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Plant‐associated microbiomes can improve plant fitness by ameliorating environmental stress, providing a promising avenue for improving outplantings during restoration. However, the effects of water management on these microbial... more
Plant‐associated microbiomes can improve plant fitness by ameliorating environmental stress, providing a promising avenue for improving outplantings during restoration. However, the effects of water management on these microbial communities and their cascading effects on primary producers are unresolved for many imperiled ecosystems. One such habitat, Everglades tree islands, has declined by 54% in some areas, releasing excess nutrients into surrounding wetlands and exacerbating nutrient pollution. We conducted a factorial experiment, manipulating the soil microbiome and hydrological regime experienced by a tree island native, Ficus aurea, to determine how microbiomes impact growth under two hydrological management plans. All plants were watered to simulate natural precipitation, but plants in the “unconstrained” management treatment were allowed to accumulate water above the soil surface, while the “constrained” treatment had a reduced stage to avoid soil submersion. We found signi...
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Coastal wetlands are globally important stores of carbon (C). However, accelerated sea‐level rise (SLR), increased saltwater intrusion, and modified freshwater discharge can contribute to the collapse of peat marshes, converting coastal... more
Coastal wetlands are globally important stores of carbon (C). However, accelerated sea‐level rise (SLR), increased saltwater intrusion, and modified freshwater discharge can contribute to the collapse of peat marshes, converting coastal peatlands into open water. Applying results from multiple experiments from sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense)‐dominated freshwater and brackish water marshes in the Florida Coastal Everglades, we developed a system‐level mechanistic peat elevation model (EvPEM). We applied the model to simulate net ecosystem C balance (NECB) and peat elevation in response to elevated salinity under inundation and drought exposure. Using a mass C balance approach, we estimated net gain in C and corresponding export of aquatic fluxes () in the freshwater marsh under ambient conditions (NECB = 1119 ± 229 gC m−2 year−1; FAQ = 317 ± 186 gC m−2 year−1). In contrast, the brackish water marsh exhibited substantial peat loss and aquatic C export with ambient (NECB = −366 ± 15 gC m...
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In a Nutshell: • Bringing back the past is constrained by legacy effects, irrevocable damages, and anthropogenic trends not seen in the past. Restoration in the purest sense of the word is not possible. A more accurate term is... more
In a Nutshell: • Bringing back the past is constrained by legacy effects, irrevocable damages, and anthropogenic trends not seen in the past. Restoration in the purest sense of the word is not possible. A more accurate term is rehabilitation. • Rehabilitation requires an understanding of what is ecologically, economically, and legally possible. It requires models to extrapolate and synthesize long-term datasets, adaptive management to test alternative hypotheses of ecosystem processes, and a system of governance that allows for debate on the socioeconomic , legal, and ecological constraints of future alternatives. • For simulations of the future to be credible, they require long-term datasets that capture cyclical patterns, an understanding of feedbacks, drivers and forcing functions, calibration, validation, and clear peer-reviewed documentation. • The ecological uncertainties of restoration or rehabilitation are reduced by focusing on the impacts of Anthropocene trends in ecotones, where change is most dynamic. Introduction: Welcome to the Anthropocene: Few places, if any, exist on the planet that have not been directly or indirectly altered, influenced, degraded, or destroyed by humans (Klein 2014; Kolbert, 2014). Since societies value the landscapes, seascapes, plants, and animals that were prevalent 100-200 years ago, there has been a concerted effort by scientists, decision-makers, and non-government organizations to look at the [seemingly] pristine past and develop plans to move the past into the future (Dengler 2007; Miller and Hobbs 2007; Doyle and Drew 2008). The Society of Ecosystem Restoration defines restoration on their webpage as "the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. An ecosystem has recovered-and is restored-when it contains sufficient biotic and abiotic resources to continue its development without further assistance or subsidy". Because of its sheer size and its importance for water supply and