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The Florida Keys have been a popular vacation spot for hundreds of years due to the weather, access to nightlife, the ocean activities, and the history. The entirety of the Florida Keys sits about 3.2 feet above sea level, leaving it prone to flooding from incoming storm surge.

Climate Change Impacts on the Florida Keys

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As glaciers are melting, sea levels are continuing to rise and since the Florida Keys sits about 3.2 feet above sea level they are greatly affected by any incoming storms. As these sea levels are rising it is leading to localized flooding, erosion, damage to local homes and businesses due to salt water impacts. The Florida Keys have a unique species of deer called the “Key Deer” which are an endangered species. Their species is already on the brink of extinction, and their environment is also changing rapidly. As sea levels rise and the shores become eroded, the deers coastal habitats and floodplains are diminishing. Due to their areas rapidly changing, more and more deer are heading inland to where humans inhabit, which is leading to an increase in diseases because the deer are accessing human food and water rather than their natural surroundings.

How has climate change impacted this area?

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How has climate change impacted this area?

The Florida Keys ecosystem has been greatly affected by the increase in global temperatures. In July 2023, an ocean buoy at about 5 feet below the surface of the ocean, measured the water temperature at 3:00 pm in Murray Key where the water temperature rang in at 99.3 degrees fahrenheit. Then the same day in Manatee Bay, another buoy measured at 101.1 degrees fahrenheit. These temperatures were extremely abnormal because the average water temperature is typically in the 80’s. The warmer ocean temperatures are leading to damage to the ecosystems, coral bleaching, more hurricanes with increased intensity, more coastal erosion and more flooding issues.

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How has climate change impacted this area?

The Florida Keys have a project to combat the drastic ecosystem changes that are being seen and affecting wildlife. They call it: Mission: Iconic Reefs. This is a large-scale NOAA-led and partner-driven project to restore corals at seven reef sites in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Governor Ron Desantis is 2021 signed a bill into law to create the Resilient Florida Trust Fund to support the Resilient Florida Grant Program and the development of the Statewide Flooding and Sea-Level Rise Resilience Plan.

What is currently being done to help combat or remedy the situation?

The Maldives sinking is leading to disruptions in the ecosystem, forcing population to move due to less land to live on, increased flooding, effects on tourism, and affecting fisheries.

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Throughout the world, there are other low lying areas that are also experiencing coastal flooding similar to that of the Florida Keys. These areas include: the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, coastal areas of Louisiana, and parts of Bangladesh. The Maldives are sinking as water levels continue to rise.

Where else in the world is experiencing a similar form of climate change?

Key deer - “Land Mammals - Key Deer.” Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission, myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/mammals/land/key-deer. Water temperatures - youtube.com/Weather Blog: Buoy in Florida Keys measures 101 1 degree water temperature Mission: Iconic Reefs - Climate Change | Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Florida Governor Bill - Overview of Florida's Climate Change Preparations - Georgetown Climate Center

Work Cited