Sea-Level Rise Impacts to Florida Key Deer

Nova J. Silvy and Roel R. Lopez Florida Key Deer

. Diminutive race of white- tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium).

. Listed as endangered in 1967.

. Endemic to the Lower Florida Keys, primarily BPK and NNK. Key Deer Range

Key West (15 miles)

No Name Big Pine

Urbanization

• Increase of human residents from 500 (1968) to 5000 200 (present) pre-1970 post-1970 150

• Impacts - habitat loss, 100 fencing, domestication, and

roadkills. LossesArea (ha) 50

0 PL HM FM BW MG VegetationTypes Mortality Causes (%) 60

50

40

30

20

10

0 Disease Drowning Entanglement Roadkill Other Vegetation Types

• Vegetation types are influenced by tides

• With increasing elevation, maritime zones transition in hammocks and pinelands Vegetation Types Key Deer Habitat Preference

2.00 . Key deer – prefers Point-Study Area upland areas Range-Study Area (pineland, hammock, 1.50 Point-Range developed). PREFER 1.00 AVOID

. Uplands = Deer Ratio Habitat 0.50

0.00 PL HM DV FM BW MG Vegetation Sea Level Rise Big Pine Key ~1,988 acres pineland/hammocks

No Name Key ~517 acres pineland/hammocks 1 ft. sea level rise

Big Pine Key 400 acre loss (20%)

No Name Key 164 acre loss (32%) 2 ft. sea level rise

Big Pine Key 1,235 acre loss (62%)

No Name Key 291 acre loss (56%) 3 ft. sea level rise

Big Pine Key 1,678 acre loss (84%)

No Name Key 393 acres loss (76%) Hurricane Wilma

• Vegetation loss • With warming temps more hurricanes • With warming temps stronger hurricanes Pine loss converts to Hardwood hammock

No Name Key Big Pine Key 126 waterholes

No Name Key 16 waterholes ½ ft. sea level rise

Big Pine Key 20 waterhole lost (16%)

No Name Key 7 waterholes lost (44%) 1 ft. sea level rise

Big Pine Key 54 waterholes lost (59%)

No Name Key 9 waterholes lost (100%) 1.5 ft. sea level rise

Big Pine Key 9 waterholes lost (66%) Short-term Adaptations

• Move to high ground

• Roadways • Filled lots

• Consequences

• Human conflicts • Increased roadkills Long-term Adaptation

Mount Trashmore in Key West and Landfill on Cudjoe Key Short-term mitigation Clean out waterholes Add water sources Thin hardwoods Long-term mitigation Captive breeding (zoos) Translocation to safe refuge Translocation to safe refuge

Nova’s Ark Problems Human priorities To where?