flood protection, the Everglades landscape will never fit this rigorous definition at all times and in all places. Regardless, justification for pursuing "restoration" of the Everglades can be found in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) that was released by the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) in August 2014. We will reference this 3,000 page document often (USACE 2014) because, as in the movie series "Back to the Future," CEPP is the "flux-capacitor" that generates the ability to analyze the past and travel to a potential future. Native Americans in South Florida have always had a deep appreciation and respect for the Everglades (Carr 2002; see Chapter 1). However, from a utilitarian perspective (Greer 2011), the past was no bed of roses in South Florida. Everything was wet, alligators were dangerous, mosquitos were everywhere, cultivation during the rainy season was impossible, and industry saw
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Wind and precipitation events strongly influence the hydrodynamics of micro-tidal estuarine systems. These events can also have profound effects on the pulsing of materials, leading to enhanced primary and secondary production, especially... more
Wind and precipitation events strongly influence the hydrodynamics of micro-tidal estuarine systems. These events can also have profound effects on the pulsing of materials, leading to enhanced primary and secondary production, especially in oligotrophic systems such as the Everglades and Florida Bay. Since 1996, we have been monitoring the nutrient and salinity content of surface water along Taylor River, a mangrove waterway of the southern Everglades. The U.S. Geological Survey has been making concurrent measurements of flow and stage at proximal sites. Over the past 5 years, there have been a number of meteorological events that have significantly affected south Florida. In this presentation, we highlight the effects of three major events as well as typical variability in concentrations and fluxes of materials. In November 1996, eight consecutive days of >40kt winds pushed freshwater out of the Everglades into Florida Bay. Concentrations of TN increased throughout this event while TP and inorganic N and P remained fairly constant. Immediately following this wind storm, there was a 6-fold increase in salinity as flow reversed. In September 1999, Tropical Storm Harvey dropped nearly 26 cm of precipitation in south Florida with negligible winds. Harvey caused TP concentrations to more than triple (from 1mu M to 3.8mu M) and discharge to increase by more than an order of magnitude. The following month, the eye of Hurricane Irene passed just west of Taylor River producing strong southerly winds in excess of 80 mph and more than 37 cm of precipitation. Like the wind event of 1996, Irene led to increased concentrations of TN and no observable change in TP. Irene also produced the highest discharge measured in this system (730,000 m3 d-1). These 3 events: wind, rain, and wind+rain exemplify the kinds of events common to this region. The effects of these events combined with a synthesis of long-term water quality and quarterly flux data indicate that the patterns of nutrient dynamics in this system are dependent upon the nature (i.e. type, intensity, duration) of each event. Such findings will be useful in understanding the effects of freshwater and nutrient pulsing into the Florida Bay estuary.
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... Please visit our Foundation website. http://www.cerf-jcr.org. ... Stephen E. Davis III Jaye E. Cable Daniel L. Childers Carlos Coronado-Molina John W. Day Jr Clinton D. Hittle Christopher J. Madden Enrique Reyes David Rudnick Fred... more
... Please visit our Foundation website. http://www.cerf-jcr.org. ... Stephen E. Davis III Jaye E. Cable Daniel L. Childers Carlos Coronado-Molina John W. Day Jr Clinton D. Hittle Christopher J. Madden Enrique Reyes David Rudnick Fred Sklar Search in: JCR. ...
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Research Interests: Geography and Subtropics
Research Interests: Environmental Science, Oceanography, Sea Level, Mangrove, Land Cover, and 3 moreWetland, Estuary, and Marsh
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... The South Florida and Everglades ecosystems have undergone much change in the twentieth century. ... The US Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) was asked to prepare a comprehensive plan ... The State of Florida responded by creating... more
... The South Florida and Everglades ecosystems have undergone much change in the twentieth century. ... The US Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) was asked to prepare a comprehensive plan ... The State of Florida responded by creating the Central and Southern Florida Flood ...
