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- Title
- Development, evaluation, and application of spatio-temporal wading bird foraging models to guide everglades restoration.
- Creator
- Beerens, James M., Noonburg, Erik G., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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In south Florida, the Greater Everglades ecosystem supports sixteen species of wading birds. Wading birds serve as important indicator species because they are highly mobile, demonstrate flexible habitat selection, and respond quickly to changes in habitat quality. Models that establish habitat relationships from distribution patterns of wading birds can be used to predict changes in habitat quality that may result from restoration and climate change. I developed spatio-temporal species...
Show moreIn south Florida, the Greater Everglades ecosystem supports sixteen species of wading birds. Wading birds serve as important indicator species because they are highly mobile, demonstrate flexible habitat selection, and respond quickly to changes in habitat quality. Models that establish habitat relationships from distribution patterns of wading birds can be used to predict changes in habitat quality that may result from restoration and climate change. I developed spatio-temporal species distribution models for the Great Egret, White Ibis, and Wood Stork over a decadal gradient of environmental conditions to identify factors that link habitat availability to habitat use (i.e., habitat selection), habitat use to species abundance, and species abundance (over multiple scales) to nesting effort and success. Hydrological variables (depth, recession rate, days since drydown, reversal, and hydroperiod) over multiple temporal scales and with existing links to wading bird responses were used as proxies for landscape processes that influence prey availability (i.e., resources). In temporal foraging conditions (TFC) models, species demonstrated conditional preferences for resources based on resource levels at differing temporal scales. Wading bird abundance was highest when prey production from optimal periods of wetland inundation was concentrated in shallow depths. Similar responses were observed in spatial foraging conditions (SFC) models predicting spatial occurrence over time, accounting for spatial autocorrelation. The TFC index represents conditions within suitable depths that change daily and reflects patch quality, whereas the SFC index spatially represents suitability of all cells and reflects daily landscape patch abundance. I linked these indices to responses at the nest initiation and nest provisioning breeding phases from 1993-2013. The timing of increases and overall magnitude of resource pulses predicted by the TFC in March and April were strongly linked to breeding responses by all species. Great Egret nesting effort and success were higher with increases in conspecific attraction (i.e., clustering). Wood Stork nesting effort was closely related to timing of concurrently high levels of patch quality (regional scale) and abundance (400-m scale), indicating the importance of a multi-scaled approach. The models helped identify positive and negative changes to multi-annual resource pulses from hydrological restoration and climate change scenarios, respectively.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004078, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004078
- Subject Headings
- Everglades National Park (Fla.) -- Environmental conditions, Restoration ecology -- Florida -- Everglades National Park, Water birds -- Florida -- Geographical distribution, Water birds -- Habitat -- Florida -- Everglades National Park, Wetland restoration -- Florida -- Everglades National Park
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Zooarchaeological Perspective of West Kendall Tree Island Site (8DA1081).
- Creator
- Steeves, Ryan, Fradkin, Arlene, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
- Abstract/Description
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The West Kendall Tree Island site (8DA1081) is a black dirt midden situated on the northeast end of an everglades tree island. The site has been intensely disturbed by excavation pits, particularly on the highest elevations of the site, and becomes increasingly disturbed by a growing Kendall population. Faunal remains recovered in 2008 are examined to reconstruct past ecological habitats, comparing the faunal composition to tree island sites within the Florida Everglades. Based upon...
Show moreThe West Kendall Tree Island site (8DA1081) is a black dirt midden situated on the northeast end of an everglades tree island. The site has been intensely disturbed by excavation pits, particularly on the highest elevations of the site, and becomes increasingly disturbed by a growing Kendall population. Faunal remains recovered in 2008 are examined to reconstruct past ecological habitats, comparing the faunal composition to tree island sites within the Florida Everglades. Based upon identifications, the composition of the site is similar to those of the region, being comprised primarily of freshwater aquatic species and aquatic reptiles, with minimal selection of terrestrial faunal resources.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013101
- Subject Headings
- Zooarchaeology., Animal remains (Archaeology)--Florida., Tree islands--Florida--Everglades.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The cascading impacts of vegetation on peat soil properties and crayfish survival in the Florida everglades.
