Tree Islands of the Everglades

Transpiration‐driven nutrient accumulation has been identified as a potential mechanism governing the creation and maintenance of wetland vegetation patterning. This process may contribute to the formation of nutrient‐rich tree islands within the expansive oligotrophic marshes of the Everglades (Florida, United States). This study presents hydrogeochemical data indicating that tree root water uptake is a primary driver of groundwater ion accumulation across one of these islands. Sap flow, soil moisture, water level, water chemistry, and rainfall were measured to identify the relationships between climate, transpiration, and groundwater uptake by phreatophytes and to examine the effect this uptake has on groundwater chemistry and mineral formation in three woody plant communities of differing elevations. During the dry season, trees relied more on groundwater for transpiration, which led to a depressed water table and the advective movement of groundwater and dissolved ions, including phosphorus, from the surrounding marsh towards the centre of the island. Ion exclusion during root water uptake led to elevated concentrations of all major dissolved ions in the tree island groundwater compared with the adjacent marsh. Groundwater was predominately supersaturated with respect to aragonite and calcite in the lower‐elevation woody communities, indicating the potential for soil formation. Elevated groundwater phosphorous concentrations detected in the highest‐elevation woody community were associated with the leaching of inorganic sediments (i.e. hydroxyapatite) in the vadose zone. Understanding the complex feedback mechanisms regulating plant/groundwater/surface water interactions, nutrient dynamics, and potential soil formation is necessary to manage and restore patterned wetlands such as the Everglades. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Validation and ecosystem applications of the EDEN water‐surface model for the Florida Everglades

Liu¹,

Volin²,

Owen³

et al. 2009

Ecohydrology

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The Everglades Depth Estimation Network (EDEN) is an integrated network of real-time water-level monitoring, groundelevation modelling, and water-surface modelling that provides scientists and water managers with current (2000-present), on-line water-level and water-depth information for the freshwater Everglades. Continuous daily spatial interpolations of surface water-level gage data from the EDEN water-surface model are presented on grid with 400-m spacing. The direct model output is continuous daily surface-water level, and other hydrologic data such as water depth and hydroperiod can be derived together with ground digital elevation models.This paper validated the spatially continuous EDEN water-surface model for the Everglades, Florida by using an independent field-measured dataset. Three model applications were also demonstrated: to estimate site-specific ground elevation, to create water-depth time series for tree islands, and to generate contiguous water coverage areas. We found that there were no statistically significant differences between model-predicted and field-observed water-level data in central Everglades (p D 0Ð51). Over 95% of the predicted-water levels matched observed-water levels within the range of š5 cm. Overall, the model is reliable by a root mean square error (RMSE) of 3Ð3 cm.The accurate, high-resolution hydrological data, generated over broad spatial and temporal scales by the EDEN watersurface model, provides a previously missing key to understanding the habitat requirements and linkages among native and invasive populations, including fish, wildlife, wading birds, and plants. The EDEN model is a powerful tool that could be adapted for other ecosystem-scale restoration and management programs worldwide.

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Tree Islands of the Everglades

Cited by 44 publications

References 0 publications

Using Historical Ecology to Inform Wildlife Conservation, Restoration, and Management

Using Historical Ecology to Inform Wildlife Conservation, Restoration, and Management

The influence of vegetation on the hydrodynamics and geomorphology of a tree island in Everglades National Park (Florida, United States)

Validation and ecosystem applications of the EDEN water‐surface model for the Florida Everglades

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