Coral reef ecosystem water temperature monitoring: Protocol narrative—version 1.1

Davis, Andy; Atkinson, Andrea; Feeley, Michael; Miller, Jeff; Patterson, Judd; Richther, Lee; Rogers, Caroline; Waara, Robert; Whelan, Kevin; Londoño, Mario

doi:10.36967/nrr-2286599

The Coral Reef Ecosystem Water Temperature Monitoring Protocol is a guide for the deployment, maintenance, and data management of South Florida/Caribbean Network (SFCN) temperature loggers. These loggers are currently deployed as part of a long-term coral reef monitoring program. The three primary objectives for this monitoring protocol include: 1. Determine occurrence and duration of warm and cold water events that exceed thresholds known to cause stress (e.g., coral bleaching) to coral species for the purpose of interpreting trends in coral community metrics at sites established at Biscayne National Park (BISC), Buck Island Reef National Monument (BUIS), Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), Salt River National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve (SARI) and Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS). 2. Determine the status and trends in water temperatures at reef depth at coral monitoring sites established in Biscayne National Park, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Dry Tortugas National Park, Salt River National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve, and Virgin Islands National Park. 3. Assess any correlations of warm water events and/or cold water events with coral bleaching and/or disease outbreaks at sites established at Biscayne National Park, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Dry Tortugas National Park, Salt River National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve, and Virgin Islands National Park. Temperature loggers are located at reef depth at a position generally representative of the site, typically at a centrally located coral reef monitoring transect pin. The exception to this logger placement is Salt River NHP&EP which has the greatest range of depths of any of the sites. In this case two locations were selected, one at a deep location and the second at a shallower location to better capture potential temperature differences. Most monitoring locations are between 2–20 meters (6.6–65.6 feet [ft]) depth but can reach 30-plus meters (98.4-plus ft) deep. Duplicate loggers are attached at the same point. Water temperature has been historically collected as a basic parameter of water quality monitoring efforts at coral reef sites throughout the world. There are numerous references in scientific literature suggesting a link between water temperature anomalies and coral colony survivorship. Coral bleaching occurs when the coral host loses zooxanthellae from its tissue due to physiological stress, most often associated with high water temperatures and/or high incidence of solar radiation. Additionally, unusually cold water temperatures have been found to affect the survivorship of corals and other reef dwelling organisms. The National Park Service (NPS) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) have collected water temperature data around St. John and VIIS since 1990. This effort has expanded throughout the network, with 22 long-term in situ water temperature monitoring sites presently managed by the South Florida/Caribbean Network in Biscayne NP, Buck Island Reef NM, Dry Tortugas NP, Salt River NHP&EP, and Virgin Islands NP. In 2017, the initial Microsoft Access database developed for this protocol was retired in favor of Aquarius, the web-based NPS repository for continuous water data. Data collected under this protocol will also be useful to NPS efforts outside the network such as the Climate Change Response Program’s work to develop climate change strategies. This data also complements in situ seawater temperature data information collected by several partners throughout the Florida reef tract.

Coral reef ecosystem water temperature monitoring: Protocol narrative—version 1.1

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