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Title: Genetic variation amongst different populations of Typha domingensis and Typha latifolia (cattails) in the Florida Everglades.
Creator: Tapia, Manuel N., Florida Atlantic University, Zhang, Xing-Hai
Abstract/Description: This thesis is intended to explore the genetic variation between cattail species (Typha spp.), within T. domingensis in different locations, anthropoegenic conditions, and possibly discover a hybrid in the Florida Everglades. Typha domingensis is the dominant cattail species in the Everglades, while Typha latifolia a less common species is also present. Five nuclear and chloroplast protein encoding genes from around 20 samples of cattail plants were collected randomly in the Water...
Show moreThis thesis is intended to explore the genetic variation between cattail species (Typha spp.), within T. domingensis in different locations, anthropoegenic conditions, and possibly discover a hybrid in the Florida Everglades. Typha domingensis is the dominant cattail species in the Everglades, while Typha latifolia a less common species is also present. Five nuclear and chloroplast protein encoding genes from around 20 samples of cattail plants were collected randomly in the Water Conservation Areas of the Everglades Protection Act, cloned and sequenced. The results of sequencing showed differences between the two species studied, using an insertion within an intron of the Type 2 Metallothionein-like protein gene as a marker to differentiate between the two species. A high degree of nucleotide polymorphisms interspecifically was revealed. Species identification based on morphology is not always reliable that is why our marker must be utilized to confirm the identity of a plant.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13415
Subject Headings: Everglades (Fla ), Typha--Florida--Everglades, Wetland plants--Florida--Everglades, Habitat (Ecology)--Florida--Everglades
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: FLOATING ISLANDS--BIOGEOMORPHIC FEATURES OF HILLSBORO MARSH, NORTHEASTERNEVERGLADES, FLORIDA.
Creator: STONE, PETER ALAN., Florida Atlantic University, Craig, Alan K., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Floating islands are common natural features in modern Hillsboro Marsh. Most floating islands: 1) occur as detached, free-floating batteries (raft-like peaty masses that rise from substrate), and 2) form in habitats containing abundant waterlilies. New batteries are quickly colonized by marsh, and often terrestrial, plants. Differences in species diversity and early succession occur between two ecologically different subareas. In one subarea many batteries succeed quickly to mixed graminoid...
Show moreFloating islands are common natural features in modern Hillsboro Marsh. Most floating islands: 1) occur as detached, free-floating batteries (raft-like peaty masses that rise from substrate), and 2) form in habitats containing abundant waterlilies. New batteries are quickly colonized by marsh, and often terrestrial, plants. Differences in species diversity and early succession occur between two ecologically different subareas. In one subarea many batteries succeed quickly to mixed graminoid-arborescent vegetation. Floating batteries form hydrologically unusual Everglades habitats and support some locally rare plants. Battery formation produces local topographic elevations and depressions. Apparent size-successional vegetational and landform continuumns seem to link batteries with small extant tree-islands. Radiometric evidence suggests presence of batteries in peat profiles of two tree-islands. Everglades floating islands most resemble others reported in southeastern United States and appear dissimilar morphologically and in mode of origin to those reported from elsewhere worldwide.
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Date Issued: 1978
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13940
Subject Headings: Islands--Florida--Everglades, Botany--Florida--Ecology, Everglades (Fla)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effect of canopy shading on relative primary productivity of periphyton in Water Conservation Area 2-A, Everglades.
Creator: Brandenburg, Mark Eric., Florida Atlantic University, Marsh, G. Alex
Abstract/Description: Differences in relative primary productivity of periphyton were determined for three light regimes: open slough (control), sawgrass canopy, and cattail canopy. The center of Water Conservation Area 2-A, Everglades was chosen as the study site because it is relatively unaffected by nutrient runoff. Periphyton productivity was determined by the light and dark bottle method, and biomass was recorded as ash-free dry weight. Statistically significant correlations were found between periphyton...
Show moreDifferences in relative primary productivity of periphyton were determined for three light regimes: open slough (control), sawgrass canopy, and cattail canopy. The center of Water Conservation Area 2-A, Everglades was chosen as the study site because it is relatively unaffected by nutrient runoff. Periphyton productivity was determined by the light and dark bottle method, and biomass was recorded as ash-free dry weight. Statistically significant correlations were found between periphyton biomass and water temperature and between organic content and water temperature. Mean photosynthetically active radiation reaching the surface of the water under sawgrass and cattail canopy was 45% $\pm$ 3% and 11% $\pm$ 1% respectively. Relative primary productivity of periphyton was lower under cattail canopy than under sawgrass canopy due to increased shading of cattail. This reduction of periphyton biomass and primary productivity can be considered an indirect effect of nutrient enrichment from the Everglades Agricultural Area.
