and fauna. It was postulated that the quantity, quality and timing of fluxes of dissolved 
organic matter from different mangrove forest types may have a significant regulatory 
or control role in the structure and functioning of estuarine populations. This 
postulation focuses on a new area in chemical ecology which could lead to important 
new research findings on the interrelationships between mangrove forest habitats and 
the biological organization of estuarine communities. 
1989 0 
Tagett, M. G. (1989) Stratigraphy and dynamic growth of a Holocene carbonate mudbank 
complex: Dildo Key Bank. M. S. Thesis. Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric 
Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL. 266 pp. 
[DATE OF SAMPLING UNKNOWN OR NOT APPLICABLE.] Detailed lithofacies and faunal 
analysis of 121 cores demonstrated that Dildo Key mudbank, one of three large 
mudbanks separating western Florida Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, is an amalgamation 
of four smaller core mudbanks. These core banks are similar to younger mudbanks now 
forming in east-central Florida Bay. Core banks nucleated along the trend of early 
islands and prograded over basal peat and brackish to marine sediments. Interbank 
lagoons filled creating one large mudbank complex. Islands and basal peat beneath core 
banks are remnants of a once continuous coastal levee positioned by a broad horse-shoe 
shaped bedrock depression 30 cm deeper than the surrounding bedrock. Radiocarbon 
dates of peat and articulated pelecypod shells indicate that this coastal levee was 
overridden and marine mudbank accretion began about 2,500 yrs BP. Intense marine 
bioturbation blended levee and brackish sediments with overlying marine sediments as 
core banks developed. Core banks rapidly caught up to sea level at a rate of 9.1 to 61.7 
cm 100 yr' 1 . This rapid rate of core bank sedimentation was made possible by the 
landward recycling of large volumes of carbonate sediment during the Holocene 
transgression. When core banks caught up to sealevel the focus of sedimentation shifted 
to core bank flanks and areas between core banks filled forming one large mudbank. 
Present mudbank dynamics in western Florida Bay is controlled by the distribution and 
mortality of seagrass, sediment supply, winter storms and hurricanes. The Great Labor 
Day Hurricane of 1935 caused significant erosion and bank accretion. Vertical aerial 
photographs from 1935 to 1989 were used to document the morphology of the bank. 
1989 0 
Vincent, A. C. J., and R. S. Clifton-Hadley (1989) Parasitic infection of the seahorse 
(Hippocampus erectus) - a case report. J, Wildlife Diseases . 25(3):404-6. 
[DATE OF SAMPLING UNKNOWN OR NOT APPLICABLE.] This paper details the 
development of a microsporidan infection in a colony of seahorses ( Hippocampus 
erectus) caused by Glugea heraldi. Of 76 animals imported from Florida Bay, two 
survived. A myxosporidan ( Sphaeromyxa sp.) and an unindentified nematode infection 
were also diagnosed in the same colony, but these infections were not considered 
important, causative factors in the mortalities. 
1989 0 
Yarbro, L. A., P. R. Carlson, S. Benford, and T. A. Tedesco (1989) Sediment sulfide and 
physiological characteristics of Thalassia testudinum in die-back areas of Florida Bay. 
Abs., 10th Biennial Estuarine Research Conf., Baltimore, MD. 92. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY. NO COPY OF PAPER AVAILABLE. ABSTRACT FROM SCHMIDT (1991).] 
Sediment sulfide concentrations, as well as alcohol dehydrogenase activities and amine 
acid concentrations in Thalassia testudinum rhizomes, were measured in die-back 
patches located in three basins in Florida Bay. Sediment sulfide concentrations of 1.3 to 
7.8 mM were congruent with variations in the intensity of die-back among sites. 
Rhizome ADH activities were significantly correlated with sediment sulfide 
334 
