Hardbottom Mapping and Community Characterization of the West-Central Florida Gulf Coast, December 2011 - June 2016

The continental shelf off Florida’s west coast is a mosaic of fish habitats including seagrass beds and carbonate reef outcroppings (hard bottom) classified by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as Essential Fish Habitat. Habitat maps and community baseline data, however, are nonexistent for a majority of the region. This collaborative effort between Nova Southeastern University, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, NMFS and other scientists will characterize and map continental shelf seagrass and hard bottom habitats in nearshore areas fished by many recreational fishermen. Objectives include: 1) map hard bottom and seagrass beds using various data types including sonar and satellite imagery; 2) Conduct underwater remote and SCUBA diver surveys to validate the map and associate community information to habitat classifications; 3) Compare and integrate sonar and satellite maps; and 4) Develop recommendations as to how satellite data can best be utilized to improve survey scope and efficiency. Outputs provide the first hard bottom habitat map and baseline community characterization for 1,600 square kilometers of the West Florida continental shelf adjacent to Tampa Bay. Data were collected from December 2011 to June 2016.佛罗里达西海岸外的大陆架是一片由多种鱼类栖息地镶嵌构成的复合体，其中包括海草床与被美国国家海洋渔业局（National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS）列为关键鱼类栖息地（Essential Fish Habitat）的碳酸盐礁露头（硬质底质）。然而，该区域绝大多数海域尚未绘制栖息地地图，也缺乏生物群落基线数据。本次合作研究由诺瓦东南大学、佛罗里达鱼类与野生动物保护委员会、美国国家海洋渔业局及其他科研人员共同开展，旨在对众多休闲垂钓爱好者作业的近岸海域大陆架海草床与硬质底质栖息地进行特征刻画与空间绘图。研究目标包括：1）利用声呐、卫星影像等多种数据类型绘制硬质底质与海草床的空间分布；2）开展水下遥感与水肺潜水员调查，以验证绘图结果，并将生物群落信息与栖息地分类进行关联；3）对比并整合声呐与卫星测绘成果；4）提出优化卫星数据应用的具体建议，以提升调查范围与作业效率。本研究产出了坦帕湾邻近的1600平方公里西佛罗里达大陆架区域的首张硬质底质栖息地地图与生物群落基线特征数据集。数据采集周期为2011年12月至2016年6月。