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Date Issued: 1996
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15240
Subject Headings: Freshwater algae--Florida--Everglades, Periphyton--Florida--Everglades, Stream ecology--Florida--Everglades, Primary productivity (Biology)--Florida--Everglades, Plant communities--Florida--Everglades, Everglades (Fla )
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Plant and ant communities in the northern Everglades.
Creator: Carroll, Camille Darby., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Environmental Studies Program
Abstract/Description: I examined the impact of the exotic, invasive plant Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Brown, on tree island plant and ant communities in the northern Everglades. I selected 15 tree islands representing four groups: non-Lygodium islands, islands with low levels of Lygodium, islands with high levels of Lygodium, and disturbed islands impacted by people. I used a variety of diversity indices to compare plant and ant data among habitats. The ant communities studied included...
Show moreI examined the impact of the exotic, invasive plant Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Brown, on tree island plant and ant communities in the northern Everglades. I selected 15 tree islands representing four groups: non-Lygodium islands, islands with low levels of Lygodium, islands with high levels of Lygodium, and disturbed islands impacted by people. I used a variety of diversity indices to compare plant and ant data among habitats. The ant communities studied included native and exotic species typical of south Florida. Tree island plant communities were consistent with descriptions from previous studies. Plant species richness decreased with the level of L. microphyllum in the ground and midstory layers. Abundance of native plants decreased with level of L. microphyllum in the ground, midstory, and overstory layers. Lygodium microphyllum did not affect ant communities suggesting that although it negatively impacts plant communities it can provide habitat for ants.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186675
Subject Headings: Insect-plant relationships, Ants, Ecology, Wildlife conservation, Environmental conditions
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Can Everglades forested wetlands significantly reduce nutrient concentrations in surface waters?.
Creator: Cole, Dara Michelle., Florida Atlantic University, Volin, John C.
Abstract/Description: To improve water quality as part of a large restoration effort, constructed herbaceous wetlands will be used as filters of high nutrient water. In this study, I tested whether mixed forested wetlands could also be used as nutrient filters. I examined water quality parameters within a forested slough isolated from direct anthropogenic disturbance and within an impounded forest wetland receiving direct agricultural effluent. Among the water quality parameters, TP and K concentrations in the...
Show moreTo improve water quality as part of a large restoration effort, constructed herbaceous wetlands will be used as filters of high nutrient water. In this study, I tested whether mixed forested wetlands could also be used as nutrient filters. I examined water quality parameters within a forested slough isolated from direct anthropogenic disturbance and within an impounded forest wetland receiving direct agricultural effluent. Among the water quality parameters, TP and K concentrations in the forested slough were particular low. Although all nutrients, except TKN, were higher in the impounded wetland, nutrient concentrations within the wetland were lower at interior sites as compared to inflow water. Based on the use of chloride as a conservative tracer, this reduction resulted predominantly from biological and chemical processes, while physical processes played a minimal role. This study established that mixed forested wetlands can significantly reduce high nutrient levels in surface water.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12772
Subject Headings: Wetland ecology--Florida--Everglades, Restoration ecology--Florida--Everglades, Everglades (Fla )
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Hydrologic and topographic gradient effects on woody vegetation of tree islands in the Everglades Wildlife Management Area.
Creator: Anderson, Michael Robert., Florida Atlantic University, Volin, John C.
Abstract/Description: Water management in the Everglades has been a challenge for managing agencies for quite some time. Presently, restoration efforts are underway to reestablish natural hydrological patterns such as flow, depth, and hydroperiod. Tree island health is of particular concern because of its importance to the functional integrity of the greater Everglades ecosystem. This study was designed to determine the effects of different hydrological patterns and elevations on native woody vegetation on tree...
Show moreWater management in the Everglades has been a challenge for managing agencies for quite some time. Presently, restoration efforts are underway to reestablish natural hydrological patterns such as flow, depth, and hydroperiod. Tree island health is of particular concern because of its importance to the functional integrity of the greater Everglades ecosystem. This study was designed to determine the effects of different hydrological patterns and elevations on native woody vegetation on tree islands. The study site was the Everglades Wildlife Management Area (EWMA) in the north central Everglades. The study site was broken up into two hydrological zones: dry zone and moderately wet zone. It was found that both hydrology and relative elevation were important predictors of woody species diversity and density. Average hydroperiod and ponding depth were the best sole predictors explaining up to 50% of the woody vegetation variability found within the tail and fringe community as well as the whole tree island.
