Benthic Habitat Mapping in the Tortugas Region, Florida
Benthic Habitat Mapping in the Tortugas Region, Florida
复制标题
佛罗里达州托尔图加斯地区的底栖栖息地测绘
DOI：
--
复制
发表时间：
2003
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
J. Bohnsack
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
E. Franklin;J. Ault;Steven G. Smith;Jiangang Luo;G. Meester;G. Diaz;M. Chiappone;D. Swanson;S. Miller;J. Bohnsack
对佛罗里达群岛珊瑚礁栖息地和珊瑚礁鱼类种群下降趋势的担忧促使我们于 1997 年实施了禁捕海洋保护区网络。为了支持干托图加斯国家公园和佛罗里达群岛国家海洋保护区于 2001 年在托尔图加斯地区建立更多禁捕区的努力，我们扩大了针对该地区珊瑚礁鱼类的渔业独立监测计划的规模。为了为该计划的基于栖息地的分层随机抽样设计提供基础，我们通过综合测深调查、侧扫声纳图像、航空摄影测量、现有栖息地地图和原位视觉调查的数据，在地理信息系统中创建了珊瑚礁和硬底栖息地的数字底栖栖息地地图。 1999 年之前的现有栖息地地图仅限于干托图加斯国家公园内的浅水（< 20 m 深度）软沉积物、珊瑚礁和硬底栖息地，不包括更深的区域，例如托图加斯浅滩，现在部分包含在禁捕海洋保护区边界内。根据 1999 年调查期间潜水员的观察，我们制定了一个基于栖息地地形和斑块性的分类方案，以描述 1-33 m 深度遇到的九个硬底和珊瑚礁栖息地。我们提供了托尔图加斯地区禁捕海洋保护区按栖息地类型的面积估计。有关海底栖息地空间分布和特征的最新信息将用于指导该地区未来的监测、评估和管理活动。佛罗里达群岛国家海洋保护区西部地区仍然存在重大数据差距，是未来研究的重点。
Concern about declining trends in coral reef habitats and reef fish stocks in the Florida Keys contributed to the implementation of a network of no-take marine protected areas in 1997. In support of the efforts of the Dry Tortugas National Park and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to implement additional no-take areas in the Tortugas region in 2001, we expanded the scale of our fisheries independent monitoring program for coral reef fishes in the region. To provide a foundation for the habitat-based, stratified random sampling design of the program, we created a digital benthic habitat map of coral reef and hard-bottom habitats in a geographic information system by synthesizing data from bathymetric surveys, side-scan sonar imagery, aerial photogrammetry, existing habitat maps, and in situ visual surveys. Existing habitat maps prior to 1999 were limited to shallow-water (< 20 m depth) soft-sediment, coral reef, and hard-bottom habitats within Dry Tortugas National Park and did not include deeper areas such as the Tortugas Bank, now partially contained within no-take marine protected area boundaries. From diver observations made during the 1999 survey, we developed a classification scheme based on habitat relief and patchiness to describe nine hard-bottom and coral reef habitats encountered from 1-33 m depth. We provide estimates of area by habitat type for no-take marine protected areas in the Tortugas region. Updated information on the spatial distribution and characteristics of benthic habitats will be used to guide future monitoring, assessment, and management activities in the region. Significant data gaps still exist for the western area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and are a priority for future research.