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NCCOS Sponsored Research Project: Understanding Coral Ecosystem Connectivity in the Gulf of Mexico from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys

Published by National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: August 02, 2026 at 05:13 PM | Dataset Last Updated: October 17, 2015 at 12:00 AM
This project investigated the role that the mesophotic coral ecosystems (~60–100 m) of Pulley Ridge (off the southwest coast of Florida) play in replenishing key species in the downstream reefs of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Because of the well-documented decline of Florida’s reefs, it is important to identify, protect, and manage sources of larval reef species that can help sustain Florida’s reef ecosystems and the tourism economy that depends on it. This interdisciplinary study focused on determining the connectivity of reef species living at Pulley Ridge, the deepest known photosynthetic coral reef off the continental U.S., to those in the Florida Keys, as well as describing the community structure and determining the economic value of Pulley Ridge’s communities. Focal species for connectivity studies were the red grouper (Epinephelus morio), the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus), the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), lettuce corals (Agaricia spp.), and the giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta). The study was advised by a Stakeholder Advisory Board, a collaboration of federal, state, and nongovernmental stakeholders to ensure the utility of outputs for resource managers.

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EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > AGRICULTURAL AQUATIC SCIENCES > FISHERIES EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES > CNIDARIANS > ANTHOZOANS/HEXACORALS > HARD OR STONY CORALS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES > SPONGES EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) > RED ALGAE EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS > SPECIES RECRUITMENT EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS > MIGRATORY RATES/ROUTES

