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NOAA Coral Reef Watch Larval Connectivity, Florida Reef Tract

Published by NOAA Coral Reef Watch program | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: January 27, 2026 | Last Modified: 2017-06-09T00:00:00.000+00:00
Climate change threatens even the best-protected and most remote reefs. Reef recovery following catastrophic disturbance usually requires disturbed sites be reseeded from upstream reefs. Recent research (McClanahan et al., 2012) assessed connectivity as an important resilience factor, which although difficult to measure, is a high priority for management of coral reef ecosystems. The products discussed herein identify reefs that act as “sources” and/or “sinks” along the Florida Reef Tract to inform reef management strategies. Tools developed provide information on connectivity among reefs, thereby advancing the capacity for reef connectivity assessment.

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