Research Interests: Geography, Environmental Science, Economics, Decision Making, Ecosystem Services, and 15 moreEcological Economics, Environmental Ethics, Agriculture, Ecosystem management, Applied Economics, Animal Movement, Environmental Resource Management, Ecosystem Restoration, Ecosystem, Adaptive Management, Adaptive capacity, Decision Maker, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, agricultural land, and Ecosystem processes
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Research Interests: Environmental Science, Biogeochemistry, Landscape, Multidisciplinary, Phosphorus, and 15 moreModels, Paradigm Shift, Ground Water, Florida Everglades, Nitrogen, Nutrient, Hot Spot, Groundwater flow, Paradigm, Plant Community, Confluence, Critical Reviews, Driving force, dry period, and Biogeochemical Cycle
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Research Interests: Landscape Ecology, Environmental Science, Plant Ecology, Ecology, Environmental Monitoring, and 14 moreWildlife Conservation, Seasonality, Water Supply, Wetland, Environmental Restoration, Water Conservation, Biomass Allocation, First Year, Flood Control, Water Level, Prey Availability, Water Depth, Breeding season, and Dry Season
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Coastal wetlands are not only among the world’s most valued ecosystems but also among the most threatened by high greenhouse gas emissions that lead to accelerated sea level rise. There is intense debate regarding the extent to which... more
Coastal wetlands are not only among the world’s most valued ecosystems but also among the most threatened by high greenhouse gas emissions that lead to accelerated sea level rise. There is intense debate regarding the extent to which landward migration of wetlands might compensate for seaward wetland losses. By integrating data from 166 estuaries across the conterminous United States, we show that landward migration of coastal wetlands will transform coastlines but not counter seaward losses. Two-thirds of potential migration is expected to occur at the expense of coastal freshwater wetlands, while the remaining one-third is expected to occur at the expense of valuable uplands, including croplands, forests, pastures, and grasslands. Our analyses underscore the need to better prepare for coastal transformations and net wetland loss due to rising seas.
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This chapter analyzes vegetation changes on tree islands surveyed in Water Conservation Area 3A between 1977-1986. Presence/absence was measured annually on 24m x 3m plots located on the head of each island. Based on a 15 year hydrologic... more
This chapter analyzes vegetation changes on tree islands surveyed in Water Conservation Area 3A between 1977-1986. Presence/absence was measured annually on 24m x 3m plots located on the head of each island. Based on a 15 year hydrologic record, the islands were divided into two groups: frequently flooded and frequently dry islands. In 1981 the frequently flooded islands experienced a drawdown, while the frequently dry islands experienced a drawdown and fire. After fire disturbance, frequently dry islands had a greater number of herbaceous species than frequently flooded islands. The lower number of herbaceous species on frequently flooded islands was maintained even after the flooded islands experienced drier conditions during drawdown. Ordination analysis of all species revealed that of the 15 environmental factors examined, the hydrological gradient represented by the 10 year mean water level and the time period since the last fire disturbance were most important, explaining about 45%of the variation of the data. A separate analysis of woody species frequency correlated most strongly with time since last bum and the difference between the maximum and minimum water levels over 15 years (extreme drought and flooding events) and the average amount of time that the islands were flooded. Woody species may respond to hydrologic parameters over a longer time frame, but long-term hydrologic data (greater than 15 years) was not available for analysis. Drawdown on the frequently flooded islands enabled rapid recruitment of some woody species from the seed bank. Based on the ordination analysis, species were divided into general groups along low, moderate, or high water and time since last bum parameters. From these life history traits, island vegetation composition was predicted under different environments.
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Most economic activity in coastal Louisiana depends, either directly or indirectly, on the Mississippi River, its delta and the coastal wetlands of the Chenier plain. Maintaining the economic vitality of the region requires taking action... more
Most economic activity in coastal Louisiana depends, either directly or indirectly, on the Mississippi River, its delta and the coastal wetlands of the Chenier plain. Maintaining the economic vitality of the region requires taking action to restore these essential elements of the coastal landscape. The economic value of the jobs and assets that will be lost without restoration can be estimated from standard indices of economic activity in the region such as gross domestic product and jobs, and from the value of ecosystem goods and services.
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SUMMARY The information in this chapter is designed to update the reader on the multidisciplinary approaches currently in place to better understand and manage the hydrologic patterns of the Everglades Protection Area (EPA). The South... more
SUMMARY The information in this chapter is designed to update the reader on the multidisciplinary approaches currently in place to better understand and manage the hydrologic patterns of the Everglades Protection Area (EPA). The South Florida Water Management District (District or SFWMD) has begun to shift resources away from the phosphorus (P) threshold research program and toward an ecological research program to assess the influence of hydrology. This program documents how soils, plants and animals have changed over time and attempts to relate those changes to operational trends and restoration goals. It is important to note that this report does not at this time quantify the hydrologic needs of the Everglades. Such quantification can only come with a better understanding of how the depth, source, hydroperiod and flow patterns control the spatial and temporal biogeochemical processes that influence biodiversity and produce landscape structure. Since it is not possible to study al...
