Coral reef ecosystem water temperature monitoring: Protocol narrative—version 1.2

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

doi:10.36967/2308365

The Coral Reef Ecosystem Water Temperature Monitoring protocol is a guide for the deployment, maintenance, and data management of South Florida/Caribbean Network temperature loggers. These loggers are deployed at long-term benthic monitoring sites and help interpret coral health at these locations. 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; 2) Determine the status and trends in water temperatures at reef depth; and 3) Assess any correlations of warm-water events and/or cold-water events with coral bleaching and/or disease outbreaks. Temperature loggers are located at reef depth at a position generally representative of the site. Most monitoring locations are between 3 and 20 meters (9.9–65.6 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 and United States Geological Survey have collected water temperature data around St. John and Virgin Islands National Park since 1990. This effort has expanded throughout the network, with 16 long-term in situ water temperature monitoring sites presently managed by the South Florida/Caribbean Network in Biscayne National Park (2), Buck Island Reef National Monument (3), Dry Tortugas National Park (3), Salt River National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (2), and Virgin Islands National Park (6). This document also details the management of water temperature data, which shifted from Microsoft Access to Aquarius, a web-based NPS repository for water quality 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.

Coral reef ecosystem water temperature monitoring: Protocol narrative—version 1.2

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