Pulley Ridge is a reef off the coast of southwestern Florida, about 100 miles west of
the Tortugas Ecological Reserve and stretching north about 60 miles.
The ridge has a depth range from 60-80 meters (200-260 feet).
Pulley Ridge is an interesting place and ecologically and economically important.
It is home to groupers and snappers,
important species in commercial and recreational fisheries.
With the well-documented decline of Florida’s reefs, places like Pulley Ridge may serve
as sources of larvae that can help sustain the Florida Keys’ reef ecosystem
and the tourism economy that is dependent on it.
Our Coral Ecosystem Connectivity 2013 cruise is part of a large collaborative research
project involving 30 Principal Investigators from 10 different institutions.
This project brings together several disciplines to conduct studies on the physical
characteristics of the region, the biology and ecology of the resident species, and the
valuation of ecosystem services that Pulley Ridge provides.
Ultimately we are addressing the question on what role the reefs
of Pulley Ridge may play in replenishment of key fish species, corals,
and other organisms in the downstream reefs of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas.
Our 2013 continues work began on a cruise in 2012.
We will use an array of tools, including ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), technical
diving, fish traps, and larval light traps to survey and sample the reefs
of Pulley Ridge and the Tortugas Ecological Reserve.
These data and others that we have or will collect will be used in advanced
modeling and visualization tools to investigate the role such reefs may play
in the replenishment of downstream and adjacent shallow coral ecosystems.
Our intent is to create a comprehensive understanding that can support a variety of
decision support tools, including scenario-building options,
to facilitate comprehensive resource planning in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
With this type of information, resource managers will be able
to develop more effective strategies to protect these and other reefs.