- Creator
- Chapman, Alexander, Benscoter, Brian, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Changes in vegetation may influence the quality and quantity of the underlying organic peat soils and have impacts on faunal populations. My goal was to determine whether shifts from native slough communities to invasive cattail in the Florida Everglades could affect peat characteristics that could cascade to impact the dry season survival of crayfish (Procambarus fallax). I contrasted peat soils from native slough and cattail-invaded sites as alternative dry-season burrowing substrates for...
Show moreChanges in vegetation may influence the quality and quantity of the underlying organic peat soils and have impacts on faunal populations. My goal was to determine whether shifts from native slough communities to invasive cattail in the Florida Everglades could affect peat characteristics that could cascade to impact the dry season survival of crayfish (Procambarus fallax). I contrasted peat soils from native slough and cattail-invaded sites as alternative dry-season burrowing substrates for crayfish. Cattail peat had higher average bulk density and inorganic content within the first ten centimeters of the soil profile. Crayfish showed marginally greater initial burrowing success in slough peat than in cattail peat but survival was equivalent in both peat soils and high overall. Understanding these indirect linkages between vegetation and crayfish populations in the Everglades can provide insight on the consequences of plant invasion on ecosystem trophic dynamics.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004091, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004091
- Subject Headings
- Crayfish (Ecology), Ecosystem management, Everglades National Park (Fla.), Vegetation dynamics -- Florida -- Everglades National Park
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Quantifying wading bird resource selection and nesting effort: a tool for the restoration of pulsed ecosystems.
- Creator
- Petersen, Michelle L., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Understanding the link between indicator species and their environment is imperative to managing and conserving anthropogenically-altered ecosystems. Seasonally-pulsed wetlands are uniquely complex ecosystem where water-level fluctuations shape trophic interactions. Anthropogenic manipulation of water-level fluctuation threatens the integrity of these systems worldwide. Wading birds, a group of species sensitive to landuse changes and fluctuating habitat conditions, serve as important...
Show moreUnderstanding the link between indicator species and their environment is imperative to managing and conserving anthropogenically-altered ecosystems. Seasonally-pulsed wetlands are uniquely complex ecosystem where water-level fluctuations shape trophic interactions. Anthropogenic manipulation of water-level fluctuation threatens the integrity of these systems worldwide. Wading birds, a group of species sensitive to landuse changes and fluctuating habitat conditions, serve as important indicators for wetland health. I used wading birds in the Everglades, as a model system to address the challenges of environmental restoration within an ecosystem heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities. Specifically, I 1) identified the nesting response of Great Egret (Ardea alba), White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), and Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) to hydrologically-mediated changes in food availability and 2) quantified spatiotemporal foraging-habitat selection of Great Egrets, White Ibis, and Wood Storks to fluctuating hydrologic conditions. Collectively, model selection results suggest food availability, generated through dynamic hydrological conditions, is a strong predictor of the abundance of nesting birds in a given year. Great egret and white ibis produce the highest nests numbers in years when the frequency of days of rising water is low. Wood stork nest numbers are the highest in years with high prey production coupled with continuous prey availability. My study of resource selection indicated wading birds select foraging sites based on similar hydrologic parameters, but the response varies by species. Wood storks are more likely to forage in shallow cells (< 10 cm) drying with high recession rates (0.5-1.5 cm/day), and long time since last drydown (600 days). White ibises selected foraging cells with relatively shallow water depths (0-15 cm), intermediate recession rates (0.5-1.0 cm/day), and long time since drydown (600 days). Great egrets selected foraging cells with a wider range of water depths (0-20 cm) where recession rates were lower (0.5 cm/day). All species are more likely to forage in cells where water has not increased by more than 3 cm in the previous two weeks. These differences in resource selections correspond to morphological and behavioral differences in the species, whereby wood storks were more constrained hydrologically and would be more affected by water-level manipulation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004852
- Subject Headings
- Wetland biodiversity conservation--Florida--Everglades., Wetland conservation., Water birds., Wood stork., White ibis., Egretta alba.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Determining the Effects of Fire on Ridge Shape Complexity In the Central Everglades.
