Florida Reef Coral Damage Assessment After Hurricane Irma 2017

October 9-18, 2017 surveys document the impact of Hurricane Irma on the Florida Reef Tract. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers collected coral demographic data and roving diver observations across 57 sites from Biscayne Bay to the Marquesas. The dataset includes detailed belt transect records and broad-scale photographic documentation of damage and disease.

Use Cases

• Analyzing coral condition and mortality rates using demographic data from 1x10m belt transects.
• Mapping the spatial distribution and severity of hurricane damage types from roving diver surveys.
• Investigating correlations between storm impact and coral disease occurrence across surveyed sites.
• Assessing reef health within protected areas like Biscayne National Park and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Strengths

• Covers 57 distinct geographic sites, providing broad spatial coverage of the affected reef tract.
• Combines two complementary survey methodologies: detailed belt transects and broad-scale roving assessments.
• Data collection was focused on a specific 10-day period immediately following a major hurricane event.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided by any source, limiting technical assessment.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2017-10-18 vs. 2026-03 05), casting doubt on metadata maintenance.
• License information is absent from all source descriptions, restricting clarity on reuse permissions.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Field observation via two benthic survey types: Roving diver surveys and Detailed Disturbance Response Monitoring (DRM) 1x10 m belt transects.

Time Range

2017-10-09 to 2017-10-18

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:52:14.255661

Geography

Florida Reef Tract, from Biscayne Bay to the Marquesas, including Biscayne National Park and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.