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Manatees - Sirenia Project
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species
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FISC - Biology
Research and monitoring to meet the needs of managing the resources of the southeastern region.FISC biological science capabilities include applying Adaptive Management research and tools to resource management decisions that involve high levels of uncertainty. This work is done in cooperation with federal and community partners to address societal needs. Biologists at FISC are also involved in gathering long term data sets to examine changes in populations and habitats over time. A well known data set is the Manatee Photo Identification Database. Manatees are just one example of key indicators species that are part of long term ecosystem studies. American alligators are another example of an indicator species that provides scientists and resource managers with insight into ecosystem health based on the population health of alligators in their natural environment. One of Florida's, and the nation's most critical environmental threats is the increased numbers and populations of invasive species. Across the nation invasive species are impacting rivers, wetlands and lakes. The FISC NAS program maintains up to date information on invasive and exotic species across the country providing species alerts, fact sheets and maps to track and predict the spread of invasives. USGS Florida Science HighlightsCharacterization of Northern Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Hard Bottom Communities with Emphasis on Lophelia Coral - Lophelia Reef Megafaunal Community Structure, Biotopes, Genetics, Microbial Ecology, and Geology (2004-2006)
There is a rapidly growing social, political, and scientific awareness of the destruction of sensitive deep coral reefs, and the potential loss of unexplored biodiversity by human activities including bottom trawling, anchoring, cable-laying, ocean dumping, pollution, and offshore oil and gas development. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) exercises an ecological stewardship role for sensitive hydrocarbon seep, hard-bottom and reef habitats relative to hydrocarbon exploration and development activities.
Trophic coupling and habitat connectivity among coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass fishes and benthic invertebrate communities of the Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) and Coral Reef National Monument (VICR)
Marine reserves were developed to combat the decline of marine fisheries resources and biodiversity by protecting integral components of entire reef communities and interdependent habitats and species (e.g. coral reefs and seagrasses). The function of reserves is to control the "top-down" impact of human predation through "no-take" enforcement strategies, but often other factors, including habitat connectivity, stability, and food availability affect the abundance, distribution, and diversity of marine organisms.
Of Current InterestRealtime Nonindigenous Species Data Displayed with Google Map
To see the distribution maps in action for six invasive species, go to: Recent Publications
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Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 09-Sep-2008 10:01:20 EDT
