Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment of seagrass and coral reef communities in the Lower Florida Keys: discrimination of local versus regional nitrogen sources

Land-based nutrient pollution represents a significant human threat to coral reefs globally. We examined this phenomenon in shallow seagrass and coral reef communities between the Content Keys (southern Florida Bay) and Looe Key (south of Big Pine Key) in the Lower Florida Keys by quantifying the role of physical forcing (rainfall, wind, tides) and water management on mainland South Florida to nutrient enrichment and blooms of phytoplankton, macroalgae, and seagrass epiphytes. Initial studies (Phase I) in 1996 involved daily water quality sampling (prior to, during, and following physical forcing events) at three stations.

This is the author’s version of a work accepted for publication by Elsevier. Changes resulting from the publishing process, including peer review, editing,corrections, structural formatting and other quality control mechanisms, may not be reflectedin this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted forpublication. The definitive version has been published at www.elsevier.com/locate/jembeand may be cited as Lapointe, Brian E., Peter J. Barile, William R. Matzie (2004)Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment of seagrass and coral reef communities in the LowerFlorida Keys: discrimination of local versus regional nitrogen sources, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 308(1):23–58 doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2004.01.019

Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #1554.