Abstract
Concern about declining trends in coral reef habitats and reef fish stocks in the Florida Keys contributed to the implementation of a network of no-take marine protected areas in 1997. In support of the efforts of the Dry Tortugas National Park and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to implement additional no-take areas in the Tortugas region in 2001, we expanded the scale of our fisheries independent monitoring program for coral reef fishes in the region. To provide a foundation for the habitat-based, stratified random sampling design of the program, we created a digital benthic habitat map of coral reef and hard-bottom habitats in a geographic information system by synthesizing data from bathymetric surveys, side-scan sonar imagery, aerial photogrammetry, existing habitat maps, and in situ visual surveys. Existing habitat maps prior to 1999 were limited to shallow-water ( < 20 m depth) soft-sediment, coral reef, and hard-bottom habitats within Dry Tortugas National Park and did not include deeper areas such as the Tortugas Bank, now partially contained within no-take marine protected area boundaries. From diver observations made during the 1999 survey, we developed a classification scheme based on habitat relief and patchiness to describe nine hard-bottom and coral reef habitats encountered from 1-33 m depth. We provide estimates of area by habitat type for no-take marine protected areas in the Tortugas region. Updated information on the spatial distribution and characteristics of benthic habitats will be used to guide future monitoring, assessment, and management activities in the region. Significant data gaps still exist for the western area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and are a priority for future research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 19-34 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Marine Geodesy |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2003 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Coral reefs
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- Essential fish habitat
- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
- Geographic information systems
- Marine protected areas
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oceanography
Cite this
Benthic habitat mapping in the Tortugas Region, Florida. / Franklin, Erik C.; Ault, Jerald S; Smith, Steven G.; Luo, Jiangang; Meester, Geoffrey A.; Diaz, Guillermo A.; Chiappone, Mark; Swanson, Dione W.; Miller, Steven L.; Bohnsack, James A.
In: Marine Geodesy, Vol. 26, No. 1-2, 01.01.2003, p. 19-34.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Benthic habitat mapping in the Tortugas Region, Florida
AU - Franklin, Erik C.
AU - Ault, Jerald S
AU - Smith, Steven G.
AU - Luo, Jiangang
AU - Meester, Geoffrey A.
AU - Diaz, Guillermo A.
AU - Chiappone, Mark
AU - Swanson, Dione W.
AU - Miller, Steven L.
AU - Bohnsack, James A.
PY - 2003/1/1
Y1 - 2003/1/1
N2 - Concern about declining trends in coral reef habitats and reef fish stocks in the Florida Keys contributed to the implementation of a network of no-take marine protected areas in 1997. In support of the efforts of the Dry Tortugas National Park and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to implement additional no-take areas in the Tortugas region in 2001, we expanded the scale of our fisheries independent monitoring program for coral reef fishes in the region. To provide a foundation for the habitat-based, stratified random sampling design of the program, we created a digital benthic habitat map of coral reef and hard-bottom habitats in a geographic information system by synthesizing data from bathymetric surveys, side-scan sonar imagery, aerial photogrammetry, existing habitat maps, and in situ visual surveys. Existing habitat maps prior to 1999 were limited to shallow-water ( < 20 m depth) soft-sediment, coral reef, and hard-bottom habitats within Dry Tortugas National Park and did not include deeper areas such as the Tortugas Bank, now partially contained within no-take marine protected area boundaries. From diver observations made during the 1999 survey, we developed a classification scheme based on habitat relief and patchiness to describe nine hard-bottom and coral reef habitats encountered from 1-33 m depth. We provide estimates of area by habitat type for no-take marine protected areas in the Tortugas region. Updated information on the spatial distribution and characteristics of benthic habitats will be used to guide future monitoring, assessment, and management activities in the region. Significant data gaps still exist for the western area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and are a priority for future research.
AB - Concern about declining trends in coral reef habitats and reef fish stocks in the Florida Keys contributed to the implementation of a network of no-take marine protected areas in 1997. In support of the efforts of the Dry Tortugas National Park and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to implement additional no-take areas in the Tortugas region in 2001, we expanded the scale of our fisheries independent monitoring program for coral reef fishes in the region. To provide a foundation for the habitat-based, stratified random sampling design of the program, we created a digital benthic habitat map of coral reef and hard-bottom habitats in a geographic information system by synthesizing data from bathymetric surveys, side-scan sonar imagery, aerial photogrammetry, existing habitat maps, and in situ visual surveys. Existing habitat maps prior to 1999 were limited to shallow-water ( < 20 m depth) soft-sediment, coral reef, and hard-bottom habitats within Dry Tortugas National Park and did not include deeper areas such as the Tortugas Bank, now partially contained within no-take marine protected area boundaries. From diver observations made during the 1999 survey, we developed a classification scheme based on habitat relief and patchiness to describe nine hard-bottom and coral reef habitats encountered from 1-33 m depth. We provide estimates of area by habitat type for no-take marine protected areas in the Tortugas region. Updated information on the spatial distribution and characteristics of benthic habitats will be used to guide future monitoring, assessment, and management activities in the region. Significant data gaps still exist for the western area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and are a priority for future research.
KW - Coral reefs
KW - Dry Tortugas National Park
KW - Essential fish habitat
KW - Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
KW - Geographic information systems
KW - Marine protected areas
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0346144479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0346144479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01490410306706
DO - 10.1080/01490410306706
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0346144479
VL - 26
SP - 19
EP - 34
JO - Marine Geodesy
JF - Marine Geodesy
SN - 0149-0419
IS - 1-2
ER -