Pollution and Manatees: A Case Study of Ecosystem Decline in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida

Keywords: Seagrass, deep learning, ecosystem decline, Florida
Abstract Type: Virtual Poster Abstract

Abstract

The ecosystem in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida has been declining rapidly since the early 2000s. Included in this ecosystem decline, is a detrimental loss of seagrass coverage. Many species in the lagoon depend on seagrass to survive, but there are also other factors affecting the overall health of the lagoon like nutrient-overloading and manatee grazing. To study this decline, we implemented a deep learning (fully connected neural network) classification to look at the seagrass coverage from 2000 to 2022, as well as a qualitative survey that has been sent out to the guides in the lagoon. The survey covers topics from fisheries, seagrass, policy, and the economy in order to understand the state of the lagoon from the viewpoint of guides who have worked in the lagoon for years. With these two studies, we are able to understand the extent of seagrass loss in the past couple decades, in addition to how this decline has impacted the surrounding ecosystem and economy.