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Bioassessment Tools for Stony Corals: Statistical Evaluation of Candidate Metrics in the Florida Keys
Citation:
Fore, L., W. S. FISHER, AND W. DAVIS. Bioassessment Tools for Stony Corals: Statistical Evaluation of Candidate Metrics in the Florida Keys. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/260/R-06/002, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of this analysis was to evaluate the variability associated with the sampling protocols and candidate coral metrics and apply the results to two sampling design options for assessing coral reef condition through time.
Description:
Measurements of coral reef condition were collected from stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Dry Tortugas National Park during 2003-04. Four assessment endpoints of reef condition were derived from transect censuses and measurements of stony corals: total surface area of all corals in the reef transect (TSA), percent live coral averaged across all colonies in the reef transect (%LC), the sum of live surface areas for all colonies in a reef transect (LSA), and percent live surface area within the reef transect (%LSA). TSA and LSA were highly correlated; both measures were dominated by a few very large species of coral. Repeat samples were collected within stations, within reefs at different stations, and at the same stations during different years. For all measures, much of the variance was associated with different stations within reefs. Some stations near Key West had much lower values for %LSA. Some of the lowest values for %LC were associated with back reef habitats. For all measures, back reef habitat was most variable. Principal components analysis identified unique species assemblages associated with back and transitional reef habitats.
URLs/Downloads:
Bioassessment Tools for Stony Corals: Statistical Evaluation of Candidate Metrics in the Florida Keys