- Creator
- Dombrowski, Jacob, Benscoter, Brian, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Self-organized spatial patterning of microtopographic features is a trademark characteristic of the Everglades landscape. Anthropogenic modifications to Everglades’ hydrology have reduced and degraded pattern, where ridges occur at higher elevations and spread into open water sloughs under dryer conditions. Wildfire is an important ecological force in the central Everglades and may maintain ridge-slough patterning through reducing ridge size and complexity, and thus preserve habitat...
Show moreSelf-organized spatial patterning of microtopographic features is a trademark characteristic of the Everglades landscape. Anthropogenic modifications to Everglades’ hydrology have reduced and degraded pattern, where ridges occur at higher elevations and spread into open water sloughs under dryer conditions. Wildfire is an important ecological force in the central Everglades and may maintain ridge-slough patterning through reducing ridge size and complexity, and thus preserve habitat heterogeneity. To investigate fire as a patterning mechanism in the central Everglades I examined the shape complexity and area distribution of ridges along a chronosequence of time since fire. Shape complexity did not change following fire, but small and large ridges became more prominent and eventually spread as time since fire increased, suggesting fire may maintain ridge area distribution. Documentation of fires’ effect on ridge size will inform ecosystem and conceptual models detailing the complex interactions that maintain the Everglades ridge-slough patterning.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004683, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004683
- Subject Headings
- Burning of land -- Environmental aspects, Everglades National Park (Fla.) -- Environmental conditions, Fire ecology -- Florida -- Everglades National Park, Landscape ecology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Foraging Habitat Modeling and Nesting Ecology of Wood Storks in Everglades National Park.
- Creator
- Herring, Heidi K., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Understanding the foraging and nesting ecology of Wood Storks will play an important role in Everglades restoration because this species has specific resource requirements during the breeding season which ultimately affect nest success. I conducted a foraging habitat use and selection study, which indicated that Wood Storks from coastal colonies, Paurotis Pond and Rodgers River Bay, require a narrow range of water depths in the mangrove-saltwater marsh ecotone near their colonies as well in...
Show moreUnderstanding the foraging and nesting ecology of Wood Storks will play an important role in Everglades restoration because this species has specific resource requirements during the breeding season which ultimately affect nest success. I conducted a foraging habitat use and selection study, which indicated that Wood Storks from coastal colonies, Paurotis Pond and Rodgers River Bay, require a narrow range of water depths in the mangrove-saltwater marsh ecotone near their colonies as well in the freshwater marsh habitats of the inland Everglades. Wood Storks nesting at the inland colony, Tamiarni West, relied heavily upon nearby freshwater marsh habitat and selected foraging sites associated with shrub swamp habitat as well as optimal water depths. The observational nesting ecology study of Wood Storks showed marked differences in parental nest attendance and food delivery rates between the two years of study, 2005 and 2006, which had different hydrological patterns.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000761
- Subject Headings
- Habitat selection, Animal behavior, Wood stork--Habitat, Bird populations--Florida--Everglades National Park, Everglades National Park (Fla )
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EVALUATING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR COASTAL FLORIDA EVERGLADES RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT.
- Creator
- Durgan, Sara D., Zhang, Caiyun, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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The Florida Everglades ecosystem is experiencing increasing threats from anthropogenic modification of water flow, spread of invasive species, sea level rise (SLR), and more frequent and/or intense hurricanes. Restoration efforts aimed at rehabilitating these ongoing and future disturbances are currently underway through the implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Efficacy of these restoration activities can be further improved with accurate and site-specific...
Show moreThe Florida Everglades ecosystem is experiencing increasing threats from anthropogenic modification of water flow, spread of invasive species, sea level rise (SLR), and more frequent and/or intense hurricanes. Restoration efforts aimed at rehabilitating these ongoing and future disturbances are currently underway through the implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Efficacy of these restoration activities can be further improved with accurate and site-specific information on the current state of the coastal wetland habitats. In order to produce such assessments, digital datasets of the appropriate accuracy and scale are needed. These datasets include orthoimagery to delineate wetland areas and map vegetation cover as well as accurate 3-dimensional (3-D) models to characterize hydrology, physiochemistry, and habitat vulnerability.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013501
- Subject Headings
- Everglades (Fla )--Environmental conditions--Remote sensing, Aerial photogrammetry, Wetland restoration--Florida--Everglades, Image analysis, Aerial photogrammetry--Data processing, Drone aircraft
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The origins of Everglades drainage in the Progressive Era: Local, state and federal cooperation and conflict.
