Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2009) |
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary | |
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Location | Florida Keys, U.S. |
Coordinates | 24°41′N 81°14′W / 24.68°N 81.24°W |
Area | 2,900 square nautical miles (9,900 km2; 3,800 sq mi) |
Established | 1990 |
Governing body | NOAA National Ocean Service |
floridakeys |
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a
The mission of the sanctuary is to protect the marine resources of the Florida Keys while facilitating human uses that are consistent with the primary objective of resource protection. Sanctuary waters and habitats support high species diversity due to the presence of both tropical and subtropical species, including the largest documented contiguous seagrass community in the northern hemisphere and extensive coral reef habitat. The sanctuary is also home to maritime heritage resources that encompass a broad historical period.
Human impact
Population and urban development
Population growth and urban development may impact the health of coral reefs. Development activities may cause erosion resulting in the runoff of sediments which eventually reach the coral reefs. Storm water runoff may carry fertilizers into the ocean causing damage to the coral reefs, and an increase of nutrient concentrations in the reef may cause an increase of algae which may smother the corals. Sizable foreign objects such as sunken boats and planes provide rich micro-sanctuaries for a plethora of sea life that otherwise would not exist.
Fishing activities
The harvest of resources from the sea is ever growing. Overfishing has changed the ecological dynamics of marine communities allowing some organisms to dominate reefs that were once controlled by large reef fish populations.
Tourism
Tourism dollars help to fund scientific research and environmental remediation activities. Tourism may contribute to reef damage. Divers and snorkelers may harm the corals by touching the polyps, and boats may damage it by running aground and dragging anchors.
Coral bleaching
Invasive animal species
Lionfish
One of the Florida Keys' most ecologically damaging invasive species is the
Invasive exotic plants
There are various introduced plants within the Florida Keys. Many of these plants outcompete the original plants of the Keys, such as mangroves and seagrass. The animals who rely on native plants for food and habitat are also at risk by invasive plants. There are four main exotic plant species that have become so invasive in the Florida Keys that they threaten and endanger 42 native plant species and 27 animal species to the point of extinction.
Australian pine
The Australian pine is a nonnative species that poses risks to the original flora and fauna of the Florida Keys. The Australian pine "outcompetes native vegetation by producing a dense
Brazilian pepper
The
Reefs
Notable reefs in the sanctuary include the following:
- Sand Key
- Rock Key
- Eastern Dry Rocks
- Western Sambo
- Eastern Sambo
- 9-foot Stake
- Marker 32
- Looe Key
- Newfound Harbor Key
- Sombrero Key
- Coffins Patch
- Tennessee Reef
- Alligator Reef
- Cheeca Rocks
- Hen and Chickens
- Davis Reef
- Conch Reef
- Snapper Ledge
- Pickles Reef
- Molasses Reef
- French Reef
- Crocker Reef
- Grecian Rocks
- Dry Rocks
- The Elbow
- Carysfort Reef
- Turtle Reef
- Pacific Reef
- Ajax Reef
Notes
- ^ Diersing, Nancy (May 2009). "Coral Reef Evaluation & Monitoring" (PDF). PDF. NOAA. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^ Coral Bleaching Early Warning Network: Current Conditions Report. Data.gov
- ^ "NOAA: Hot seas likely to increase coral bleaching in Keys". flkeysnews. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ a b OLSEN, ERIK. "Florida Keys Declare Open Season on the Invasive Lionfish". New York Times.
- ^ "Lionfish Invasion".
- ^ Bleier, Evan. "Lionfish invasion is threatening the Atlantic Ocean".
- ^ Marshall, Diane. "Bad Plants in the Keys".
- ^ a b "Australian Pine: Casuarina species".
- ^ a b "Brazilian pepper-tree". Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2014-02-21.