Florida Marine Research Institute

The checklists are a record of all species of mollusks, polychaetous annelids, malacostracan crustaceans, and echinoderms known to occur in Florida's estuarine and coastal marine waters offshore to depths of approximately 37 meters. Compilation of the version ended in November 1997.

The report summarizes an investigation into the causes and repercussions of an unprecedented die-back of seagrass in Florida Bay. Morphometric characteristics of the affected grass beds are presented. Unusual growth characteristics were observed in the affected areas. It is suggested that cytotoxic levels of sediment sulfides may have contributed to synergistic role. It was observed that Halodula may outstrip Thalassia in the recovery process. Labyrinthula, a lime mold, has been associated with the die back. A conceptual model suggests that environmental stress and the pathogenic slime mold acted together to cause mortality.

The goal of this study is to evaluate existing monitoring programs for marine turtles in the Tampa Bay National Estuary Program area, and to develop recommendations for future assessment of the status and distributioon of these animals. A byproduct of this work is the first synthesis of information about the occurrence of marine turtles in Tampa Bay.

This study, done by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Florida Marine Research Institute, under contract to the Southwest Florida Water Management District was intended to assess upstream movement of salt marshes over time as an indicator of long term salinity changes in the Myakka and Peace rivers. Determining this status helps to contribute to the proper management of the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system.

Tables of data reporting locations of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemps Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) nesting sites in Florida from 1993 through 2001. For each location cited, data is also provided indicating the beach length, year, number of days per week, survey start date, survey end date, first nest date, last nest date, number of non-nesting emergences, and the number of nests. The survey covers Bay, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Duvall, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, St. John's, St. Lucie, Volusia, And Walton counties.

This document reports the first effort to monitor the growth, reproductive development, and mortality of laboratory cultured scallops planted at various sites throughout Tampa Bay. It also reports the distribution and abundance of the natural scallop population on the bay.