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This paper is based on a study of the domain partition problem for a given parallel/distributed application: the Everglades Landscape Model (ELM). The ELM is modelled using data parallelism and is implemented in a transputer system. A new... more
This paper is based on a study of the domain partition problem for a given parallel/distributed application: the Everglades Landscape Model (ELM). The ELM is modelled using data parallelism and is implemented in a transputer system. A new partition strategy for load distribution in parallel/distributed systems is proposed. It ensures that each sub-area has approximately the same size and has at most four neighbouring sub-areas. This strategy has been used in solving the domain partition problem for the ELM. The result is compared with those from three previous partition methods: one dimensional partition, two-dimensional partition, and hierarchical partition. The comparison is based on several criteria proposed in our study. Results of the comparison show that the new partition method is the best among the existing ones.
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Suspended sediments in tidal creeks and sediments deposited on the adjacent marsh surface, collected concurrently at Mud Bank (MB) and Sixty Bass (SB) in North Inlet, SC from March, 1991 until February, 1992 were compared. For 8... more
Suspended sediments in tidal creeks and sediments deposited on the adjacent marsh surface, collected concurrently at Mud Bank (MB) and Sixty Bass (SB) in North Inlet, SC from March, 1991 until February, 1992 were compared. For 8 consecutive days of each lunar month (waxing moon neap tide until full moon spring tide), sediment traps collected daily and water pumped from the adjacent creek at 3.1 hour intervals (mid-flood, high tide, and mid-ebb) were analyzed for inorganic and organic sediment, as well as carbon and nitrogen content. Salinity, sea level, Pee Dee River discharge, rainfall, temperature, wind, and inundation time were examined as forcing functions. SB creek connects to the oceanic inlet, but MB is located near the tidal node where brackish and high salinity waters meet in a sharp halocline. Although the duration of inundation is approximately twice as long as SB (12.5 hr/d:7.4 hr/d) because of a 27 cm elevation difference. MB averaged more deposition (5.3 mg/d/cm 2 : 4....
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SUMMARY The studies and findings discussed in this chapter are presented within four main fields: wildlife ecology, plant ecology, ecosystem ecology, and landscape ecology. Programs of study were based on the short-term and long-term... more
SUMMARY The studies and findings discussed in this chapter are presented within four main fields: wildlife ecology, plant ecology, ecosystem ecology, and landscape ecology. Programs of study were based on the short-term and long-term needs of South Florida Water Management District operations, regulations, permitting, environmental monitoring, Everglades Forever Act mandates, and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
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We used static, elevation and land cover data to estimate sea level rise impacts (SLR) to urban, developed lands and coastal wetland systems in Everglades National Park and the East and West coastal regions in South Florida. Maps and data... more
We used static, elevation and land cover data to estimate sea level rise impacts (SLR) to urban, developed lands and coastal wetland systems in Everglades National Park and the East and West coastal regions in South Florida. Maps and data tables estimating potential state change to open water were compiled through overlay analysis of elevation, land cover, and SLR masks with future land cover projected using a land cover transition threshold model. Analysis was based on a 2–5-km-wide longitudinal band along the SW and SE coasts of Florida where sea-level rise has no surface impediments to inundation and will likely cause coastline transgression and wetland migration. Analysis used three different projections; 0.27 m (0.9 ft), 0.76 m (2.5 ft) and 1.13 m (3.7 ft) greater than current sea level by 2070 estimated by NOAA and IPCC. Under a 0.27 m SLR projection 51% of the coastal land cover may be impacted. Under 0.76 and 1.13 m projected SLR, coastal land cover areas were impacted by 56...
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Abstract Measurements of tree growth, leaf litter production, aquatic respiration, decomposition rates, benthic invertebrates and floating communities of plants and animals were taken from an impounded cypress-tupelo swamp of the Upper... more
Abstract Measurements of tree growth, leaf litter production, aquatic respiration, decomposition rates, benthic invertebrates and floating communities of plants and animals were taken from an impounded cypress-tupelo swamp of the Upper Barataria Basin. A dynamic computer simulation model was designed to identify the significant associations among the aquatic components as a function of environmental forcing functions (i.e. temperature, surplus precipitation, water flow, extent of dry season), and biological parameters (i.e. growth rates, predator-prey relations, assimilation efficiences). It was also developed to predict the response of an impounded swamp habitat to various management options, especially manipulation of the hydrologic regimes. Swamp impoundments, for example, were found to increase their annual energy exports by 43% when spoil banks were removed. Results indicate the sensitivity of swamp ecosystem response to changes in hydrology and the options for management of swamp ecosystems.