On Coral Reef Habitats In Southeast Florida, Anne C. Sevon
HCNSO Student Capstones
The economy of south Florida relies, in part, on the recreation and tourism industries; both of which are integrally linked to Florida’s coastal ecosystems. These ecosystems provide tourists the opportunity to explore mangroves and the Everglades, enjoy local beaches, and experience the ocean with fishing charters, scuba diving adventures, and snorkeling. One of the major attractions for tourists is the Florida Reef Tract (FRT), which includes multiple coral reef and hardbottom habitats that extend from St. Lucie Inlet through the Florida Keys and into the Dry Tortugas. The FRT has been a major part of research because a wide range …
Spatial And Temporal Trends Of Southeastern Florida's Octocoral Comunity, Alexandra Hiley
Spatial And Temporal Trends Of Southeastern Florida's Octocoral Comunity, Alexandra Hiley
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
In the Caribbean, local and global stressors have driven significant declines in scleractinian coral cover up to 80% in only three decades. Following these declines, phase shifts in benthic community composition have been reported. Shifts towards macroalgal dominance has been the most widely observed case, however, shifts towards octocoral and sponge dominance have also been reported. In Florida, USA, the Florida Reef Tract is an extensive barrier reef system that contains diverse assemblages of corals, sponges, fish, and other taxa. The Southeast Florida Reef Tract (SEFRT) within the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Conservation Area is the northern portion of this …
Reef Fish Assemblage Biogeography Along The Florida Reef Tract, Cory Ames
Reef Fish Assemblage Biogeography Along The Florida Reef Tract, Cory Ames
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Understanding the biogeography of reef fish assemblages is paramount to reef conservation, management, and conducting appropriate population survey designs. Reef fish assemblages are a multispecies complex of reef-associated fish and are shaped by multiple environmental and biological factors (e.g. temperature, depth, benthic habitat, and topographic relief), which determine the species constituents residing in an area. Assemblages typically change with latitude where the number of families, genera, and/or densities of species specific to warmer climates decrease poleward into colder climate regimes. The Florida Reef Tract (FRT) extends for 595 km from the Dry Tortugas in the south-west to Martin County in …