ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 333 Methods.................................................................................................................................................. 336
General ......................................................................................................................................... 336 Benthic Community Differences.................................................................................................. 336 Characterization of Community Difference................................................................................. 338 Differences in Environmental Factors ......................................................................................... 338 Correlation of Degraded Community Structure to Environmental Factors ................................ 338
Results .................................................................................................................................................... 338 General ......................................................................................................................................... 338 Differences in Environmental Factors ......................................................................................... 340 Benthic Community Differences.................................................................................................. 340 Characterization of Community Difference................................................................................. 340 Correlation of Degraded Community Structure to Environmental Factors ................................ 342
Discussion .............................................................................................................................................. 342 General ......................................................................................................................................... 342 Benthic Community Differences.................................................................................................. 344 Characterization of Community Difference................................................................................. 345 Differences in Environmental Factors ......................................................................................... 345 Correlation of Degraded Community Structure to Environmental Factors ................................ 346
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................ 347 References .............................................................................................................................................. 347
Biscayne Bay is a subtropical estuary on the southeastern coast of Florida, located in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, extending from Dumfounding Bay in the north to Barnes Sound in the south (about 88 km). Depths are shallow, generally ranging between 0.5 and 3 m. Much of the bay, including the entire southern portion, is classified as an Outstanding Florida Water (OFW) and is subject to Florida’s most protective water quality regulations.