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Date Issued: 2000
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12709
Subject Headings: Ecosystem management--Florida--Everglades, Woody plants--Florida--Everglades, Everglades Wildlife Management Area (Fla )
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Characteristics Affecting Prey Vulnerability and Avian Habitat Selection in the Florida Everglades.
Creator: Harris, Rachael L., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The vulnerability of prey to capture plays a fundamental role in determining overall prey availability for wading birds. Structural complexity can act to decrease prey vulnerability and influence foraging habitat selection. To determine how structural complexity can affect habitat selection I conducted a use vs. availability study throughout the Florida Everglades in 2005 and 2006. Results indicated that wading birds chose foraging sites that had less emergent vegetation and a thicker...
Show moreThe vulnerability of prey to capture plays a fundamental role in determining overall prey availability for wading birds. Structural complexity can act to decrease prey vulnerability and influence foraging habitat selection. To determine how structural complexity can affect habitat selection I conducted a use vs. availability study throughout the Florida Everglades in 2005 and 2006. Results indicated that wading birds chose foraging sites that had less emergent vegetation and a thicker flocculent layer relative to random sites. Submerged vegetation, and the height of emergent vegetation did not affect wading bird site selection. A difference in habitat selection between years was evident due to hydrological conditions. Ideal hydrological conditions are probably the most important parameter to wading bird success. Other factors affecting prey vulnerability became increasingly important in years of poor hydrology, probably because the penalty for choosing low quality foraging habitat would be greater than in years of more optimal conditions.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000754
Subject Headings: Everglades (Fla), South Florida Water Management District (Fla ), Wildlife management--Florida--Everglades, Bird populations--Florida--Everglades, Water birds--Florida--Everglades, Wetland ecology--Florida--Everglades
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Adapting the pin-intercept method to estimate emergent biomass in sawgrass-dominated communities of the Florida Everglades.
Creator: Lauck, Marina, Benscoter, Brian
Date Issued: 2013-04-05
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361111
Subject Headings: Biomass, Everglades (Fla.), Ecology--Research
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: EFFECTS OF SALTWATER INTRUSION ON THE COMPRESSIBILITY BEHAVIOR OF THE EVERGLADES SOILS.
Creator: Ribeiro, Camila, Sobhan, Khaled, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: The Florida Everglades is considered as a vulnerable wetland composed primary of organic rich peat soils, experiencing saltwater intrusion. Impact of increasing salinity on the strength and deformation properties of peat is unknown. A laboratory study was undertaken to evaluate how the growing salinity level due to sea level rise may alter the compressibility behavior of the Everglades soils. Sixteen 1-dimensional oedometer tests were conducted on undisturbed Everglades peat soils in two...
Show moreThe Florida Everglades is considered as a vulnerable wetland composed primary of organic rich peat soils, experiencing saltwater intrusion. Impact of increasing salinity on the strength and deformation properties of peat is unknown. A laboratory study was undertaken to evaluate how the growing salinity level due to sea level rise may alter the compressibility behavior of the Everglades soils. Sixteen 1-dimensional oedometer tests were conducted on undisturbed Everglades peat soils in two phases. Phase I included samples from Site 1 (saltwater) and Site 3 (freshwater) without any salinity addition. Phase II consisted of soil from Site 3 (freshwater) saturated in six different levels of salinity artificially added to the samples. Compressibility properties investigated in this study include compression index (Cc), coefficient of consolidation (Cv), hydraulic conductivity (K), and the Ca/Cc ratio. In general, it was observed that the increase in salinity beyond a threshold value tends to increase the soil compressibility properties, indicating a possible reduction in soil stability with saltwater intrusion.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013783
Subject Headings: Everglades (Fla.), Peat soils, Saltwater encroachment, Compressibility
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF SEA-LEVEL RISE AND INCREASED SALINITY ON PEAT SOILS OF THE EVERGLADES (FLORIDA): IMPLICATIONS FOR CHANGES IN BIOGENIC GAS DYNAMICS AND PEAT COLLAPSE.
