LONG-TERM MONITORING &CITIZEN SCIENCE

Janet J. Phipps, PhDPalm Beach County Reef Research Team

(PBC Dept Env Res Mgmt - RETIRED!)

Christmas Bird CountThe nation’s longest-running citizen science

bird project – 115 years and counting…

1991 to present

PALM BEACH COUNTY REEF RESEARCH TEAM, INC.

Photo by Lin Creel

VOLUNTEER MONITORING:

CONSULTANT

COST/YEAR

YEAR TOTAL COSTS

CHARTER DIVE

BOAT COSTS TOTAL COSTS

2004-2006 $21,150 $18,250 $610,300

2006-2008 $13,408 $10,928 $377,844

2008-2010 $19,808 $17,328 $264,092

2011-2013 $21,432 $19,650

2013-2015 $22,318 $18,543

AVERAGE/YR: $9,812 $8,470 (86%) $208,706

COST COMPARISONS:

Photo by Tim Fernan

Photo by Linton Creel

SHIP ONLY DEPLOY

DATE

MONITORING EVENTS AVE. NO. SPP AVE. NO.

FAMILIES

United Caribbean 2000 N=5: 2003 - 2010 46 (R=38-54) 18 (R=18-20)

Becks 1996 N=6: 2003 - 2013 50 (R=42-66) 19 (R=16-22)

Average: 48 19

ENHANCED REEF

Sea Emperor 1991 N=11: 2003 - 2015 48 (R=39-56) 20 (R=15-24)

Cross Current Reef 1998 N=9: 2002 - 2015 58 (R=33-70) 20 (R=14-24)

Average: 53 20

Photo by Keith Mille

GOVERNOR’S RIVER WALK REEF

Governor’s River Walk Reef

SHIPS ONLY DEPLOY

DATE

MONITORING

DATES

TOTAL NO.

SPP

TOTAL NO.

FAMILIES

Governor’s 2002 2/8/03 40 17

7/26/03 54 17

2/14/04 52 18

7/24/04 43 17

5/21/05 43 16

Average: (2003-2005) 46 17

SHIPS W/

CORRIDORS

DEPLOY

DATE

MONITORING

DATES

TOTAL NO.

SPP

TOTAL NO.

FAMILIES

Governor’s 2005/2006 2/4 & 9/9/2006* 62 18

4/4 & 8/25/2007* 66 18

4/12/2008* 82 24

4/18 & 7/25/2009* 68 22

4/28/2012* 73 22

Average: *data pooled

(2006-2012)

70 21

GOVERNOR’S RIVER WALK REEF:

Limerock boulders in 2006

Photo by Keith Mille, FWC

Limerock boulders 5 years

after deployment

Photo by Shannon Rountree

TOTAL NUMBERS of INDIVIDUALS

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

2 /

8 /

20

03

7 /

26

/20

03

2/1

4/2

00

4

7 /

24

/20

04

5 /

21

/20

05

2 /

4 /

20

06

9 /

9 /

20

06

4/4

/20

07

8 /

25

/20

07

4 /

12

/20

08

4/1

8/2

00

9

7/2

5/2

00

9

7/3

0/2

01

1

4/2

8/2

01

2

Nu

mb

er

of

Snap

pe

rs

SHIPS ONLY -|- SHIPS WITH CORRIDORS

SNAPPERS

SNAPPERS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

NU

MB

ER O

F D

AM

SELF

ISH

SHIPS ONLY -|- SHIPS WITH CORRIDORS

DAMSELFISH

DAMSELFISH

0

10

20

30

40

50

601

99

9

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

Numbers of Goliath Groupers by Year

SHIPS

L/C

Ships: ships and ships with concrete/limerock

L/C: Limerock and/or Concrete reefs only

RRT MEMBERS

AT WORK

QUESTIONS?

Visit Our Website:

www.pbcreefteam.com