Distribution and sighting frequency of reef fishes in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Item Type monograph Authors Jeffrey, C. F. G.; Pattengill-Semmens, C.; Gittings, S.; Monaco, M. E. Publisher NOAA/National Ocean Service/Marine Sanctuaries Division Download date 27/09/2021 08:46:14 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/20166 Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series MSD-01-1 Distribution and Sighting Frequency of Reef Fishes in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary January 2001 U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management Marine Sanctuaries Division About the Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Sanctuary Division (MSD) administers the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Its mission is to identify, designate, protect and manage the ecological, recreational, research, educational, historical, and aesthetic resources and qualities of nationally significant coastal and marine areas. The existing marine sanctuaries differ widely in their natural and historical resources and include nearshore and open ocean areas ranging in size from less than one to over 5,000 square miles. Protected habitats include rocky coasts, kelp forests, coral reefs, sea grass beds, estuarine habitats, hard and soft bottom habitats, segments of whale migration routes, and shipwrecks. Because of considerable differences in settings, resources, and threats, each marine sanctuary has a tailored management plan. Conservation, education, research, monitoring and enforcement programs vary accordingly. The integration of these programs is fundamental to marine protected area management. The Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series reflects and supports this integration by providing a forum for publication and discussion of the complex issues currently facing the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Topics of published reports vary substantially and may include descriptions of educational programs, discussions on resource management issues, and results of scientific research and monitoring projects. The series will facilitate integration of natural sciences, socioeconomic and cultural sciences, education, and policy development to accomplish the diverse needs of NOAA’s resource protection mandate. DISCLAIMER Report content does not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the National Marine Sanctuary Program or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. REPORT AVAILABILITY Electronic copies of this report may be downloaded from the National Marine Sanctuaries Program web site at http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/special/special.html#series. Hard copies may be available from the following address: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administraiton Marine Sanctuaries Division SSMC4, N/ORM62 1305 East –West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 SUGGESTED CITATION Jeffrey, C.F.G., C. Pattengill-Semmens, S. Gittings, and M. E. Monaco. 2001. Distribution and sighting frequency of reef fishes in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series MSD-01-1. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Marine Sanctuaries Division, Silver Spring, MD. 51 pp. DISTRIBUTION AND SIGHTING FREQUENCY OF REEF FISHES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY Jeffrey, C.F.G1,4., C. Pattengill-Semmens2, 3, S. Gittings2, and M. E. Monaco1 1National Center for Coastal Ocean Science/ Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment/ Biogeography Program 2National Marine Sanctuaries Program 3Reef Environmental Education Foundation 4 University of Georgia January 2001 CONTACTS: For more information on National Ocean Service (NOS) Biogeography Program: Dr. Mark E. Monaco Christopher F. Jeffrey NOAA/NOS/CCMA Biogeography Program NOAA/NOS/CCMA Biogeography Program NSCI/1, SSMC-4, 9409 NSCI/1, SSMC-4, 9222 1305 East West Highway 1305 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 713-3028 ext. 160 (301) 713-3028 ext. 134 [email protected] [email protected] Web address: biogeo.nos.noaa.gov For more information on Reef Environmental Foundation: Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens Laddie Akins Reef Environmental Education Foundation Reef Environmental Education Foundation PO Box 246 Key Largo, FL 33037 PO Box 246 Key Largo, FL 33037 (305) 451-0312 (305) 451-0312 [email protected] [email protected] Web address: www.reef.org For more information on NOS Marine Sanctuaries Division: Dr. Steve Gittings NOAA Sanctuaries and Reserves Division N/ORM62, SSMC-4, 11645 1305 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301)713-3125 ext. 130 [email protected] Web address: www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov v ABSTRACT This study analyzed species richness, distribution, and sighting frequency of selected reef fishes to describe species assemblage composition, abundance, and spatial distribution patterns among sites and regions (Upper Keys, Middle Keys, Lower Keys, and Dry Tortugas) within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) barrier reef ecosystem. Data were obtained from the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) Fish Survey Project, a volunteer fish-monitoring program. A total of 4,324 visual fish surveys conducted at 112 sites throughout the FKNMS were used in these analyses. The data set contained sighting information on 341 fish species comprising 68 families. Species richness was generally highest in the Upper Keys sites (maximum was 220 species at Molasses Reef) and lowest in the Dry Tortugas sites. Encounter rates differed among regions, with the Dry Tortugas having the highest rate, potentially a result of differences in the evenness in fishes and the lower diversity of habitat types in the Dry Tortugas region. Geographic coverage maps were developed for 29 frequently observed species. Fourteen of these species showed significant regional variation in mean sighting frequency (%SF). Six species had significantly lower mean %SF and eight species had significantly higher mean %SF in the Dry Tortugas compared with other regions. Hierarchical clustering based on species composition (presence-absence) and species % SF revealed interesting patterns of similarities among sites that varied across spatial scales. Results presented here indicate that phenomena affecting reef fish composition in the FKNMS operate at multiple spatial scales, including a biogeographic scale that defines the character of the region as a whole, a reef scale (~50-100 km) that include meso-scale physical oceanographic processes and regional variation in reef structure and associated reef habitats, and a local scale that includes level of protection, cross-shelf location and a suite of physical characteristics of a given reef. It is likely that at both regional and local scales, species habitat requirements strongly influence the patterns revealed in this study, and are particularly limiting for species that are less frequently observed in the Dry Tortugas. The results of this report serve as a benchmark for the current status of the reef fishes in the FKNMS. In addition, these data provide the basis for analyses on reserve effects and the biogeographic coupling of benthic habitats and fish assemblages that are currently underway. Key Words: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, biogeography, distribution, reef fish, volunteer data, Reef Environmental Education Foundation vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract.................................................................................................................................. ii Table of Contents................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables......................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures........................................................................................................................ v Introduction........................................................................................................................... 1 Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 1 Project Overview................................................................................................................... 2 Methods................................................................................................................................. 3 Study Area: The Florida Keys................................................................................... 3 Field Data Collection................................................................................................. 3 Data Processing......................................................................................................... 3 Statistical Analysis and Development of Species Distribution Maps 4 Results................................................................................................................................... 5 Survey Effort............................................................................................................. 5 Patterns of Species Richness..................................................................................... 5 Regional Patterns in Species Distribution................................................................