Key Largo Study Area

Spatial Variation in Nearshore Benthic Communities

Distribution of Taxa

Nearshore benthic community composition was documented at approximately 1400 sampling locations throughout the Florida Keys study area. A modified Braun Blanquet survey method was used to record the percent cover of 84 individual taxa and 9 taxa groups at each site. These point data were used to calculate frequency, abundance, and density scores for each taxa and taxa group. Interpolated surfaces for each taxa group were created using a universal kriging algorithm. The interpolated surfaces below represent the approximate distribution of each taxa throughout the study area.

(click on thumbnails for enlarged maps)

Physical Data Maps

Physical data, such as water depth, substrate type, and sediment depth were also recorded at each site. Interpolated surfaces for physical data were also created using a universal kriging algorithm.

(click on thumbnails for enlarged maps)