NCCOS Sponsored Research Project: Understanding Coral Ecosystem Connectivity in the Gulf of Mexico from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys

This project investigated the role that the mesophotic coral ecosystems (~60â100 m) of Pulley Ridge (off the southwest coast of Florida) play in replenishing key species in the downstream reefs of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Because of the well-documented decline of Floridaâs reefs, it is important to identify, protect, and manage sources of larval reef species that can help sustain Floridaâs reef ecosystems and the tourism economy that depends on it. This interdisciplinary study focused on determining the connectivity of reef species living at Pulley Ridge, the deepest known photosynthetic coral reef off the continental U.S., to those in the Florida Keys, as well as describing the community structure and determining the economic value of Pulley Ridgeâs communities. Focal species for connectivity studies were the red grouper (Epinephelus morio), the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus), the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), lettuce corals (Agaricia spp.), and the giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta). The study was advised by a Stakeholder Advisory Board, a collaboration of federal, state, and nongovernmental stakeholders to ensure the utility of outputs for resource managers.

Tags: acoustic doppler current profiler, acoustic sounders, adcp, agricultural aquatic sciences, agriculture, animals/invertebrates, animals/vertebrates, anthozoans/hexacorals, atlantic ocean, bio-physical modeling, bioeconomics, biological classification, biosphere, camera, cameras, cnidarians, community dynamics, community structure, conductivity, continent, coral, coral reef, ctd, current/wind meters, depth, derived data product, dhhs/nih/nlm/ncbi/gb, doc/noaa/nesdis/ncei, doc/noaa/nos/nccos, doc/noaa/oar/oer, drifting buoys, dry tortugas, dynamic vegetation/ecosystem models, earth science, earth science services, ecological dynamics, ecosystems, field observation, fish, fisheries, florida, florida keys, florida keys national marine sanctuary, genbank genetic sequence database, grabbers/traps/collectors, gulf of america, gulf of mexico, habitat characterization, hard or stony corals, human dimensions, in situ ocean-based platforms, in situ/laboratory instruments, m/v spree, macroalgae (seaweeds), marine ecosystems, marine spatial ecology, mesophotic coral ecosystems, migratory rates/routes, mocness, mocness plankton net, model, models, national center for biotechnology information, national centers for coastal ocean science, national centers for environmental information, national institutes of health, national library of medicine, national ocean service, nccos research data type, nccos research location, nccos research priority, nccos research topic, nesdis, noaa, north america, north atlantic ocean, ocean, ocean circulation, ocean currents, ocean general circulation models (ogcm)/regional ocean models, ocean temperature, oceanic and atmospheric research, oceans, office of ocean exploration and research, photon/optical detectors, physical oceanography, plants, population connectivity, population dynamics, population genetics, profilers/sounders, pulley ridge, r/v f.g. walton smith, red algae, reef, region, regional ecosystem prediction program (repp), regional ecosystem science, remotely operated vehicles, rosenstiel school of marine and atmospheric science, rov, salinity, salinity/density, samplers, ships, socioeconomics, species life history, species recruitment, species/population interactions, sponges, temperature, traps, trawls/nets, u-miami/rsmas, u. s. department of health and human services, u.s. department of commerce, u.s. states and territories, united states of america, university of miami, video, water temperature
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce