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The sea urchin embryo development toxicity test was used to investigate toxicity of the benthic substrate in Biscayne National Park (BISC). Twenty-five sites were selected based upon a high potential for anthropogenic stressor input (e. g., hydrocarbons, personal care products, nutrients, etc.) or proximity to coral reef habitats. We found that sediment interstitial water (porewater) was toxic to urchin embryos at 22 of 25 sites. Healthy sites included two coral reefs (Anniversary Reef and Marker 14 Reef) and Turkey Point Channel. Discrete areas of BISC have highly toxic sediments and the presence of sediment contaminants could negatively impact reproduction, growth and population density of benthic invertebrates, such as corals. Results of the sea urchin embryo development toxicity test can be used as a baseline assessment for monitoring improvements or degradation in ecosystem health and could be a valuable tool to investigate the suitability of degraded habitats for future reef restoration. Since the last comprehensive environmental assessment of BISC was performed in 1999, further investigation into the sources of toxicity at BISC is needed.

Ocean warming is increasing the incidence, scale, and severity of global-scale coral bleaching and mortality, culminating in the third global coral bleaching event that occurred during record marine heatwaves of 2014-2017. While local effects of these events have been widely reported, the global implications remain unknown. Analysis of 15,066 reef surveys during 2014-2017 revealed that 80% of surveyed reefs experienced significant coral bleaching and 35% experienced significant coral mortality. The global extent of significant coral bleaching and mortality was assessed by extrapolating results from reef surveys using comprehensive remote-sensing data of regional heat stress. This model predicted that 51% of the world’s coral reefs suffered significant bleaching and 15% significant mortality, surpassing damage from any prior global bleaching event. These observations demonstrate that global warming’s widespread damage to coral reefs is accelerating and underscores the threat anthropogenic climate change poses for the irreversible transformation of these essential ecosystems.

Designing effective local management for invasive species poses a major challenge for conservation, yet factors affecting intervention success and efficiency are rarely evaluated and incorporated into practice. We coordinated regional efforts by divers to cull invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.) on 33 U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean protected coral reefs from 2013 to 2019 and estimated removal efficiency and efficacy as a function of environmental and habitat conditions, invasion status, and personnel expertise. Highly experienced individuals culling during crepuscular periods (

Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) are venomous marine fishes in the family Scorpaenidae that invaded the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and western North Atlantic Ocean beginning in the mid-1980s. Lionfish are generalist, opportunistic predators that consume a variety of invertebrates and small reef fishes, such that the presence of Lionfish can significantly reduce reef fish abundance, diversity, and recruitment on invaded reefs. This study focused on the feeding ecology of Lionfish in Biscayne National Park (BNP), located in southeast Florida, USA. BNP consists of multiple marine habitats, including mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and limestone keys that support a diverse array of species resulting in multi-million dollar fishing and tourism industries. These habitats within BNP are at risk from the predatory impacts of invasive Lionfish. Through morphological prey identification of stomach contents, supplemented with DNA barcoding for identification of highly-digested prey items, Lionfish diet was analyzed and compared among fish sizes (immature, transitional and mature), BNP region (bay, shelf, and edge), and seasons (wet and dry). A total of 513 stomachs, containing more than 2600 prey items, were examined. We report that Lionfish in BNP fed predominantly on small reef fishes and small crustaceans, with a dietary shift from crustaceans to fishes occurring with increasing Lionfish size. Diets differed among BNP regions for medium-sized (100–179 mm) transitional Lionfish but not for large-sized (≥ 180 mm) mature individuals. Furthermore, dietary differences between seasons were observed in mature Lionfish, but no seasonal differences were detected for smaller Lionfish (i.e., immature and transitional Lionfish). Based on the diet habits observed, Lionfish in BNP could have significant ecological and economic consequences for BNP and south Florida coastal habitats.