Seagrass fatalities in North Biscayne Bay, South Florida due to increases in nutrients and macroalgae in its environment

Biscayne Bay is a subtropical estuary located in South Florida. It is a rich environment containing a multitude of organisms such as seagrass, sponges, and fish. The Biscayne Bay ecosystem is currently undergoing a drastic environmental decline due to seagrass fatalities throughout the area, specifically in North Biscayne Bay. This literature review pinpointed the causes and effects of these seagrass fatalities from analyzed research that has been completed on this subject. The research papers found for this review came from five databases: Google Scholar, the Biscayne Bay Task Force Database (HPI), Gale in Context, Gale Academic OneFile and JSTOR. A total of 245 papers were looked over and 18 articles were left to use for this review. From those papers, it was concluded that the most probable cause of the seagrass fatalities was the pollution runoff from metropolitan areas that stimulated nutrient overloads. These nutrient overloads are factors that cause algal blooms, which in turn cause these seagrass fatalities due to lack of sunlight and resources for photosynthesis. The lack of seagrass regulating the fragile Biscayne Bay environment is also causing an influx of fish deaths, which is bringing about a local economic decline in commercialized fishing. Without the properties of seagrass in Biscayne Bay, it can cause a more drastic environmental meltdown that may not be fixable.

Saws and the city: smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata encounters, recovery potential, and research priorities in urbanized coastal waters off Miami, Florida, USA

As coastal urbanization increases globally, the subsequent effects on marine animals, especially endangered species, inhabiting nearshore waters have become a research priority. The smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata, once abundant in US waters, now only persists in a few parts of its former range, including South Florida. Many areas utilized by smalltooth sawfish are estuarine systems or other shallow coastal habitats, making this species particularly vulnerable to threats associated with coastal development. To date, P. pectinata has been understudied in the waters in and around Biscayne Bay, Florida, a coastal waterway subjected to the urbanization of adjacent Miami-Dade County. Here, we summarize data from reported smalltooth sawfish encounters dating as far back as 1895 (N = 90) and detail opportune recordings (incidental catches, acoustic detections, and baited remote underwater videos) of sub-adults and adults (N = 14 individuals) in Biscayne Bay and the adjacent reef tract. These data demonstrate historical and increased contemporary use of the study area by this imperiled species, suggesting potential local and regional recovery. Most documented sawfish occurrences were near the urban center, indicating a need to understand the effects of coastal urbanization on sawfish and on the species' recovery potential. We suggest priorities for future research on P. pectinata in the study area that will assist in addressing regional management goals and contribute to understanding the ecology of smalltooth sawfish under environmental change.