Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project Dry Tortugas 2005

The purpose of the Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP) is to monitor the status and trends of selected reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary(FKNMS). CREMP assessments have been conducted annually at fixed sites since 1996 and data collected provides information on the temporal changes in benthic cover and diversity of stony corals and associated marine flora and fauna. The core field methods continue to be underwater videography and timed coral species inventories. Findings presented in this report include data from 109 stations at 37 sites sampled from 1996 through 2008 in the Florida Keys and 1999 through 2008 in the Dry Tortugas. The report describes the annual differences (between 2007 and 2008) in the percent cover of major benthic taxa (stony corals, octocorals, sponges, and macroalgae), mean coral species richness and the incidence of stony coral conditions. Additionally, it examines the long-term trends of the major benthic taxa, five coral complex, Montastraea cavernosa, Colpophyllia natans, Siderastrea siderea, and Porites astreoides) and the clionaid sponge, Cliona delitrix. It is one of the longest running coral reef monitoring projects in south Florida and has been extremely important in documenting the temporal changes that have occurred in recent years.珊瑚礁评估与监测项目（Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project，CREMP）旨在监测佛罗里达群岛国家海洋保护区（Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary，FKNMS）内选定礁区的现状与变化趋势。自1996年起，该项目每年在固定监测点位开展评估工作，所采集的数据可反映石珊瑚及相关海洋动植物的底栖覆盖度与多样性的时间动态变化。项目核心野外调查方法始终为水下摄像法与计时式珊瑚物种名录编制。本报告呈现的调查数据涵盖1996至2008年佛罗里达群岛区域37个点位的109个监测站，以及1999至2008年德赖托图格斯群岛区域的采样数据。本报告阐述了2007至2008年间主要底栖类群（石珊瑚、八放珊瑚、海绵与大型藻类）的盖度百分比变化、珊瑚物种平均丰富度，以及石珊瑚病害发生情况。此外，报告还分析了主要底栖类群的长期变化趋势，包括5种珊瑚类群（巨形脑珊瑚Montastraea cavernosa、扁平脑珊瑚Colpophyllia natans、星孔珊瑚Siderastrea siderea、团块滨珊瑚Porites astreoides等）以及蚀穿海绵Cliona delitrix。该项目是南佛罗里达地区持续运行时间最久的珊瑚礁监测项目之一，在记录近年珊瑚礁生态系统的时间动态变化方面发挥了极为重要的作用。