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Wiki article, Florida Ecosystems.

Thanks for the outline. I think I would like to contribute to the Florida Ecosystems page discussed in class. Specifically sharing or editing all of the Coastal Ecosystems section. Thanks, Lawiggins

Ecology of Florida

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Coastal Ecosystems

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Coral Reefs

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Overview of Florida Reefs
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Florida is home to the third largest barrier reef system in the world and the largest in the continental United States.[1][2][3][4], it is known as the Florida Keys reef Tract[3]. Individual or patch reefs in Florida expand from Stuart on the Florida's east coast to Tampa Bay on the Florida's west coast,[1] while the barrier reef system runs from the Miami area southwest to the Dry Tortuga's.[5] Reefs are able to develop in these areas since southern Florida lies in the latitudes between 24°30’N and 31°N and is a Tropical climate[5].

Types of modern reefs in Florida
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There are three types of modern reefs in Florida: intertidal worm reefs, tropical shallow water coral reefs, artificial reefs, and deep water coral banks[3][1].

Worm Reefs

Hen Chicken Reef, Florida Keys

From Cape Canaveral to Biscayne Bay are low reefs created by the marine worm, Phragmatopoma lapidosa[3][1]. These marine worms form aggregates of tubes cemented together by protein and sand, and this ecosystem is provides nursery grounds for many coastal fisheries species which are recreationally fished including Florida's spiny lobster, Panulirus argus[3][1].

Tropical Shallow-Water Coral Reefs

Tropical shallow-water coral reefs are the reefs that are most associate with "reefs". Florida's barrier reef in the Florida Keys is very similar to the reefs found in the Caribbean Sea due to the climate and hydrology[5][1]. The Florida reefs are very abundant in biodiversity and richness of coral cover. Many species of commercial and recreational fisheries inhabit the Florida reef tract at some point during their life cycle[3][5][1]. The Florida reef tract is was built from the death of hard corals, as the corals die they leave behind a Calcium Carbonate skeleton. The barrier reef acts as a guardian to smaller patch reefs nearby, these patch reefs can be the size of a home or backyard and serve an important role with genetic material exchange.

Artificial Reefs

Artificial reefs can be accidentally or purposely placed structures which occur off the coast of Florida's coastlines and some in offshore waters[3]. Some examples are bridge pilings, piers, collapsed bridges, wrecked aircraft, shipwrecks, pipelines[3], and concrete structures that contain human remains. Depending on location, current patterns, local bottom time and may other variables over several years these structures can become artificial reefs boasting with corals, sponges, algae and other associated reef fauna[3][1].

Deep-Water Coral Banks

In depths of 400-800 meters off of the continental slope margins of Florida is where deep-water banks can occur[3][1]. Coral growth at these depths is slow due to cold temperatures and rate of marine snow fall, but some fragile branching corals create structures and provide sediment accumulation[3][6][1]. The two major builders on these types of reefs off the coast of Florida are Lophelia prolifera and Enallopsammia profunda[3][1].

Benefits of coral reefs in Florida
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Coral reef structures are beneficial in protecting our coastlines both directly and indirectly. The Florida Key reef tract provides physical protection by creating a barrier to storm surge and strong currents which will help lessen coastal erosion[7]. Coral reefs also build many beaches, coastal land, even islands by producing a lot of beach material[7]. This is done by providing habitat and food resources suitable for fauna that are main contributors to "sand" such as parrotfishes and sea cucumbers. The usually calm waters around the Florida Reef Tract also provide safe waters for navigation. Coral reefs also play a large role in the sequestering of CO2[7][2][8][4]. Florida's reefs play a crucial role in providing habitats to most marine species at some point in their life cycle by providing protection, viable habitat, and food[5][3][1].


Florida's reefs provide millions of dollars annually in revenue by goods and services for Florida's economy[9][7]. Some of these activities include but are not limited to scuba diving, snorkeling, tourism, pharmaceutical use and research, mining, education, and fishing (both recreational and commercial)[2][1][7][9]. Many communities, especially the Florida Keys, are reliant on the money that the mentioned activities being. When a family comes down to the Florida Keys for a tropical vacation they have to find lodging, transportation, food, and entertainment, all of these provide revenue for the area and jobs for the locals.

Threats to coral reefs in Florida

In recent decades coral reefs have been in decline worldwide[10] and Florida's reef have been no except. There has been a shift in the coral reef taxa, and the once dominant species have been hit hard[10]. Florida's reefs face many threats such as to global climate change (rise in temperature, ocean acidification), over harvesting (of the corals themselves or the fauna which help to sustain the reef), water pollution, coral disease, destruction by tropical hurricanes, sedimentation deposit, and other human misuses. All of the mentioned can lead to degradation of the Florida reefs and loss of species and biodiversity.

