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Murdoch TJT (2018) Status and Trends of Bermuda Reefs and Fishes: 2016 Report Card. Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Assessment and Mapping (BREAM) Programme, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts, Bermuda. BBP-2017-256. 55 pp.

In this report, we utilize a four - component index of reef condition, called the Sea Life Index (SLI) , which we introduced in 2016 in the report on the “Baseline Status of Bermuda’s Reefs and Fishes” (Murdoch and Murdoch 2016 ). We compared our baseline data from the same 39 sites to new data collected in the summer s of 2015 and 2016, using a team of trained scientific divers. Each reef was surveyed with replication using standardized scientific methods.

Murdoch TJT (2017) Status and Trends of Bermuda Reefs and Fishes: 2015 Report Card. Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Assessment and Mapping (BREAM) Programme, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts, Bermuda. BBP-2017-256. 42 pp.

In this report, we utilize a four - component index of reef condition, called the Sea Life Index, which we introduced in 2016 in the report on the “Baseline Status of Bermuda’s Reefs and Fishes ” (Murdoch and Murdoch 2016). We compared our baseline data from the same 39 sites to new data collected in the summer of 2015, using a team of trained scientific divers. Each reef was surveyed with replication using standardized scientific methods.

Murdoch TJT, Murdoch JMH (2016) Baseline Condition of the Coral Reefs and Fishes across Three Depth Zones of the Forereef of Bermuda. Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Assessment and Mapping (BREAM) Programme, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts, Bermuda. BBP-2016-237. 80 pp.

Bermuda’s coral reefs protect our beaches and coastal properties from erosion, and high coral cover and abundant parrotfish es make our coral reefs healthy. Predatory fishes like snappers and rockfishes play a critical role in maintaining reef health by eating the kinds of fishes which damage corals and promote healt hy herbivorous (plant - eating) fish populations . In this report, we provide clear evidence that historically abundant predatory fishes are rare and at critically low biomass levels on Bermuda reefs. The cover of corals remains high at fore reef locations, but is lower at 30m depth, within the lagoon and particularly at nearshore reefs, where marine plants are overly abundant and plant - eating fishes are scarce. Long - term monitoring is required to determine whether reef condition is stable or in decline across the Bermuda reef system. Unless we better manage and protect our predatory reef fishes , the health of our reefs will decline, reef erosion will increase , and beach es and coastal properties will suffer substantial damage from increasing storm wave erosion in the coming decades

Peer-Reviewed Publications

15. Colella M and 14 others (2014) Part 2: Country Reports; 2: Bermuda. In : (Eds) Jackson JBC, Donovan MK, Cramer KL, Lam V (Eds) Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970 – 2012. Washington : Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, 2014 - p. 179 - 183. [pdf]

14. Jackson J and 90 others (2014) Part 1: Overview and synthesis for the wider Caribbean region. In: (Eds) Jackson JBC, Donovan MK, Cramer KL, Lam V (Eds) Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970 – 2012. Washington : Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, 2014 - p. 55 - 154. [pdf]

13. Toth, L. T., R. van Woesik, T. J. T. Murdoch, S. R. Smith, J. C. Ogden, W. F. Precht and R. B. Aronson. 2014. Do no-take reserves benefit Florida’s corals? 14 years of change and stasis in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Coral Reefs 33. doi: 10.1007/s00338-014-1158-x [pdf]

12. Smith SR, de Putron S, Murdoch TJT, Nagelkirken I (2013) Biology and ecology of corals and fishes on the Bermuda Platform. In: Sheppard, C. (Ed) Coral Reefs of the World – Volume 4: Coral Reefs of the UK overseas territories. Springer, Dordrecht. 336pp. ISBN: 978-94-007-5964-0 [pdf]

11. Smith SR, Sarkis S, Murdoch TJT, Weil EA, Croaquer A, Bates N, Johnson R, de Putron S, Andersen A (2013) Threats to coral reefs of Bermuda. In: Sheppard, C. (Ed) Coral Reefs of the World – Volume 4: Coral Reefs of the UK overseas territories. Springer, Dordrecht. 336pp. ISBN: 978-94-007-5964-0 [pdf]

10. Ajemian MJ, Powers SP, Murdoch TJT (2012) Estimating the potential impacts of large mesopredators on benthic resources: integrative assessment of spotted eagle ray foraging ecology in Bermuda. PLoS ONE 7(7): 1-17; e40227. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040227 [pdf]

