Transcript Document
Coupling Human and Natural Interactions in the Dynamic Coastal Landscape of the Florida Everglades Daniel L. Childers, Florida International Univ.
The Florida Coastal Everglades LTER Program
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS: Florida International Univ (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sci, Environ.Studies, SERC, IHC) College of William & Mary Rutgers University Texas A&M University University of Louisiana-Lafayette University of Miami University of North Carolina-Wilmington University of South Florida University of Virginia Everglades National Park South Florida Water Management District U.S.G.S., BRD & WRD National Audubon Society
The FCE LTER Central Theme:
Following water as it flows from canal to the Gulf of Mexico through 2 different Everglades wetland basins
FLORIDA
Long-term scenarios affecting land ocean interactions include: 1. Increased freshwater flows (Everglades Restoration) 2. Sea level rise 3. Possible coastal eutrophication
SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect
• • Land-ocean interactions: The “upside down” estuary concept: Oligotrophic, P-limited freshwater Everglades.
Marine source of limiting nutrient to estuaries.
The FCE LTER Central Theme:
Following water as it flows from canal to the Gulf of Mexico through 2 different Everglades wetland basins
FLORIDA
Long-term scenarios affecting land ocean interactions include: 1. Increased freshwater flows (Everglades Restoration) 2. Sea level rise 3. Possible coastal eutrophication
SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect
• • Land-ocean interactions: The “upside down” estuary concept: Oligotrophic, P-limited freshwater Everglades.
Marine source of limiting nutrient to estuaries.
Simple Conceptual Diagram of FCE I Research
FLORIDA
The FCE LTER Central Hypothesis:
Tracking water and ecosystem productivity along these transects from canal to the Gulf of Mexico
SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect A
Freshwater inputs Low [P] High [N] Mod. [DOM] freshwater Shark River Slough Taylor Slough/Panhandle 0-10 ppt Saltwater inputs High [P] Low [N] Mod. [DOM] 10-30 ppt salinity zones >30 ppt
B
The “Upside Down” estuaries:
In the oligotrophic Everglades, the Gulf of Mexico is the primary source of the limiting nutrient (P) to the estuaries
FLORIDA SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect A
Freshwater inputs Low [P] High [N] Mod. [DOM] freshwater Shark River Slough Taylor Slough/Panhandle 0-10 ppt Saltwater inputs High [P] Low [N] Mod. [DOM] 10-30 ppt salinity zones >30 ppt
B
The FCE LTER Central Theme:
We originally hypothesized a peak in ecosystem productivity in the oligohaline region of our SRS transect…
FLORIDA SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect A
Freshwater inputs Low [P] High [N] Mod. [DOM] freshwater Shark River Slough Taylor Slough/Panhandle 0-10 ppt Saltwater inputs High [P] Low [N] Mod. [DOM] 10-30 ppt salinity zones >30 ppt
B
FLORIDA
The FCE LTER Central Theme:
.
..and we hypothesized no such peak in ecosystem productivity in the oligohaline region of our southern Everglades transect
SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect A
Freshwater inputs Low [P] High [N] Mod. [DOM] freshwater Shark River Slough Taylor Slough/Panhandle 0-10 ppt Saltwater inputs High [P] Low [N] Mod. [DOM] 10-30 ppt salinity zones >30 ppt
B
FLORIDA SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect
The Shark River Slough Transect
Characteristics: 1. Direct connection to the Gulf of Mexico.
2. Largest Everglades drainage.
3. Historically = dominant freshwater flow path.
4. Current freshwater inputs controlled by canals & structures.
A virtual boat trip down the Shark River Estuary
SRS-4: Freshwater ecotone, farthest from marine influence
A virtual boat trip down the Shark River Estuary
SRS-5: Intermediate site
A virtual boat trip down the Shark River Estuary
SRS-6: Closest to marine influence
FLORIDA SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect
The Southern Everglades (TS/Ph) Transect
Characteristics: 1. Connection to the Gulf of Mexico only via the shallow Florida Bay estuary.
2. Smaller drainage.
3. Current freshwater inputs controlled by canals & structures.
FCE LTER program quantifies major ecosystem components to follow major energetic and biogeochemical pathways
FCE I: What we originally hypothesized
FCE I: What we actually learned
And on to FCE II…..
The Context: Everglades Restoration
Simple Conceptual Diagram of FCE II Research
FLORIDA SRS Transect TS/Ph Transect
FCE II and Tamiami Trail
Characteristics: 1. Road build in 1920s.
2. Forms a major barrier to north-south water flow.
3. Only 4 W.C. structures & small culverts.
4. Decompartmentalize the landscape by removing the levee.
The Grand Experiment
Freshwater flow will increase along the SRS transect (3.2 km Tamiami Trail Bridge) during FCE II
Humans and the Everglades, or…
can a biophysical scientist talk about social science?
Dramatic and rapid changes in the Everglades landscape and hydroscape in the last 100+ years
Fresh water: A key ecosystem service provided by the Everglades South Florida’s primary water source is the shallow Biscayne Aquifer, which is recharged by the Everglades
BOTE valuation of ecosystem service purveyance of fresh water to > 6 million people
• South Florida’s primary water source is the shallow Biscayne Aquifer, which is recharged by the Everglades
Replacement Cost: $913,000,000 per year
FCE II Human Dimensions Research
Land use change as a key human driver putting numerous stresses on the Everglades
Urban Development Boundary
•Established in 1975 •Did not appear on Comprehensive Development Master Plan Land Use Map until 1983
Urban Development Boundary
•Has been “amended” many times since 1975 •Primarily for residential development (central & south) & rock mining (north)
UDB represents conflicts between environmental & quality of life concerns and economic expansion (“affordable” housing?)
Urban Development Boundary
•Most recent “amendment” request in late 2005.
•9 large development projects, including several close to the N.Dade wellfields.
Dec 05: M-D County Commission remanded decision to SFRPC Jan 06: SFRPC Rejection
Why a Human Dimensions effort in FCE II?
Preparing for LTER Network-level science
From: LTER Group of 100 Meeting, Nov. 2004 (Sklar et al.)
Human behavior (society, policy, economics)
Conceptual Model
Biotic structure rank-dominance curves, life-history traits Long term “press” e.g., N deposition, species invasions, temperature Short term “pulse” e.g., fire, storms Ecosystem functioning 1 / 2 production, decomposition, nutrient cycling Ecosystem services food, pest/disease control, erosion control, soil fertility
Human behavior (society, policy, economics) How do press & pulse disturbances
interact
to alter structure & the functioning of different ecosystems?
Long term “press” e.g., N deposition, species invasions, temperature Short term “pulse” e.g., fire, storms
Q1
Biotic structure rank-dominance curves, life-history traits
Q2
Ecosystem functioning 1 / 2 production, decomposition, nutrient cycling How is biotic structure both a
cause and consequence
of ecological fluxes of energy & matter?
Q3
Ecosystem services food, pest/disease control, erosion control, soil fertility How do changes in vital ecosystem services
feed back
to alter human behavior?
linkages: impact scenarios, management Long term “press” e.g., N deposition, species invasions, temperature Human behavior (society, policy, economics) Short term “pulse” e.g., fire, storms linkages: adaptive modeling, valuation, forecasting Ecosystem services food, pest/disease control, erosion control, soil fertility Biotic structure rank-dominance curves, life-history traits Ecosystem functioning 1 / 2 production, decomposition, nutrient cycling linkages: experimental/observational results identify change