HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Copyright Statement
All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.
Defense Date
4-2004
Document Type
Thesis - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
M.S. Marine Biology
Second Degree Name
M.S. Marine Environmental Sciences
Department
Oceanographic Center
First Advisor
Charles G. Messing
Second Advisor
Richard E. Dodge
Third Advisor
Stephen M. Blair
Abstract
In 1988, offshore dredging for a beach renourishment project in Miami-Dade County, Florida caused extensive damage to the second reef tract off of Sunny Isles Beach. In an effort to restore and mitigate for the damage to the reef, the Sunny Isles Reef Restoration Project (SIRR) began in August of 1991. Three different types of artificial reef modules—Dome modules (D), CSA2 Module Designs (M), and Reef Replacement modules (R)—were placed on the edge of second reef where the damaged occurred. The colonization development of the benthic assemblages on the modules was monitored for the initial four years following deployment by G.M. Selby and Associates. This study sought to examine the same modules previously studied in order to determine the changes in species diversity and density as well as the level of similarity among the different module types and between the modules and the surrounding natural reef. Over time the diversity and density of benthic organisms has increased on the modules. The similarity among the modules has increased as well since the original monitoring. All three modules types share some similarities with the surrounding reef with the D and R modules being the most similar. Determining whether the similarity between the benthos on the modules and natural reef has leveled off or if an increased level of similarity is still attainable requires future research and monitoring efforts.
NSUWorks Citation
Sara Matthews Thanner. 2004. Comparison of the Benthic Assemblages on Three Types of Artificial Reef Modules Deployed in August of 1991. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Oceanographic Center. (104)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/104.
Comments
Funding provided by Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Marine Fisheries Management’s Artificial Reef Assistance Program and the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM).