Characterization of Mesophotic Coral/Sponge Ecosystem Habitats in the Region of the Tortugas Ecological Reserves from ROV Dives during 2013 and 2014 R/V Walton Smith Cruises Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge - South Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem

This report resulted from our ROV surveys to characterize the mesophotic coral reef ecosystems at Pulley Ridge and Tortugas as part of a research grant funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research under an award NA11NOS4780045 to the University of Miami (Project Title: “Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge - South Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem”). The ROV cruise data were collected, analyzed, and written by the following: CIOERT at HBOI/Florida Atlantic University- John Reed (Principal Investigator), Stephanie Farrington (research assistant), Dennis Hanisak (Lead and Project Manager); and National Marine Fisheries Service/Southeast Fisheries Science Center (NMFS/SEFSC)- Andy David, Stacey Harter. The University of Miami ship R/V Walton Smith was used along with the UNCW Super Phantom ROV and FGNMS Mohawk ROV The cruises were in collaboration with the University of Miami, HBOI-CIOERT, NOAA Fisheries, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), Undersea Vehicles Program. This report summarizes only the data that were collected within 24 1-km2 random Blocks in the region of the Tortugas Ecological Reserves (TERs) during our cruises in 2013 and 2014. A total of 12 Blocks contained hard-bottom, mesophotic coral/sponge ecosystem habitat; 12 Blocks were entirely soft-bottom sediment. This Cruise Report provides detailed SEADESC (Southeastern United States Deep-Sea Corals) characterization of the benthic habitat and benthic macrobiota for each dive site. 2016 NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research- NA11NOS4780045 NOS (National Ocean Service) Library Public Domain 1936

本报告源于为表征Pulley Ridge与Tortugas海域中深层珊瑚礁生态系统所开展的遥控无人潜水器（Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV）调查，该工作隶属于美国国家海洋和大气管理局（National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA）赞助的沿海海洋研究中心资助项目，合作方为迈阿密大学，项目编号为NA11NOS4780045，项目全称："Pulley Ridge-南佛罗里达珊瑚礁生态系统连通性"。本次ROV巡航数据的采集、分析与报告撰写工作由以下团队及人员完成：佛罗里达大西洋大学HBOI下属CIOERT的John Reed（首席研究员）、Stephanie Farrington（研究助理）、Dennis Hanisak（项目负责人兼项目经理）；以及美国国家海洋渔业局/东南渔业科学中心（National Marine Fisheries Service/Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NMFS/SEFSC）的Andy David与Stacey Harter。本次巡航使用了迈阿密大学的"Walton Smith"号研究船，搭配UNCW Super Phantom遥控无人潜水器与FGNMS Mohawk遥控无人潜水器。本巡航由迈阿密大学、HBOI-CIOERT、NOAA渔业部门以及北卡罗来纳大学威尔明顿分校水下载具项目（University of North Carolina at Wilmington, UNCW Undersea Vehicles Program）联合开展。本报告仅汇总了2013年与2014年巡航期间，在托图加生态保护区（Tortugas Ecological Reserves, TERs）海域内的24个1平方千米随机区块所采集的数据。其中12个区块为硬质底质中深层珊瑚/海绵生态栖息地，剩余12个区块则全部为软底质沉积物生境。本巡航报告针对每个潜水站点，详细提供了SEADESC（美国东南部深海珊瑚）标准的底栖生境与大型底栖生物表征内容。本报告归属2016年美国国家海洋和大气管理局赞助沿海海洋研究中心项目NA11NOS4780045，属于国家海洋服务局（National Ocean Service, NOS）图书馆公共领域资源，编号1936。