Creator: Sirianni, Matthew J., Comas, Xavier, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: While repeated transgressive and regressive sea level cycles have shaped south Florida throughout geological history, modern rates of sea level rise pose a significant risk to the structure and function of the freshwater wetland ecosystems throughout the low-lying Everglades region. Current regionally corrected sea level projections for south Florida indicate a rise of 0.42m by 2050 and 1.15m by 2100, suggesting the salinization of previously freshwater areas of the Everglades is conceivable....
Show moreWhile repeated transgressive and regressive sea level cycles have shaped south Florida throughout geological history, modern rates of sea level rise pose a significant risk to the structure and function of the freshwater wetland ecosystems throughout the low-lying Everglades region. Current regionally corrected sea level projections for south Florida indicate a rise of 0.42m by 2050 and 1.15m by 2100, suggesting the salinization of previously freshwater areas of the Everglades is conceivable. As freshwater areas become increasingly exposed to saltwater they experience shifts in vegetation composition, soil microbial populations, plant productivity, and physical soil properties that ultimately result in a phenomenon called peat collapse. Recent work in the Everglades has sought to further explain the mechanisms of peat collapse, however the physical changes to the peat matrix induced by saltwater intrusion are still uncertain. Moreover, the combination of physical alterations to the peat matrix associated with peat collapse and shifts in wetland salinity regimes will also likely disrupt the current carbon gas dynamics of the Everglades.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013589
Subject Headings: Sea level rise, Peat soils, Everglades (Fla)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE 1980S, AFTER A CENTURY OF ABUSE, A DECADE OF PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF THE EVERGLADES (FLORIDA).
Creator: NICKELS, SARA R., Florida Atlantic University, Curl, Donald W.
Abstract/Description: In the 1980s, confronted by severe problems created by one hundred years of drainage and flood control in Florida, public officials realized a new policy, while continuing to provide flood protection, must protect the environment and wildlife. This involved restoring the natural water flows to wildlife refuges, Everglades National Park, and other wetland areas. New legislation controlling the water supply, water quality, and the wetlands was passed. The Save Our Everglades program proposed to...
Show moreIn the 1980s, confronted by severe problems created by one hundred years of drainage and flood control in Florida, public officials realized a new policy, while continuing to provide flood protection, must protect the environment and wildlife. This involved restoring the natural water flows to wildlife refuges, Everglades National Park, and other wetland areas. New legislation controlling the water supply, water quality, and the wetlands was passed. The Save Our Everglades program proposed to restore the Everglades (the Kissimmee River Basin, Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades) to look and function more as it did in 1900 than in 1983 when the program was initiated. Problems, primarily caused by increasing population and agriculture, continued to thwart restoration efforts.
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Date Issued: 1987
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14411
Subject Headings: Everglades (Fla), Swamp ecology--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: MONITORING WADING BIRD COLONIES USING ACOUSTIC SAMPLING AND REGIONAL SHIFTS IN WADING BIRD NEST ABUNDANCES IN A PULSED WETLAND SYSTEM.
Creator: Larson, Rachel C., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Wetland loss and degradation have led to the development of restoration programs worldwide, many of which monitor wading bird populations as indicators of wetland quality. Therefore, efficient, standardized monitoring is integral to restoration progress. I tested the use of passive acoustic monitoring to estimate nest abundances and provisioning rates in wading bird colonies and examined regional nesting dynamics in the Florida Everglades, where a long monitoring record enables analysis of...
Show moreWetland loss and degradation have led to the development of restoration programs worldwide, many of which monitor wading bird populations as indicators of wetland quality. Therefore, efficient, standardized monitoring is integral to restoration progress. I tested the use of passive acoustic monitoring to estimate nest abundances and provisioning rates in wading bird colonies and examined regional nesting dynamics in the Florida Everglades, where a long monitoring record enables analysis of nesting patterns relative to hydrologic changes. I found that call rates can serve as indices of colony nest abundances and begging call rate and timing are indicative of provisioning events. Nesting dynamics suggested that resource availability is asynchronous between regions of the Everglades, but the degree of asynchrony varies with species. The conclusions of this study will facilitate the long-term monitoring of wading bird nesting trends, which are important measures of wetland restoration in Florida and worldwide.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013771
Subject Headings: Wetland restoration, Wading birds, Everglades (Fla.), Acoustics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: High Spatial Resolution Measurements Using Hydrogeophysical Methods Reveal the Presence of Hotspots forBbiogenic Gas Accumulation and Release in the Florida Everglades.
