1989 0 
Durako, M. J. (1989) Morphoanatomical characteristics and recovery potential of Thalassia 
testudinum in sites affected by die-back in Florida Bay. Abstracts 10th Biennial Estuarine 
Research Conf., Baltimore, MD. 22. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY. NO COPY OF PAPER AVAILABLE. ABSTRACT FROM SCHMIDT (1991).] 
Morphoanatomical analyses of Thalassia ramets collected from 3 basins affected by 
die-back in Florida Bay revealed significant temporal and spatial variability. Short- 
shoot and rhizome apex densities, maximum leaf lengths and widths, shoot-specific and 
bottom-specific leaf areas significantly decreased along a gradient from healthy beds to 
die-back patches. Mean numbers of leaf scars and leaves per short-shoot significantly 
increased along this same gradient during summer; surviving short-shoots within die- 
back patches were characteristically solitary. However, in November, the mean leaf 
scar pattern was reversed. Ten percent of the short-shoots collected had new rhizome 
apices, and up to 40% of the short-shoots in die-back and dying fringe samples 
exhibited a novel branching pattern. 
1989 0 
Galli, G. (1989) Is Holocene storm-generated stratification in Florida Bay a reflection of 
solar storm cycles? Palae o geogr.. Pa laeoclimataL, P alaapecol., 76:169-85. 
[DATE OF SAMPLING UNKNOWN OR NOT APPLICABLE.] A descriptive analysis of 
surficial sediments of Crane Key showed that the sediments consist of storm layers 
(winter storm and hurricane deposits) and algal laminated sediments. Storm layers are 
riddled with the following types of cavities: gas escape vugs, dissolution vugs, 
burrows, rootholes, and cryptalgal vugs. Structures and sediment types are arranged 
into a 15-cm thick thickening-upward, storm-generated sequence which formed in 
approximately 100 yrs under a deepening trend. Periodograms of sea level variations 
match the frequency distribution of strong intensity storms which occurred in south 
Florida since the beginning of this century. The calculated recurrence time of strong 
storms (10 ± 3 yr) and the time interval of formation of the sequence (100 ± 25 yr) 
are probably a response of climatic parameters to short period (11 -yr) and longer- 
period (90 - 100-yr) cycles of solar activity. Comparison with the ancient record 
shows analogous dm-thick storm generated sequences probably linked to solar cycles 
and 100-yr sea level rises. 
1989 0 
Livingston, R. J. (1989) Ecosystem research and resource management: application to 
Florida Bay. Bull. Mar. Sci. . 44:517. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY.] There are three basic components concerning research that is 
ultimately to be used for management purposes: (1) the design of an interdisciplinary 
research product, (2) adequate computational facilities for continuous analysis of data, 
and (3) the application of the results to management problems. There is considerable 
disagreement and controversy concerning how to carry out comprehensive, 
interdisciplinary programs that are designed to generate information that can 
ultimately form the basis of predictive models. Spatially, most coastal areas are 
subject to important changes associated with land runoff, consequently, a system such 
as Florida Bay is closely dependent on freshwater runoff that has its origin hundreds of 
miles away. Such systems also have close ecological ties with offshore areas as 
centers of spawning for many dominant estuarine populations. Temporal variation has 
many scales, from hourly changes to interannaul periodicity. Different physical and 
chemical processes and the various levels of biological organization all operate within 
the various families of spatial and temporal scales so the complexity of cause and 
effect mechanisms is considerable. Various processes, including productivity, energy 
326 
