Hydrologic Variation and Ecological Processes in the Mangrove Forests of South Florida: Response to Restoration

Investigators: Thomas J. Smith III and James E. Saiers Project Personnel: Gordon Anderson and Christa Walker Project Summary Bibliography Publications Photos

Please note - this is a completed project.

Summary

This project aims to derive relationships between hydrologic conditions and mangrove ecosystem function.

The focus of this research is (1) quantifying groundwater and and surface-water flow dynamics within the coastal mangrove zone and within the adjacent freshwater marsh, (2) defining the response of fluid flow characteristics to changes in weather and water management practices, and (3) deriving relationships between hydrologic conditions and vegetation indices of the mangrove-marsh ecotone.

A two-dimensional finite-difference model has been constructed that accurately predicts the temporal variability in water levels in the central portion of Shark River Slough. The domain of this model is being extended to include the coastal mangrove zone, and the model is being modified to account for complications associated with the mixing of fresh and saline waters.

Project Summary

• 2001
• 2002

Publications

Abstract:

• Hydraulic Conductivity of Riparian Mangrove Forest Peat Adjacent to the Harney River, Everglades National Park: A Comparative Field Study of Field Saturated and Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Methods (from the 2002 AGU Spring Meeting)

  Project Bibliography

  Papers:

• Determination of Specific Yield for the Biscayne Aquifer with a Canal-Drawdown Test (available from the National Ground Water Association Ground Water Journal website)
• Development and evaluation of a mathematical model for surface-water flow within the Shark River Slough of the Florida Everglades (available from the Science Direct Journal of Hydrology website)
• Stable Isotope Studies of Red Mangroves and Filter Feeders from the Shark River Estuary, Florida (From the Bulletin of Marine Science: Vol. 70, No. 3, pp. 871-890; available from APT Online)

  Poster:

• Consequences of Fire and Freeze on a Mangrove-Marsh Ecotone (presented at the 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 2001)
• Development and Testing of a Surface-Water Flow Model for Shark River Slough (Poster presented December 2000, at the GEER Conference)
• Restoration of Sheetflow to Northeast Florida Bay: An Assessment of Structural Modifications to the C-111 Canal

Photos

• Project Photo Gallery