Management of Florida's Coral Reefs

There are many government agencies responsible for the management of Florida's reefs, depending on the location[10][3]. Unfortunately, the disparate management authorities is one of the reasons Florida's corals are in danger[3]. On the east Atlantic coast of Florida, the boundary for state waters is 3 nautical miles offshore whereas on the Gulf of Mexico west side of Florida the state boundary is nine nautical miles. If within the state boundaries the sate of Florida is responsible for management and anything outside of the state boundaries the Federal Government is responsible[4]. From the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and their management of Florida state waters on coral reefs "In the state of Florida there are specific rules governing the commercial, nonlethal harvest of marine life. Throughout the state of Florida the collection of stony corals, fire corals, and the octocorals Gorgonia flabellum and G. ventalina (common sea-fans) is prohibited. The collection of octocoral species is restricted. The harvest of live-rock, substrate with living organisms attached, is illegal unless harvested at a licensed aquaculture area. Additionally, any harvest of the long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, is prohibited"[11]. The Florida Keys are managed by multiple agencies of the State of Florida and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the area of the Florida Keys managed is call the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS)[12]. FKNMS protects over 6000 species and 2900 nautical square miles of water around the Florida Keys[13].

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Jaap, W. C. (1984). Ecology of the south Florida coral reefs: a community profile (No. FWS/OBS-82/08; MMS-84-0038). Florida Dept. of Natural Resources, St. Petersburg (USA). Marine Research Lab..
  2. ^ a b c Paul, Valerie J.; Thacker, Robert W.; Banks, Kenneth; Golubic, Stjepko (2005-11-10). "Benthic cyanobacterial bloom impacts the reefs of South Florida (Broward County, USA)". Coral Reefs. 24 (4): 693–697. doi:10.1007/s00338-005-0061-x. ISSN 0722-4028.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Ewel, J. J., & Myers, R. L. (Eds.). (1990). Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press.
  4. ^ a b c Ward-Paige, C. A., Risk, M. J., Sherwood, O. A., & Jaap, W. C. (2005). Clionid sponge surveys on the Florida Reef Tract suggest land-based nutrient inputs. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 51(5-7), 570-579.
  5. ^ a b c d e Jaap, W. C., Szmant, A., Jaap, K., Dupont, J., Clarke, R., Somerfield, P., ... & Kellison, G. T. (2008). A perspective on the biology of Florida Keys coral reefs. In Coral Reefs of the USA (pp. 75-125). Springer, Dordrecht.
  6. ^ Ross, Steve W.; Quattrini, Andrea M. (2007). "The fish fauna associated with deep coral banks off the southeastern United States". Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 54 (6): 975–1007. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2007.03.010. ISSN 0967-0637.
  7. ^ a b c d e Spurgeon, James P.G. (1992). "The economic valuation of coral reefs". Marine Pollution Bulletin. 24 (11): 529–536. doi:10.1016/0025-326x(92)90704-a. ISSN 0025-326X.
  8. ^ Ward-Paige, Christine A.; Risk, Michael J.; Sherwood, Owen A.; Jaap, Walter C. (2005). "Clionid sponge surveys on the Florida Reef Tract suggest land-based nutrient inputs". Marine Pollution Bulletin. 51 (5–7): 570–579. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2005.04.006. ISSN 0025-326X.
  9. ^ a b Brander, Luke M.; Van Beukering, Pieter; Cesar, Herman S.J. (2007). "The recreational value of coral reefs: A meta-analysis". Ecological Economics. 63 (1): 209–218. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.11.002. ISSN 0921-8009.
  10. ^ a b c Toth, L. T.; van Woesik, R.; Murdoch, T. J. T.; Smith, S. R.; Ogden, J. C.; Precht, W. F.; Aronson, R. B. (2014-04-26). "Do no-take reserves benefit Florida's corals? 14 years of change and stasis in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary". Coral Reefs. 33 (3): 565–577. doi:10.1007/s00338-014-1158-x. ISSN 0722-4028. {{cite journal}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 49 (help)
  11. ^ "Florida Coral Rules and Regulations". myfwc.com. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
  12. ^ Sanctuary, Florida Keys National Marine. "Welcome to the NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary". floridakeys.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
  13. ^ Sanctuary, Florida Keys National Marine. "About Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary". floridakeys.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
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