Calibration of the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) for Florida’s Coral Reef

During the last year, a coral reef Biological Condition Gradient (BCG), which was initially developed for the Caribbean coral reef ecosystem, has been applied to the near shore coral reefs within Florida jurisdictional waters (Florida’s Coral Reef), including sites in the Dry Tortugas, the Florida Keys, Biscayne National Park, and the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area. The BCG is a conceptual model that describes how biological attributes of aquatic ecosystems change along a gradient of increasing human disturbance. The predictive BCG model was accurate (93%) in replicating assessment decisions made by experts in the field. Florida’s Coral Reef BCG can be used to identify high quality reefs, evaluate Best Management Practices (BMP) effectiveness, support biological criteria development, and prioritize protection and restoration of coral reef ecosystems.