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@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
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describedByType application/octet-steam
description This project investigated the role that the mesophotic coral ecosystems (~60–100 m) of Pulley Ridge (off the southwest coast of Florida) play in replenishing key species in the downstream reefs of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Because of the well-documented decline of Florida’s reefs, it is important to identify, protect, and manage sources of larval reef species that can help sustain Florida’s reef ecosystems and the tourism economy that depends on it. This interdisciplinary study focused on determining the connectivity of reef species living at Pulley Ridge, the deepest known photosynthetic coral reef off the continental U.S., to those in the Florida Keys, as well as describing the community structure and determining the economic value of Pulley Ridge’s communities. Focal species for connectivity studies were the red grouper (Epinephelus morio), the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus), the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), lettuce corals (Agaricia spp.), and the giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta). The study was advised by a Stakeholder Advisory Board, a collaboration of federal, state, and nongovernmental stakeholders to ensure the utility of outputs for resource managers.
distribution 
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    "title": "Oceanography: Drifters",
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    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Smith, R.H., V. Kourafalou, and A. Valle-Levinson. 2018. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Surface Drifting Buoy Position Data from 2012-08-08 to 2016-05-12 (NCEI Accession 0178107). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/fvpw-6337",
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    "title": "2013 Cruise Data",
    "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.7284/904845",
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    "description": "Cowen, R. 2015. Cruise WS1312 on RV F.G. Walton Smith, Population Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge-South Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem. Rolling Deck to Repository Program. Field Expedition Dataset. doi:10.7284/904845",
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    "description": "Hanisak, M.D. 2016. Cruise WS15234 on RV F.G. Walton Smith, Population Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge-South Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem. Rolling Deck to Repository Program. Field Expedition Dataset. doi:10.7284/906594",
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    "title": "Montastraea cavernosa genomics (Transcriptomic data)",
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    "description": "Smith, R.H., V. Kourafalou, and A. Valle-Levinson. 2019. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Conductivity-Temperature-Depth Cast Data from 2013-08-20 to 2014-08-24 (NCEI Accession 0190533). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/ha6m-s136",
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    "description": "Goldstein, E.D., E.K. D’Alessandro, and S. Sponaugle. 2019. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) Population Demographic Data from 2012-07-15 to 2015-06-21 (NCEI Accession 0178639). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/kcqd-p997",
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    "title": "Modeling: Temperature Data",
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    "description": "Goldstein, E.D., E.K. D’Alessandro, and S. Sponaugle. 2019. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Temperature Time Series Data from 2012-07-20 to 2014-08-13 (NCEI Accession 0190271). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/hhjr-bm33",
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    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Smith, R.H., V. Kourafalou, and A. Valle-Levinson. 2019. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Time-Series Data from 2012-08-15 to 2015-06-24 (NCEI Accession 0181331). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/anqp-1b45",
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    "title": "Montastraea cavernosa genomics (Microsatellite data)",
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    "description": "Studivan, M.S., and J.D. Voss. 2019. Data from: Population connectivity among shallow and mesophotic Montastraea cavernosa corals in the Gulf of Mexico identifies potential for refugia. Dryad Digital Repository. Dataset. doi:10.5061/dryad.tj146fn",
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    "title": "Modeling: 3D Connectivity Data",
    "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.25921/9gc5-x022",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Vaz, A.C., and C.B. Paris. 2019. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Modeled 3D Connectivity Matrices from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys for Coral and Fish Species (NCEI Accession 0191355). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/9gc5-x022",
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    "description": "Kourafalou, V. and H. Kang. 2019. Coral Ecosystem Connectivity from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: Simulated Current Velocity and Temperature from Hydrodynamic Modeling (NCEI Accession 0178799). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.25921/hskq-8j11",
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identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/nos/nccos/iso/xml/51962.xml
issued 2012-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
[
  "EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > AGRICULTURAL AQUATIC SCIENCES > FISHERIES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES > CNIDARIANS > ANTHOZOANS/HEXACORALS > HARD OR STONY CORALS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES > SPONGES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS)",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) > RED ALGAE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS > SPECIES RECRUITMENT",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS > MIGRATORY RATES/ROUTES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS > SPECIES LIFE HISTORY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > HUMAN DIMENSIONS > SOCIOECONOMICS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CIRCULATION > OCEAN CURRENTS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN TEMPERATURE > WATER TEMPERATURE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > SALINITY/DENSITY > SALINITY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > MODELS > DYNAMIC VEGETATION/ECOSYSTEM MODELS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > MODELS > OCEAN GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS (OGCM)/REGIONAL OCEAN MODELS",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > FLORIDA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > FLORIDA > FLORIDA KEYS",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA",
  "DHHS/NIH/NLM/NCBI/GB > GenBank Genetic Sequence Database, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services",
  "DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "DOC/NOAA/OAR/OER > Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "U-MIAMI/RSMAS > Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami",
  "NCCOS Research Data Type > Derived Data Product",
  "NCCOS Research Data Type > Field Observation",
  "NCCOS Research Data Type > Model",
  "NCCOS Research Data Type > Video",
  "NCCOS Research Priority > Marine Spatial Ecology",
  "NCCOS Research Topic > Regional Ecosystem Science",
  "NCCOS Research Location > Region > Atlantic Ocean",
  "NCCOS Research Location > Region > Gulf of Mexico",
  "NCCOS Research Location > U.S. States and Territories > Florida",
  "M/V Spree",
  "R/V F.G. Walton Smith",
  "Dry Tortugas",
  "Florida Keys",
  "Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary",
  "Pulley Ridge",
  "In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Current/Wind Meters >  >  > DRIFTING BUOYS >",
  "In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Photon/Optical Detectors > Cameras >  > CAMERA >",
  "In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Profilers/Sounders >  >  > CTD > Conductivity, Temperature, Depth",
  "In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Profilers/Sounders > Acoustic Sounders >  > ADCP > Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler",
  "In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Samplers > Grabbers/Traps/Collectors >  > TRAPS",
  "In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Samplers > Trawls/Nets >  > MOCNESS > MOCNESS Plankton Net",
  "In Situ Ocean-based Platforms >  > ROV > Remotely Operated Vehicles",
  "In Situ Ocean-based Platforms > SHIPS >  >",
  "Bio-physical Modeling",
  "Bioeconomics",
  "Community Structure",
  "Coral",
  "Habitat Characterization",
  "Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems",
  "Physical Oceanography",
  "Population Connectivity",
  "Population Dynamics",
  "Population Genetics",
  "Gulf of Mexico",
  "DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP)"
]
landingPage https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/51962
language 
[]
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2015-10-17T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
{
  "name": "National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
rights otherRestrictions, unclassified
spatial -79.0,23.0,-85.0,28.0
temporal 2011-09-01T00:00:00+00:00/2018-02-01T00:00:00+00:00
theme 
[
  "geospatial"
]
title NCCOS Sponsored Research Project: Understanding Coral Ecosystem Connectivity in the Gulf of Mexico from Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys

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