1978 - 1980 
Davis, G. E., and J. W. Dodrill (1989) Recreational fishery and population dynamics of spiny 
lobsters, Panulirus argus, in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park, 1977-1980. Symp. on 
Florida Bay: A Subtropical Lagoon. Miami, FL. June, 1987. Bull. Mar. ScL 44(1):78-88. 
Florida spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, are found in the southern two-thirds of Florida 
Bay. Field studies of 3,570 tagged lobsters revealed that they pass through Florida 
Bay, using it for less than three years as juveniles, between their planktonic larval 
stages in the open ocean and adulthood on coral reefs. The field studies took place in 
1978 through 1979. Lobsters from the Bay supported commercial and recreational 
fisheries outside of Everglades National Park from Dry Tortugas to Pacific Reef near 
Miami. Growth rates of juvenile lobsters in Florida Bay were found to be the highest on 
record, which may reflect optimum habitat with abundant food and shelter. Reportedly, 
the average-sized lobster taken by commercial bully netters in the Bay prior to 1965 
was 90-95 mm carapace length. The Everglades National Park recreational harvest in 
1978 - 1979 was about 20,000 lobsters with a mean size of 83 mm CL., and about 
44,000 lobsters (x 88 mm CL) in the 1979-1980 season. The fishery also provided 
7,500 to 8,000 person-days of recreation each year for about 1,000 persons. In 
1980, a lobster nursery sanctuary was created in the Everglades National Park portion 
of Florida Bay to restore the natural conditions of the bay and provide more lobsters 
for harvest in adjacent fisheries. 
1978 - 1980 
Morrison, D. (1984) Seasonality of Batophora oerstedi (Chlorophyta), a tropical macroalga. 
Mar. Ecol. Prog, Ser, . 14:235-44. 
The seasonality of Batophora oerstedi, a benthic tropical macroalga, was studied in 
Florida Bay at Key Largo. Abundance, measured by biomass and coverage sampling 
varied seasonally with standing crop highest in summer and fall and lowest in winter. 
Reproductive activity, expressed as percentage of reproductive individuals, varied 
seasonally with greatest activity in fall. It is hypothesized that the fall reproductive 
pulse may be triggered by a drop in water temperature caused by the passage of the 
first fall cold front or, infrequently, a late summer-early fall hurricane. Net 
photosynthesis (P N ) exhibited a unimodal seasonal pattern with highest rates in summer 
and lowest rates in winter. Net photosynthesis was positively correlated with water 
temperature, but not significantly correlated with any other environmental parameter. 
Respiration (R), constant throughout much of the year, was elevated in fall during the 
period of maximal reproductive activity. The daily (24 hr) P/R ratio was always 
greater than unity suggesting that Batophora is capable of year-round growth. This 
study took place from 1978 to 1980. 
1978 - 1980 
Olmstead, I. C., L. L. Loope, and R. P. Russell. (1981) Vegetation of the southern coastal 
region of Everglades National Park between Flamingo and Joe Bay. Rep. T-620. South 
Florida Research Center, Everglades National Park, Homestead, FL. 18 pp. 
Much of the early mangrove literature for southern Florida has emphasized the land 
building role of mangroves. Succession beyond the mangrove stage depends on the 
deposition of sediments during storms. Mangrove ecosystems are true ’steady-state" 
ecosystems in the sense that they are self-maintaining in spite of cyclic perturbations, 
as long as environmental tolerances of salinity and moisture fall within their optimal 
tolerance range. We are comfortable with this view, although we find it convenient to 
speak of the process of mangrove ecosystem recovery from hurricanes as succession. 
The hurricane of 1960 killed most of the mangrove vegetation within the mapped area. 
However, re-establishment of mangrove vegetation was rapid in many areas. Red, 
black and white mangrove, as well as buttonwood normally have ripe propagules during 
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