Heat Stress Impacts on Coral Reef Ecosystems and Communities: An Evaluation of Visitor Perceptions, Behaviors and Substitution Effects in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, USA

Evaluating the effects of environmental events across both biophysical and social dimensions is important in establishing a holistic view of such events. This study focuses on the impact of a devastating heat stress incident that occurred in many locations across the Caribbean region and South Atlantic during the 2023 summer season. The survey and focus of data collection was within Monroe County, a unique nature-based setting south of Miami, Florida, USA. The impact of the heat wave is still being calculated at the time of submission of this paper, but indications are that there was a major negative impact. The survey and data collection sought to understand recreationists’ perceptions, knowledge, and behavior changes as result of the heat stress impact in the Florida Keys. Respondents were interviewed during community workshops in person and through an online sample of boating/angler license holders. The results indicated a change in behavior by some respondents, which may have a longer-term economic impact, along with trends of satisfaction with outdoor recreation over time. This rapid survey method can be applied to future scenarios where social and economic data are needed to fully contextualize environmental impacts in addition to biological endpoints.