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11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

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18-1<br />

Stony Coral Status And Trends in Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida, Usa): 1975-<br />

2007<br />

Douglas MORRISON* 1 , Walt JAAP 2 , Carl BEAVER 2 , Michael CALLAHAN 2 , Dustin<br />

JOHNSON 2 , Jim KIDNEY 2 , Selena KUPFNER 2 , Shannon WADE 2 , Jennifer<br />

WHEATON 2<br />

1 Dry Tortugas National Park, USNPS, Key Largo, FL, 2 Florida Fish and Wildlife<br />

Research Institute, FFWCC, St. Petersburg, FL<br />

Coral reefs are arguably the most important natural resource in Dry Tortugas National<br />

Park (DTNP). Stony coral abundance in DTNP has been monitored periodically since the<br />

mid-1970’s using multiple methods. Live coral percent cover has been measured using<br />

photo quadrats and video transects at fixed stations. Larger scale assessments of coral<br />

spatial extent have been conducted using aerial and in-water surveys. There has been a<br />

substantial decrease in stony corals, especially Acropora spp., over the last 30 years.<br />

There were 479 hectares of Acropora dominated reefs (mostly A. cervicornis) in the park<br />

in 1976; but, there are currently only about four hectares of live Acropora thickets, a 99%<br />

loss. Furthermore, Acropora live cover is

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