9. Logan A. Murdoch TJT (2011) Bermuda. In: Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs, Springer, Netherlands 1250 pp. [pdf]

8. Murdoch TJT (2007) A functional group approach to Caribbean reef corals in Florida and Bermuda. PhD dissertation. University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL. 300 pp. [pdf]

7. Murdoch TJT, Glasspool AF, Outerbridge M, Ward J, Manuel S, Gray J, Nash A, Coates KA, Pitt J, Fourqurean JW, Barnes PA, Vierros M, Holzer K, Smith SR (2007) Large-scale decline of offshore seagrass meadows in Bermuda. Marine Ecology Progress Series 339:123-130. [pdf]

6. Aronson RB, Precht WF, Murdoch TJT, Robbart ML (2005) Long-term persistence of coral assemblages on the Flower Garden Banks, northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Implications for science and management. Gulf of Mexico Science 1:84-94. [pdf]

5. Miller MW, Aronson RB, Murdoch TJT (2003) Monitoring coral reef macroalgae: Different pictures from different methods. Bulletin of Marine Science. 72(1):199-206. [link]

4. Aronson, RB, Macintyre IG, Precht WF, Murdoch TJT, Wapnick CM (2002) The expanding scale of species turnover events on coral reefs in Belize. Ecological Monographs 72(2):233-249. [pdf]

3. Aronson RB, Precht WP, Macintyre IG, and Murdoch TJT (2000). Coral Bleach-Out in Belize. Nature 405:36. [pdf]

2. Murdoch TJT, Aronson RB (1999) Scale-dependent spatial variability of coral assemblages along the Florida Reef Tract. Coral Reefs 18:341-351. [pdf]

1. Brown R, Murphy P, Moger R, Murdoch T (1995) Hormonal responses of male gerbils to stimuli from their mates and pups. Hormones and Behavior, 101: 45-67. [link]

BREAM (Non-profit) Research Reports

Murdoch TJT (2015) BZS Reef Watch: Annual Report 2015: A third year of citizen science for Bermuda reef resilience. Bermuda Biodiversity Project Report, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts, Bermuda. pp 50. [pdf]

Murdoch TJT (2014) Bermuda Reef Watch 2014: A citizen science initiative in its second year. Bermuda Biodiversity Project Report # 224, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts, Bermuda. pp 57. [pdf]

Murdoch TJT (2014) Bermuda Reef Watch – Methods Manual. Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts Bermuda © 2014 – Bermuda Zoological Society [pdf]

Murdoch TJT (2013) Reef Watch 2013: A citizen science initiative. Bermuda Biodiversity Project Report # 214, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts, Bermuda. pp 53. [pdf]

Hallett (Murdoch) J (2010) Changes to Bermuda's marine environment since Lt. Hurd's survey of 1789-1797: learning from the past to enhance conservation awareness. Bermuda Zoological Society, 2010. (BAMZ #2595) [pdf]

Yates K, Murdoch TJT (2010) Marine spatial planning for Bermuda. BBP Special Publication 2010-001 [pdf]

Murdoch TJT (2008) A preliminary ecological survey of the intact wreck “Sea Venture” on February 3rd, 2008. BBP Special Publication 2008-001: 19pp. [pdf]

Hammond MP, Murdoch TJT, Glasspool AF, Outerbridge M, Clee J, Shailer M, Colella M (2008) Assessment of Spatial Management Practices for Enhancing Fish Populations in Bermuda. Final Report. NOAA International Coral Reef Conservation Grant:: BBP 2007-005: 167 pp. [pdf]

Murdoch TJT, Hammond MP, Glasspool AF, Outerbridge M, Clee J, Shailer M, Colella M (2008) A multi-scale assessment of the benthic communities of Bermuda's shallow water platform focusing on existing MPA's & control sites to enhance local management practices. Final Report. NOAA International Coral Reef Conservation Grant: BBP-2007-004: 88 pp. [pdf]

Murdoch TJT, Glasspool AF, Outerbridge M, Manuel SA (2008) The status of seagrass meadows in Bermuda: 2004. BBP Special Publication 2007-002: 86 pp. [pdf]

Murdoch TJT, Ward J, Glasspool A, Manuel S, Outerbridge M (2006) Report of Norwegian Crown Ship Grounding. [pdf] Murdoch TJT (2006) Population outbreak of the Tritonia hamnerorum nudibranch, an obligate grazer on the purple sea fan Gorgonia ventalina, across Bermuda’s northern reefs in 2005. BBP Special Publication 2006-003 [pdf]

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