Creator: Bole, Troy, Comas, Xavier, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: It is well known that biogenic gas emissions (mainly methane and carbon dioxide) vary both spatially and temporally in peatlands. While most studies have focused on northern systems, several recent studies in tropical and subtropical peatlands (like the Everglades) have revealed the presence of areas of increased gas accumulation and emissions, or hotspots, that may be related to physical and/or biogeochemical changes within the peat's matrix. However, these studies are often limited in terms...
Show moreIt is well known that biogenic gas emissions (mainly methane and carbon dioxide) vary both spatially and temporally in peatlands. While most studies have focused on northern systems, several recent studies in tropical and subtropical peatlands (like the Everglades) have revealed the presence of areas of increased gas accumulation and emissions, or hotspots, that may be related to physical and/or biogeochemical changes within the peat's matrix. However, these studies are often limited in terms of sampling volume and resolution or are based in laboratory studies that may not be totally representative of field conditions. In this study we investigate the spatial variability (both lateral and vertical) in gas accumulation and release at the field scale, over 10 m long transects at two locations in Water Conservation Area 1 of the Florida Everglades, using an array of hydrogeophysical methods. Resulting data infers the presence of hotspots with dimensions ranging from 1-2 m in width and approximately 0.5 m tall. These areas showed high variations in biogenic gas accumulation and release an order of magnitude higher than surrounding areas and occur seasonally as the highest gas releases were observed during Florida’s wet season. This study therefore has implications for better understanding the spatial and temporal variability of biogenic gas hotspots in peat soils, and how the matrix structure affects gas accumulation and release. This study shows the importance of considering the heterogenous nature of the peat's matrix when quantifying gas fluxes in the Everglades, and particularly when using methods with small sampling volumes like gas chambers.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013189
Subject Headings: Everglades (Fla. ), Biogenic gas, Peatlands, Measurement
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: EFFECTS OF WATER FLOW ON A WETLAND MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY.
Creator: Hansen, Chris, Dorn, Nathan, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Macroinvertebrates make up a large fraction of secondary production in wetlands and are strongly influenced by hydrologic alterations. However, little is known of the effect flow has on macroinvertebrate production and community composition in wetlands. Reintroducing measurable water velocities (1-5 cm/s) to the oligotrophic (phosphoruslimited) Everglades has the potential to affect macroinvertebrate production and community structure by increasing the supply of phosphorus (P) to periphyton,...
Show moreMacroinvertebrates make up a large fraction of secondary production in wetlands and are strongly influenced by hydrologic alterations. However, little is known of the effect flow has on macroinvertebrate production and community composition in wetlands. Reintroducing measurable water velocities (1-5 cm/s) to the oligotrophic (phosphoruslimited) Everglades has the potential to affect macroinvertebrate production and community structure by increasing the supply of phosphorus (P) to periphyton, changing basal food quality, and physically altering the habitat. In Chapter 2, I investigated the potential effects of flow-mediated nutrient-loading on the growth rate of herbivorous grazers, apple snails (Pomacea maculata), by growing periphyton on standard substrates, in four sloughs within a landscape-scale flow addition experiment; two sloughs received elevated flow velocities (2.9-5.2 cm/s) and two control sloughs (0.3-0.4 cm/s). Snails fed periphyton from the flowing sloughs gained more than 3.7-fold greater total mass than snails fed periphyton from the control sloughs. The highest velocity slough produced the greatest snail growth. Snail growth was correlated with P accumulation and C:P ratios in the periphyton. Water column nutrients were low and the water column TP differences among sloughs could not fully explain differences in periphyton nutrients or snail growth. Increasing flow above background conditions by as little as 2.4 cm/s in this oligotrophic wetland altered periphyton food quality by flow loading, which subsequently increased growth rates of primary consumers. In Chapter 3, I investigated potential changes in macroinvertebrate standing stock biomass and community composition caused by flow by conducting two sweep net surveys. Surveys were conducted within two groups of sloughs, flow sloughs (6 sloughs) and control sloughs (12 sloughs), within the same landscape-scale flow addition experiment as the growth experiment. Surveys were conducted from January to March in 2018 and 2021. Biomass was compared between the flow sloughs and control sloughs using generalized linear models. Community composition was analyzed at the slough level using Bray-Curtis similarity. Biomass of macroinvertebrates was similar among transects in 2018 but higher in the flow sloughs in 2021 with the highest biomasses further from the L67A (velocities <2cm/s). The two highest flowing sloughs (typically >3cm/s) had a different community composition from the other 16 sloughs in both 2018 and 2021 with a predator resistant non-native snail appearing in 2021. The results of the surveys show an increase in macroinvertebrate production in the flow sloughs possibly related to increased nutritional value of food, however, with higher biomass further from the L67A and the invasion of a predator resistant snail at the high flow sloughs, it also appears that there is increased top-down pressure on the macroinvertebrates at the sloughs closer to the L67A (were cover from predation has been reduced). The overall results of these studies indicate flow produces more nutritional food for herbivorous macroinvertebrates and increases standing stock biomass but can change the community composition when periphyton cover is reduced.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013873
Subject Headings: Wetland ecology, Everglades (Fla.), Invertebrate communities
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: SPATIAL ECOLOGY OF BOBCATS (LYNX RUFUS) ON EVERGLADES TREE ISLANDS.
Creator: Buckman, Katherine, Dom, Nathan, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Bobcats (Lynx rufos) that inhabit tree islands of the Everglades, an expansive wetland in southern Florida. Bobcats are understudied in Florida and wetland ecosystems, and my objective was to identify factors driving their use of tree islands. I hypothesized that tree island size, distance between islands, and clusters of islands might influence occupancy. Additionally, I tested for effects of water levels and the Burmese Python invasion on bobcat occupancy. I built detection histories using...
Show moreBobcats (Lynx rufos) that inhabit tree islands of the Everglades, an expansive wetland in southern Florida. Bobcats are understudied in Florida and wetland ecosystems, and my objective was to identify factors driving their use of tree islands. I hypothesized that tree island size, distance between islands, and clusters of islands might influence occupancy. Additionally, I tested for effects of water levels and the Burmese Python invasion on bobcat occupancy. I built detection histories using 1,855 bobcat images from camera traps set on 87 tree islands in a -2,350 km2 managed conservation area from 2005-2019 and tested hypotheses about bobcat use relative to habitat and hydrologic covariates. Bobcat occupancy was significantly diminished when Burmese python densities exceeded 2.5 pythons/km2• Occupancy probability also increased with increasing densities of tree islands around the focal island. Effects of high water levels were less clear, but suggested a slight reduction in island occupancy with deeper water in the surrounding wetlands. My results suggest that managing for high tree island density and low densities of Burmese pythons will have stronger effects on bobcat habitat use than specific water levels.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013846
Subject Headings: Lynx rufus, Bobcat, Spatial ecology, Everglades (Fla.)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: POPULATION ECOLOGY AND VITAL RATES OF APPLE SNAILS (POMACEA SPP.) IN WETLANDS.
Creator: Barrus, Nathan T., Dorn, Nathan J., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: In this thesis, I explored the abiotic and biotic factors that explain the variation in reproduction, survival, and individual growth of the Florida Apple Snail (Pomacea paludosa), and I combined reproduction, survival, and individual growth to determine the factors limiting Florida Apple Snail populations. First, I examined how the variation in reproduction of the Florida Apple Snail and another non-native congener (P. maculata) can be explained by depth, temperature, photoperiod, and adult...
Show moreIn this thesis, I explored the abiotic and biotic factors that explain the variation in reproduction, survival, and individual growth of the Florida Apple Snail (Pomacea paludosa), and I combined reproduction, survival, and individual growth to determine the factors limiting Florida Apple Snail populations. First, I examined how the variation in reproduction of the Florida Apple Snail and another non-native congener (P. maculata) can be explained by depth, temperature, photoperiod, and adult densities. I also examined how metaphyton total phosphorus (TP) influenced individual growth rates of both species. I found that P. paludosa optimally reproduce in shallower water than P. maculata, that both species respond positively to increased metaphyton TP, and that P. paludosa respond weaker to variation in metaphtyon TP than P. maculata. Then, I examined individual growth across seasons, and examined how size-dependent survival varied across seasons in and out of the presence predators. I also investigated predators that strongly influence survival rates. I found that individual growth was slower in the dry season than the wet season, that survival was not size-dependent nor seasonal when predators were excluded from cages, and that survival was size-dependent in the dry season but not the wet season when in the presence of predators. Greater Sirens and Giant Water Bugs were found to be strong predators of P. paludosa < 10 mm Shell Length (SL), Greater Siren and Giant Water Bugs seasonal abundances were responsible for the differences in size-dependent survival across seasons. Finally, I incorporated differences in ideal hydrological and temperature conditions for reproduction, seasonal differences in individual growth, and changes in survival in and out of the presence of predators onto a zero-population growth isocline. I found that optimal hydrological and temperature conditions, and increased growth in the dry season, could not make up for losses of snails < 10 mm SL by predators which suggested that predators are limiting P. paludosa populations in our study area.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013919
Subject Headings: Florida applesnail, Population ecology, Everglades (Fla.)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Increasing Integrity in Sea-Level Rise Impact Assessment on Florida’s Coastal Everglades.
