The decline of coral reefs in the Florida Keys, USA: the nexus of hypersalinity, eutrophication, political science and marine science

During the past century the development of intensive large-scale agriculture. cattle ranching, phosphate mining, urbanization, and tourism in south Florida were catalysed by drainage of the Everglades and subsequent management of water levels by a vast network of canals and flood control structures designed by the U. S. Army Corps. of Engineers. In the late 1970's scientists first noted the decline of downstream coral reefs concurrent with the first reports of algal blooms in western Florida Bay. By 1987, some 100,000 acres of turtle grass died-off in Florida Bay and by 1991 the downstream reefs of the lower Keys had experienced up to 44% loss of coral cover. Some scientists and resource managers hypothesized that the trend away from seagrass and coral cover was caused by high salinities in Florida Bay, presumably a result of diverted freshwater flows from the Everglades due to drainage.