Fishery Resource Habitat Use Modeling in Florida Bay: Development and Application to Everglades Restoration Implementation
Ault J, Smith S, Perry W. 2005. Fishery Resource Habitat Use Modeling in Florida Bay: Development and Application to Everglades Restoration Implementation. Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative. RES03-1. Everglades National Park/South Florida Natural Resources Center
Final Report. The estuarine waters along the south Florida coast provide important habitat for a suite of commercially and recreationally important species. The continued health and productivity of these areas depends upon seasonal infusions of freshwater flow from the mainland. Reengineering south Florida's current water control system to better mimic the natural quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of water remains a principal goal of Everglades restoration. This CESI-funded investigation developed a methodology to quantitatively assess the potential effects of proposed Everglades restoration projects on marine fishery resources in Florida Bay. Researchers developed a method for predicting fish habitat suitability, which allowed for the creation of species-specific habitat use maps. Insights gained from this study can be applied to assess a full suite of indicator species as restoration efforts move forward. Ault, Jerald S., Steven G. Smith, and William B. Perry. 2005. Fishery Resource Habitat Use Modeling Florida Bay: Development and Application to Everglades Restoration Implement (Phase 1). Final Report to the National Park Service (NPS) and Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative. NPS Cooperative Agreement with University of Miami. Everglades National Park, Homestead, Florida.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Ault, Jerald; Smith, Steven; Perry, William
- Date of Issue
- 2005-09
- Units
- EVER
- Keywords
- Assessment, CESI, Estuarine, everglades, Fish, Habitat Use, Modeling, Research, Restoration, Seagrass
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Estuarine Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Fishes