Investigator: Mike Robblee Scope of Work

Summary

This project will quantify change and trends in the nearshore epibenthic fish and invertebrate (caridean and penaeid shrimp, crabs) communities in Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay including Card and Barnes Sounds, and the southwest mangrove coast including Whitewater Bay.

This project has two components: (a) monitoring epibenthic densities periodically and (b) special-focus studies to adjust the sampling design to the distribution characteristics of the sampling environment. The initial sampling design and throw-trap sampling protocols are based on sampling experiences in the dense grass beds in Johnson Key Basin (JKB), western Florida Bay. Recent experience in Biscayne Bay indicates that distributional characteristics of habitat and fauna are sufficiently different than the JKB sampling design and needs adjustment. The limited experience with the throw-trap in southwest coast estuaries indicates that adjustments to the JKB sampling design also will be needed there. The purpose of the special focused study is to make these improvements.

Scope of Work

• 2003