Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Note: The data were entered in the language of the country of origin (English, French or Spanish) and there is no translation available yet.Chapter 3. SITE DESCRIPTION
Flora
Brief description of the main plant assemblages significant or particular in the area:
The Seagrasses and Mangroves of the Keys and surrounding region are highly productive and essential ecological habitats for numerous species that live in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) is the dominant submerged macrophyte in both areal extent and biomass. Manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) and shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) are found where conditions prevent dense turtle grass growth. Manatee grass is prevalent in deep channels on the outer fringes of Florida Bay, while shoal grass is common in shallow waters on banks or adjacent to mangrove islands.
Most islands are fringed by red mangroves, which form a narrow outer border of taller trees at the periphery and exhibit the characteristics of the fringe mangrove forest. A broader zone of black mangroves generally dominates inside the red mangrove fringe.
Numerous species of algae occur on the reefs of the Florida Keys including encrusting red algae of the genera Lithothamnium, Goniolithon, and Peyssonellia. Other plants present include Halimeda opuntia, Bryopsis pennata, Dictyota spp., Udotea conglutiata and Galazura obtusat.
List of plant species within the site that are in SPAW Annex I
List of species in SPAW annex I | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
List of plant species within the site that are in SPAW Annex III
List of species in SPAW annex III | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
Cymodoceaceae: Halodule wrightii | not given | |
Cymodoceaceae: Syringodium filiforme | not given | |
Hydrocharitaceae: Thalassia testudinum | not given |
List of plant species within the site that are in the IUCN Red List. UICN red list : http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/search You will specify the IUCN Status (CR:critically endangered; EN:endangered; VU:vulnerable).
List of species in IUCN red list that are present in your site | IUCN Status | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
Thalassia : testudinum | Unknown | not given | Turtle grass |
Syringodium : filiforme | Unknown | not given | Manatee grass |
Halodule : wrightii | Unknown | not given | Shoal Grass |
Goniolithon : alternans | Unknown | not given |
List of plant species within the site that are in the national list of protected species
List of species in the national list of protected species that are present in your site | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
Fauna
Brief descript° of the main fauna populations and/or those of particular importance present (resident or migratory) in the area:
The South Florida and Florida Keys region contains one of North America’s most diverse assemblages of terrestrial, estuarine, and marine fauna. The area has mangrove-fringed shorelines, mangrove islands, seagrass meadows, hardbottom habitats, thousands of patch reefs, and one of the world's largest coral reef tracts, which create one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth that houses thousands of animal species. Bisecting the region is the Florida Keys, which serve as a partial biogeographic barrier between the warm-temperate waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the tropical to subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This division has resulted in a marine ecosystem with fauna components that are found in both the warm-temperate and tropical Caribbean.
List of animal species within the site that are in SPAW Annex II
List of species in SPAW annex II | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
Gasteropods: Orthalicus reses reses | not given | Stock Island tree snail |
Reptiles: Crocodylus acutus | not given | American crocodile |
Reptiles: Eumeces egregius | not given | Florida Keys Mole skink |
Reptiles: Caretta caretta | not given | Atlantic loggerhead |
Reptiles: Chelonia mydas | not given | Atlantic green turtle |
Reptiles: Eretmochelys imbricata | not given | Hawksbill turtle |
Reptiles: Lepidochelys kempii | not given | Atlantic ridley turtle |
Reptiles: Dermochelys coriacea | not given | Leatherback turtle |
Birds: Mycteria americana | not given | Wood stork |
Birds: Haliaeetus leucocephalus | not given | Bald eagle |
Birds: Sterna antillarum antillarum | not given | Least tern |
Birds: Sterna dougallii dougallii | not given | Roseate tern |
Birds: Vermivora bachmanii | not given | Bachman's warbler |
Birds: Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis | not given | Cape Sable seaside sparrow |
Mammals: Balaenoptera physalus | not given | Fin whale |
Mammals: Balaenoptera borealis | not given | Sei whale |
Mammals: Megaptera novaeangliae | not given | Humpback whale |
Mammals: Eubalaena glacialis | not given | Right whale |
Mammals: Physeter macrocephalus | not given | Sperm whale |
Mammals: Trichechus manatus | not given | Florida manatee |
Mammals: Peromyscus gossypinus allopatica | not given | Key Largo cotton mouse |
List of animal species within the site that are in SPAW Annex III
List of species in SPAW annex III | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
List of animal species within the site that are in the IUCN Red List. IUCN Red List : http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/search You will specify the IUCN Status (CR:critically endangered; EN:endangered; VU:vulnerable).
List of species in IUCN red list that are present in your site | IUCN Status | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |
Crocodylus : acutus | VU - Vulnerable | not given | American Crocodile |
Chelonia : mydas | EN - Endangered | not given | Atlantic green turtle Green Turtle |
Eretmochelys : imbricta | CR - Critically endangered | not given | Hawksbill turtle |
Caretta: Caretta | CR - Critically endangered | not given | Atlantic loggerhead |
Lepidochelys: kempii | CR - Critically endangered | not given | Atlantic ridley turtle |
Dermochelys : coriacea | CR - Critically endangered | not given | Leatherback turtle |
Haliaeetus : leucocephalus | Unknown | not given | Bald Eagle |
Pelecanus : occidentalis | Unknown | not given | Brown pelican |
Ammodramus : maritimus mirabilis | Unknown | not given | Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow |
Sterna : antillarum | Unknown | not given | Least tern |
Egretta : caerulea | Unknown | not given | Little Blue Heron |
Egretta: tricolor | Unknown | not given | Tricolored Heron Louisiana Heron |
Pandion : haliaetus | Unknown | not given | Osprey |
Charadrius: melodus | Unknown | not given | Piping plover |
Sterna : dougallii | Unknown | not given | Roseate tern |
Mycteria : americana | Unknown | not given | Wood stork |
Balaenoptera : physalus | EN - Endangered | not given | Fin whale |
Megaptera : novaeangliae | Unknown | not given | Humpback Whale |
Eubalaena : glacialis | EN - Endangered | not given | North Atlantic Right Whale |
Balaenoptera : borealis | EN - Endangered | not given | Sei Whale |
Physeter : macrocephalus | VU - Vulnerable | not given | Sperm Whale |
Trichechus : manatus | VU - Vulnerable | not given | West Indian Manatee Florida Manatee |
Peromyscus : gossypinus allapaticola | Unknown | not given | Key Largo Cotton Mouse |
Odocoileus : virginianus clavium | Unknown | not given | White-tailed Deer Key Deer |
List of animal species within the site that are in the national list of protected species
List of species in the national list of protected species that are present in your site | Estimate of population size | Comments if any |