Creator: Cooper, Hannah M., Zhang, Caiyun, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Over drainage due to water management practices, abundance of native and rare species, and low-lying topography makes the coastal Everglades especially vulnerable to Sea-Level Rise (SLR). Water depths have shown to have a significant relationship to vegetation community composition and organization while also playing a crucial role in vegetation health throughout the Everglades. Modeling potential habitat change and loss caused by increased water depths due to SLR requires better vertical...
Show moreOver drainage due to water management practices, abundance of native and rare species, and low-lying topography makes the coastal Everglades especially vulnerable to Sea-Level Rise (SLR). Water depths have shown to have a significant relationship to vegetation community composition and organization while also playing a crucial role in vegetation health throughout the Everglades. Modeling potential habitat change and loss caused by increased water depths due to SLR requires better vertical Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and Water Table Elevation Models (WTEMs). In this study, an object-based machine learning approach was developed to correct LiDAR elevation data by integrating LiDAR point data, aerial imagery, Real Time Kinematic (RTK)-Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and total station survey data. Four machine learning modeling techniques were compared with the commonly used bias-corrected technique, including Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The k-NN and RF models produced the best predictions for the Nine Mile and Flamingo study areas (RMSE = 0.08 m and 0.10 m, respectively). This study also examined four interpolation-based methods along with the RF, SVM and k-NN machine learning techniques for generating WTEMs. The RF models achieved the best results for the dry season (RMSE = 0.06 m) and the wet season (RMSE = 0.07 m) WTEMs. Previous research in Water Depth Model (WDM) generation in the Everglades focused on a conventional-based approach where a DEM is subtracted from a WTEM. This study extends the conventional-based WDM approach to a rigorous-based WDM technique where Monte Carlo simulation is used to propagate probability distributions through the proposed SLR depth model using uncertainties in the RF-based LiDAR DEM and WTEMs, vertical datums and transformations, regional SLR and soil accretion rates. It is concluded that a more rigorous-based WDM technique increases the integrity of derived products used to support and guide coastal restoration managers and planners concerned with habitat change under the challenge of SLR. Future research will be dedicated to the extension of this technique to model both increased water depths and saltwater intrusion due to SLR (saltwater inundation).
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005991
Subject Headings: Everglades (Fla.), Sea level rise, Coastal ecology--Florida, Everglades (Fla)--Environmental conditions, Impact assessment
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Wading bird prey production and prey selection in a dynamic wetland.
Creator: Klassen, Jessica A., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Anthropogenic impacts, such as habitat destruction and spread of exotic species, are contributing to the sixth major extinction event in Earth’s history. To develop effective management and conservation plans, it is important to understand the ecological drivers of at-risk populations, assess the ability of a population to adapt to environmental change, and develop research methods for long-term ecosystem monitoring. I used wading birds nesting in the Florida Everglades, USA as a model system...
