There are several stresses
potentially contributing to the current decline of Florida and Caribbean
coral reefs. These include, but are not limited to: high nutrient and
sediment loading; unsustainable rates of extraction of coral, fish and other
reef organisms; climate change; and, physical damage from boats, diving and
destructive fishing practices. One or a combination of the above stresses
may be contributing to the observed phase-shift on these reefs from
coral to macroalgal dominance. This ecological shift threatens a resource
that contributes over a billion dollars each year to South Florida’s economy
alone.
NCORE's initial research
effort was focused on elucidating the biogeochemical and trophodynamic
processes driving the nutrient cycles of the Florida reef tract. That work
was later integrated with a physical oceanographic study to quantify the
upwelling nutrient flux to the Florida Keys coral reefs and to understand
the controlling physical processes, using an observational and numerical
approach model. NCORE's interdisciplinary and simultaneous examination of
these processes will significantly improve the understanding of the causes
of, and potentially inform management options to reverse, the increased
algal overgrowth of Florida's coral reefs.
SPECIFIC PROJECTS
1.1
Physical Oceanographic Studies
1.2
Impact of
Nutrients on Reefs in the Florida Reef Tract
1.3 Nutrient Dynamics, Algal Community Structure, and Algal
Production
1.4 Role of Herbivorous
Fishes on the Trophodynamics of the Florida Reef Tract
