Key West 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)

kwseagrass.jpg (77517 bytes)kwcalcgreen.jpg (69513 bytes)kwgreen.jpg (71530 bytes)kwred.jpg (75654 bytes)kwcoralred.jpg (69496 bytes)kwbrown.jpg (69566 bytes)kwsponge.jpg (71245 bytes)kwstonycoral.jpg (68941 bytes)kwoctocoral.jpg (68627 bytes)

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)

kwwaterdepth.jpg (69513 bytes)kwsubtype.jpg (74066 bytes)kwseddepth.jpg (67552 bytes)

Community Classification

# Class Detailed Class Description
2
Mixed Seagrass >50% on Deep Mud
Mud >40cm deep with >50% mixed seagrass cover (predominantly Thalassia, with some Syringodium and Halodule).  Abundant calcareous green algae.  Sparse green algae. 
5
Mixed Seagrass 25-50% on Deep Mud
Mud >40cm deep with 25-50% mixed seagrass cover (predominantly Thalassia with some Halodule).  Abundant calcareous green algae.  Sparse green algae and sponges.
1
Thalassia 5-25% on Sandy Mud
Sandy mud  30-40 cm deep with 5-25% Thalassia cover.  Dense calcareous green algae.  Abundant red algae.  Sparse green algae and sponges.
3
Mixed Seagrass 5-25% on Mud
Mud  30-40 cm deep with 5-25% mixed seagrass cover (predominantly Thalassia, with some Syringodium and Halodule).  Abundant calcareous green algae. 
4
Mixed Macrophytes <5% on Sandy Mud
Sandy mud  20-30 cm deep with <5% mixed seagrass cover (predominantly Thalassia, with some Halodule).  Abundant calcareous green algae.  Sparse green algae, red algae, and sponges.
6
Simple Hardbottom with Thalassia < 5%
Hardbottom with <5% Thalassia cover.  Dense calcareous green algae and red algae.  Abundant green algae and sponges.  Sparse stony corals.
7
Diverse Hardbottom with Thalassia < 5%
Hardbottom with <5% Thalassia cover.  Dense calcareous green algae, green algae, and red algae.  Abundant sponges.  Sparse brown algae, stony corals and octocorals.
8
Diverse Hardbottom
Hardbottom.   Dense calcareous green algae and red algae.  Abundant green algae, brown algae, and sponges.  Sparse coralline red algae, stony corals and octocorals.

Note:  the categories "Sparse", "Abundant", "Dense" are all <5% cover)

Temporal Variation in Nearshore Benthic Communities:  Key West Study Area

Nutrient Regimes of Nearshore Benthic Communities:  Key West Study Area

Relationships Between Project Data and Florida Keys Land Use:  Key West Study Area

Key West Study Area

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