- Creator
- Strickland, Jeffery Glenn., Florida Atlantic University, Rose, Mark H.
- Abstract/Description
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During the Progressive Era, technical experts--state and independent engineers, United States Department of Agriculture scientists, and United States engineers increasingly influenced drainage and reclamation policy in central and southern Florida. Engineers agreed with the general method of drainage but at times disagreed over engineering specifics. The federal, state and local govemments were aware of the benefits associated with internal improvements, at the same time, however, they...
Show moreDuring the Progressive Era, technical experts--state and independent engineers, United States Department of Agriculture scientists, and United States engineers increasingly influenced drainage and reclamation policy in central and southern Florida. Engineers agreed with the general method of drainage but at times disagreed over engineering specifics. The federal, state and local govemments were aware of the benefits associated with internal improvements, at the same time, however, they frequently fought over their control. Between the mid-nineteenth century and the early 1900s, drainage engineering knowledge and technology increased along with the role of the engineers. As a result, Florida's Progressive Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward began a state-financed and state-managed effort to drain and reclaim the Everglades in 1905. The role of the state engineer, however, differed from the expert described by historian Robert H. Wiebe, in that the engineer was not an independent policy-maker. The state engineer was always subordinate to the Florida Legislature and the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund, including the Governor of Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1999
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15643
- Subject Headings
- Drainage--Florida--Everglades, Reclamation of land--Florida, Florida--Politics and government--1865-1950, Everglades (Fla)--History
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Stakeholders, Advocacy Coalitions and The Policy Process: Policy Change in Everglades Restoration.
- Creator
- Taylor, Leslie, Thai, Khi V., Sapat, Alka K., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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This study is about advocacy coalitions' efforts at influencing the debate surrounding the formulation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Policy change as utilized in the dissertation views the adoption of CERP as a change in government policy on Everglades restoration that was achieved through competing stakeholders and coalitions. As one of the largest environmental restoration projects ever undertaken in the U.S. and possibly the most complex in terms of reconciling...
Show moreThis study is about advocacy coalitions' efforts at influencing the debate surrounding the formulation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Policy change as utilized in the dissertation views the adoption of CERP as a change in government policy on Everglades restoration that was achieved through competing stakeholders and coalitions. As one of the largest environmental restoration projects ever undertaken in the U.S. and possibly the most complex in terms of reconciling stakeholder views and understanding the science of restoration, the federal government and the state of Florida were keen on providing a formal participatory process for stakeholder input. The formulation process leading up to the adoption of CERP forms a unique study in our understanding of coalition behavior, their efforts at influencing governmental policy and the way the deliberative and participatory process worked. The major purpose of the dissertation is to examine the perceived effectiveness of stakeholders and coalitions, specifically the environmental and agribusiness coalitions, to influence policy change in Everglades restoration. The study looks at how policy change was achieved within the formal institutions established and other infonnal channels developed through cooperation and consensus. Utilizing the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), interest group and coalition building literature, I hypothesize that the influence of coalitions in bringing about policy change is affected by five factors: internal factors such as (I) heterogeneity of stakeholders' beliefs, (2) membership size and external factors including (3) the presence of policy brokers, (4) change in the systemic governing coalition, and (5) presence of multiple coalitions. These factors are assumed to have contributed to altering or changing the dynamics and the direction of discourse in the policy process. Data was drawn from interviewing stakeholders who are members of the environmental and agribusiness coalitions and from secondary sources. The study shows that both the environmental and agribusiness coalitions perceive their efforts to be effective and instrumental in impacting the events and issues in the restoration process and particularly in influencing policy change. The study also reveals that the deliberative and participatory process, although sometimes contentious, has been a successful mechanism in allowing stakeholders to influence the formulation of CERP.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000615
- Subject Headings
- South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Program, Wetland Restoration--Government Policy--Florida--Everglades, Everglades (Fla)--Government Policy, Political Planning--Florida, United States--Politics and Government--2001---Decision Making
- Format
- Document (PDF)
