11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

24.1096
Changes in Fish Assemblages At A Ship Grounding Site Following Restoration in
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: The Wellwood Coral Restoration
Project
Christy PATTENGILL-SEMMENS* 1 , Joseph CAVANAUGH 1
1 Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), Key Largo, FL
Between 2002 and 2007, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)
conducted monitoring on the fish assemblages of a coral reef restoration area near Key
Largo, Florida. The M/V Wellwood, a 122-meter freighter ran aground in 1984 on
Molasses Reef. The ship impacted the reef’s upper forereef and remained aground for 12
days. The grounding destroyed 1,285 square meters of living corals and injured 644
square meters of coral reef framework. In 2002, limestone reef modules were placed in
the injured area to provide substrate for new coral colonization. Monitoring included the
restoration modules and contiguous low profile hardbottom areas adjacent to and in
between the modules. Nearby reference sites were also surveyed to include areas that
were closest in proximity to the grounding area while remaining undamaged and
unrestored. For each monitoring effort, a team of Advanced Assessment Team REEF
Experts conducted Roving Diver Technique visual surveys to document fish diversity and
relative abundance. Belt transect surveys were also conducted to document size
frequency shifts and more quantitative shifts in density of key taxa. Baseline surveys
were conducted prior to and immediately following the installation of the restoration
modules. Changes in fish assemblages over five years of monitoring will be presented.
24.1097
Monitoring The Recovery Of A Coral Reef Following Restoration After A Large
Vessel Grounding
Joe SCHITTONE* 1
1 National Marine Sanctuary Program, NOAA, Silver Spring, MD
This presentation provides the results of the monitoring of a coral reef injured by the M/V
Maitland vessel grounding incident of October 25, 1989. This grounding occurred in the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The National Marine Sanctuary Program
(NMSP), within NOAA, is responsible for the assessment, restoration and monitoring of
the injured reef. NMSP’s monitoring program tracks patterns of biological recovery,
determines the success of restoration measures, and assesses the resiliency of sites over
time. The restoration area was composed of both cement and limestone rock components.
To evaluate success, reference habitat adjacent to the restoration site are concurrently
monitored to compare the condition of restored reef areas with natural coral reef areas
unimpacted by the vessel grounding. Restoration was completed in July 1995, and
monitoring of both areas occurred in the summers of 2004, 2005, and 2007. This report
presents the results of all three monitoring events. Populations were monitored in all
years of three Orders of coral: Gorgonacea, Anthoathecata and Scleractinia. In 2004, all
three Order densities were significantly higher in the Restored than the Reference areas;
they remained so for Scleractinia during all three monitoring events. Regarding
Scleractinia, besides overall densities, populations of some individual species were
further analyzed. Results in all years indicated a higher proportion of smaller size-class
members of one Scleractinian species at the restored area. In addition, biodiversity
indices were calculated. For all years biodiversity indices were higher in the Restoration
site. Finally, within the restored area, the Order and Genera-specific patterns of corals on
the limestone rocks versus the cement portion of the restoration was unexpected and
surprising.
Poster Mini-Symposium 24: Reef Restoration
24.1098
Unreported Small Vessel Grounding Damage To Corals Threatens Reef Resilience, A
Case Study From The Florida Keys And Addressed in Current U.s. Legislation
Steven LUTZ* 1
1 Public Policy Office, Marine Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC
For thousands of years coral reefs have survived natural impacts, such as storms, diseases and
predation. What they cannot withstand is the combination of these natural impacts with the
effects of climate change and severe or repeated anthropogenic damage, such as overfishing,
sedimentation, excess nutrients, and vessel impacts. To increase coral reef resilience, it is
imperative that all anthropogenic threats are reduced.
The unique threat of unreported boat grounding damage to shallow corals is discussed through
the following: 1) a case study from the Florida Keys, where this threat has been found to be
widespread and especially significant in highly tourist-visited areas; and 2) how this threat is
addressed in recent U.S. legislation regarding the Reauthorization of the Coral Reef
Conservation Act, including liability provision for damaging corals and the identification of
reefs at risk from vessel groundings.
24.1099
Growth Rates And Natural Recovery Of Injured Giant Barrel Sponges, xestospongia
Muta.
Brian K. WALKER* 1 , David S. GILLIAM 1 , Stephanie SAELENS 1 , Daniel P. FAHY 1
1
National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, Dania
Beach, FL
The giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta, is a conspicuous, common component of the
Southeast Florida reef system. Colonies reach sizes greater than 1m in height and provide
substantial habitat for commensals which promotes reef biological diversity. Because of their
size and abundance, X. muta colonies are frequently injured during permitted marine
construction activities (e.g. dredge projects, submarine cables, and fishing) and un-permitted
events (e.g. vessel anchoring and vessel groundings). Currently, there is limited knowledge of
their growth and capacity to recover from injury. In late 2002, areas within the Middle and
Outer reefs offshore Southeast Florida (Broward County) were injured by cables dragged from a
tug boat during dredging operations. Injuries included shearing which removed large portions of
the colonies, leaving base tissue intact, and complete removal. In early 2003, 2-3 months after
the injury event, an assessment of 482 colonies within the injury areas demonstrated that 93%
were recovering. In 2006, 3 years post-injury, 90% of 117 monitored colonies were alive and
continued to show signs of recovery. Estimated growth rates (colony height) of the 104
surviving colonies ranged from 0.7cm to 6.0cm yr-1 with a mean of 2.78cm yr-1 ± 0.11 SE.
Estimated recovery rates (increase in colony height) appeared to be dependent upon initial
colony size and injury area location. Colonies injured within the Outer Reef (further offshore
and deeper) had significantly greater recovery rates (12.4cm ± 0.44 SE) than colonies injured
within the Middle Reef (9.7cm ± 0.97 SE). While X. muta recovery appears to be successful in
terms of its regenerative capacity, future research will include a controlled study to determine
detailed growth rates and recovery success for different injury and restoration scenarios and
apply estimates of total long-term ecosystem recovery potential for restorative practicality and
cost efficiency.
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