1908 - 1994 
Swart, P. K., P. Kramer, J. J. Leder, R. B. Halley, and J. H. Hudson (1994) A 120 year 
record of natural and anthropogenic variations in Florida Bay based on oxygen and carbon 
isotopic variations in a coral Solenastrea bournoni. Bull. Mar. ScL 54(3): 1085. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY.] The unusual occurrence of a specimen of Solenastrea bournoni 
within Lignumvitae basin in Florida Bay has allowed us to use stable O and C isotopes to 
investigate the effect of anthropogenic activities and natural phenomena (hurricanes) 
upon the water circulation in the area. This coral shows a marked increase in the 6 ie O 
and a decrease in the 8 13 C around 1908 - 1910 coincident with the infilling of passages 
between adjacent keys during the construction of the railway from Miami to Key West. 
The addition of fill between the Keys allowed increased evaporation (higher 5 ie O) and 
limited the exchange of 5 13 C depleted waters with the Florida Reef tract. Since 1910, 
major hurricanes have had the effect of breaking down this isolation and causing the 
basin to return temporarily to more marine conditions producing an enrichment of 5 13 C 
and a depletion in 5 18 0. From 1946 to 1964, the carbon isotopic composition of the 
coral became increasingly negative reflecting the lack of hurricanes during this period. 
After three hurricanes in 1964, 1965 and 1966, during which the 5 13 C became 
heavier, this trend continued to the present day. The increase is not seen in the 5 18 0 as 
the water in the Bay is already at equilibrium with the atmosphere and increasing 
evaporation does not act to increase the isotopic composition of the water. Although 
there are only limited salinity measurements available for the Bay over this period, 
those that do not exist appear to correlate extremely well with the oxygen isotopic 
record and support our interpretation that the 5 ie O of the coral records previous 
salinity levels in Florida Bay. [NOTE: Data prior to 1908 not discussed in abstract.] 
1910 - 1986 
Hudson, J. H., G. V. N. Powell, M. E. Robblee, and T. J. Smith (1989) A 107-year-old coral 
from Florida Bay: barometer of natural and man-induced catastrophes? Symp. on Florida 
Bay: A Subtropical Lagoon. Miami, FL. June, 1987. Bull. Mar. Sci. . 44(1 ):283-91. 
The 107-yr growth history of a massive coral Solenastrea bournoni from Lignumvitae 
Basin was reconstructed with x-ray imagery from a single 4-in diameter (10 cm) core 
that penetrated the exact epicenter of the 95.3-cm high colony. The growth record core 
was collected in October 1986, and another 'proof' core was drilled 1 yr later to 
verify annual density banding in this species. Growth increments totaled 952.9 mm, 
averaging 8.9 mm yr' 1 over the life of the coral. To our knowledge, this is the first 
time that growth rate of S. bournoni has been determined. Growth rate trends in the 
Florida Bay coral were compared to those in a Montastraea annularis of similar age 
from Hen and Chickens, a nearby patch reef on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Florida 
Keys. Both corals were rated as potential indicators of natural and man-induced 
perturbations by comparing their growth rates in years of severe environmental stress 
to each coral's long-term growth rate average. It was concluded that growth rate, at 
least in these specimens, is a questionable indicator of past hurricanes and freezes. 
There does appear to be, however, a possible cause-and-effect relationship between 
major man-induced environmental perturbations and a prolonged reduction in growth 
rate in each coral's growth record. 
1912 - 1988 
Wanless, H. R., R. W. Parkinson, and L. P. Tedesco (1994) Sea level control on stability of 
Everglades wetlands. Everglades: The Ecosystem and Its Restoration . S. M. Davis and J. C. 
Ogden (eds.) St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, FL. 199-223. 
The expansive coastal wetlands and freshwater marsh of south Florida are a result of 
the very slow relative rise of sea level during the past 3200 yrs (average rate of 4 cm 
1 1 9 