Show moreAnthropogenic impacts, such as habitat destruction and spread of exotic species, are contributing to the sixth major extinction event in Earth’s history. To develop effective management and conservation plans, it is important to understand the ecological drivers of at-risk populations, assess the ability of a population to adapt to environmental change, and develop research methods for long-term ecosystem monitoring. I used wading birds nesting in the Florida Everglades, USA as a model system to address the challenges of managing and monitoring populations within an ecosystem greatly impacted by anthropogenic activities. Specifically, my project investigated 1) the prey selection of wading bird species, and the role of prey and foraging habitat availability on annual nesting numbers, 2) the ability of using diet change to predict species adaptability to a rapidly changing environment, and 3) the use of sensory data to provide low-cost, long-term monitoring of dynamic wetlands. I found that tricolored herons, snowy egrets, and little blue herons consumed marsh fish larger than those generally available across the landscape. Additionally, number of nests initiated by tricolored herons, snowy egrets, and little blue herons was strongly correlated with the annual densities of large fish available within the Everglades landscape. Conversely, number of nests initiated by wood storks, great egrets, and white ibises was more correlated with the amount of foraging habitat availability across the nesting season. Wood stork diets changed considerably since the 1960’s, consisting of mainly sunfish and exotic fish as opposed to marsh fishes dominant in historical diet studies. Storks also consumed more exotic fish species than they did historically. This diet plasticity and the species’ ability to exploit anthropogenic habitats may be conducive to maintaining population viability as storks experience widespread human-induced changes to their habitat. Sensory-only data models generated complementary results to models that used site-specific field data. Additionally, sensory-only models were able to detect different responses between size classes of fish to the processes that increase their concentrations in drying pools. However, the degree to which sensory variables were able to fit species data was dependent upon the ability of sensors to measure species-specific population drivers and the scale at which sensors can measure environmental change.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004716
Subject Headings: Charadriiformes -- Habitat -- Florida -- Everglades, Ciconiiformes -- Habitat -- Florida -- Everglades, Everglades National Park (Fla.) -- Environmental conditions, Predation (Biology), Wetland ecology, Wildlife conservation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effect of hydroperiod on the growth of the crayfish species Procambarus alleni and Procambarus fallax: Two keystone species in the Florida Everglades.
Creator: Gardner, Matthew D., Florida Atlantic University, Volin, John C.
Abstract/Description: The Everglades ecosystem is home to two species of freshwater crayfish: the Everglades crayfish Procambarus alleni and the slough crayfish Procambarus fallax. These species play a key ecological role by transporting energy from primary producers to higher trophic levels. Understanding the factors that regulate crayfish growth is an essential step in restoring their productivity in the Everglades ecosystem. In order to determine the effect of hydroperiod on crayfish growth, I collected...
Show moreThe Everglades ecosystem is home to two species of freshwater crayfish: the Everglades crayfish Procambarus alleni and the slough crayfish Procambarus fallax. These species play a key ecological role by transporting energy from primary producers to higher trophic levels. Understanding the factors that regulate crayfish growth is an essential step in restoring their productivity in the Everglades ecosystem. In order to determine the effect of hydroperiod on crayfish growth, I collected crayfish from the Florida Everglades and subjected them to one of three hydroperiod treatments. The growth of both crayfish species in reduced hydroperiod treatments was significantly less than those in long hydroperiod treatments. Procambarus alleni had a significantly faster initial growth rate than P. fallax, which may give it a competitive advantage in shorter hydroperiod marshes and help explain the distributions of these two species. The results of this study indicate that lengthening hydroperiods in the Everglades ecosystem may have a positive effect on crayfish productivity.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13361
Subject Headings: Ecosystem management--Florida--Everglades National Park, Everglades National Park (Fla ), Crayfish--Habitat--Florida--Everglades National Park, Wetland ecology--Florida--Everglades National Park
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Post-fire Succession and Carbon Storage in the Northern Everglades.
Creator: Reger, Lisa Marie, Benscoter, Brian, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Fire plays a key role in the ecology of the Everglades and is a ubiquitous tool for managing the structure, function, and ecosystem services of the Greater Everglades watershed. Decades of hydrologic modifications have led to the alteration of plant community composition and fire regime in much of the Everglades. To create a better understanding of post-fire recovery in sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) communities, sawgrass marshes in the northern Everglades were studied along a chronosequence...
Show moreFire plays a key role in the ecology of the Everglades and is a ubiquitous tool for managing the structure, function, and ecosystem services of the Greater Everglades watershed. Decades of hydrologic modifications have led to the alteration of plant community composition and fire regime in much of the Everglades. To create a better understanding of post-fire recovery in sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) communities, sawgrass marshes in the northern Everglades were studied along a chronosequence of time since fire and along a nutrient gradient. Areas closer to a water nutrient source and with fewer mean days dry contained greater total and dead aboveground graminoid biomass whereas live graminoid biomass was greater in areas with less time since fire and with fewer days dry. Post-fire characteristics of sawgrass marshes can provide insight on the effectiveness of fire management practices in the maintenance and restoration of quality habitat in the northern Everglades.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004625, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004625
Subject Headings: Everglades National Park (Fla.)--Environmental conditions., Swamp ecology--Florida--Everglades., Restoration ecology--Florida--Everglades., Forest fires--Florida--Everglades., Prescribed burning--Florida--Everglades., Ecosystem management--Florida--Everglades.
Format: Document (PDF)

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