Southeast Florida reef-wide Post-Irma coral disease surveys

The purpose of this project is to lead the coordination, implementation, data analysis, and reporting relevant to a field survey effort to identify the current state of the coral reefs in southeast Florida and coordinate with other concomitant reef tract efforts. This information will improve understanding of the current spatial extent of the disease outbreak, prevalence, species affected, and the gradient of impact. It will also identify reef injury and areas to direct future restoration. The outcomes of this project will contribute to an ongoing coral disease response effort which seeks to improve understanding about the scale and severity of the Florida Reef Tract coral disease outbreak, identify primary and secondary causes, identify management actions to remediate disease impacts, restore affected resources and, ultimately, prevent future outbreaks. They will also contribute to the present reef-wide assessment on Hurricane Irma impacts.