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Effects of fish on reptile and amphibian community assemblages in wetlands of variable permanence
Title
Effects of fish on reptile and amphibian community assemblages in wetlands of variable permanence.
Creator
Holbrook, Joshua D., Dorn, Nathan, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description
Many herpetofaunal species are imperiled, and the causes of this are often a synergy of multiple factors. In wetlands specifically, two of the possible determinants of species occurrence and faunal community assemblage are fish presence and wetland permanence, which are not always correlated. Twenty wetlands were sampled in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Florida, USA to observe how wetland herpetofaunal communities vary with fish, wetland permanence and other environmental factors....
Show moreMany herpetofaunal species are imperiled, and the causes of this are often a synergy of multiple factors. In wetlands specifically, two of the possible determinants of species occurrence and faunal community assemblage are fish presence and wetland permanence, which are not always correlated. Twenty wetlands were sampled in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Florida, USA to observe how wetland herpetofaunal communities vary with fish, wetland permanence and other environmental factors. Herpetofaunal communities with and without fish were significantly different from one another and differences between herpetofaunal communities were primarily due to the contribution of four species of frogs, two generalist ranids and two specialist hylids. Wetland permanence had no observable effect on community structure. Fishless wetlands were significantly more species-rich and possessed higher numbers of individuals even for species that occurred in both fishless and fish wetlands, regardless of their permanence. These findings have implications for wetlands restoration and herpetofaunal conservation.
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Date Issued
2014
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004203, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004203
Subject Headings
Amphibian surveys -- Florida -- Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Amphibians -- Conservation, Amphibians -- Ecology, Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Fla.), Reptiles -- Conservation, Reptiles -- Ecology, Wetland ecology, Wetlands -- Environmental aspects
Format
Document (PDF)
Amount and economic valuation of feral hog damage to a unique basin marsh wetland in Florida
Title
Amount and economic valuation of feral hog damage to a unique basin marsh wetland in Florida.
Creator
Engeman, Richard M., Smith, Henry T., Severson, Robert G., Severson, Mary Ann M., Schwiff, Stephanie A., Constantin, Bernice, Griffin, Daniel
Date Issued
2003-10
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11532
Subject Headings
Ecosystem management--Florida, Wild Swine--United States, Swine--Economic aspects, Swine--Ecology, Wetlands--Economic Aspects, Florida. Dept. of Environmental Protection--Evaluation, Wetland mitigation banking--Florida--Evaluation
Format
Document (PDF)
A Modeling Study on The Effects of Seagrass Beds on the Hydrodynamics in the Indian River Lagoon
Title
A Modeling Study on The Effects of Seagrass Beds on the Hydrodynamics in the Indian River Lagoon.
Creator
Habib, MD Ahsan, Jiang, Mingshun, Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Abstract/Description
Seagrass is a key stone component for the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) ecosystem, and therefore it is an important topic for many studies in the lagoon. This study focuses on the effects of seagrass beds on the hydrodynamics in the IRL. A hydrodynamic model based on the Delft3D modeling system has been developed for the southern IRL including the St. Lucie estuary, Ft. Pierce and St. Lucie Inlets, and adjacent coastal waters. The model is driven by freshwater inputs from the watershed, tides,...
Show moreSeagrass is a key stone component for the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) ecosystem, and therefore it is an important topic for many studies in the lagoon. This study focuses on the effects of seagrass beds on the hydrodynamics in the IRL. A hydrodynamic model based on the Delft3D modeling system has been developed for the southern IRL including the St. Lucie estuary, Ft. Pierce and St. Lucie Inlets, and adjacent coastal waters. The model is driven by freshwater inputs from the watershed, tides, meteorological forcing, and oceanic boundary forcing. The model has been systematically calibrated through a series of numerical experiments for key parameters, particularly the bottom roughness, and configuration including heat flux formulation and bottom bathymetry. The model skills were evaluated with quantitative metrics (point-to-point correlation, root-mean-square difference, and mean bias) to gauge the agreements between model and data for key variables including temperature, salinity, and currents. A three-year (2013-2015) simulation has been performed, and the results have been validated with available data including observations at HBOI Land-Ocean Biogeochemistry Observatory (LOBO) stations and in situ measurements from various sources. The validated model is then used to investigate the effects of 1) model vertical resolution (total number of model vertical layers), 2) spatial variability of surface winds, and 3) seagrass beds on the simulated hydrodynamics. The study focuses on the vicinity of Ft. Pierce Inlet, where significant seagrass coverage can be found. A series of numerical experiments were performed with a combination of different configurations. Overall, the experiment with 2-dimensional (2-D) winds, ten vertical layers and incorporating seagrass provided the most satisfactory outcomes. Overall, both vertical resolution and spatial variability of surface winds affect significantly the model results. In particular, increasing vertical resolution improves model prediction of temperature, salinity and currents. Similarly, the model with 2-D winds yields more realistic results than the model forced by 0-D winds. The seagrass beds have significant effects on the model results, particularly the tidal and sub-tidal currents. In general, model results show that both tidal and sub-tidal currents are much weaker due to increase bottom friction from seagrass. For tidal currents, the strongest impacts lie in the main channel (inter-coastal waterway) and western part of the lagoon, where strong tidal currents can be found. Inclusion of seagrass in the model also improves the simulation of sub-tidal currents. Seagrass beds also affect model temperature and salinity including strengthening vertical stratification. In general, seagrass effects vary over time, particularly tidal cycle with stronger effects seen in flood and ebb tides, and seasonal cycle with stronger effects in the summer than in winter.
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Date Issued
2016
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004774, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004774
Subject Headings
Turtle grass--Environmental aspects., Seagrasses--Ecology., Grassed waterways., Wave resistance (Hydrodynamics), Wetland ecology., Estuarine ecology., Estuarine restoration., Coastal zone management.
Format
Document (PDF)
Body Condition of Juvenile Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock, 1828) in Anthropogenic Refuges on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation during the 2006 Dry Season
Title
Body Condition of Juvenile Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock, 1828) in Anthropogenic Refuges on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation during the 2006 Dry Season.
Creator
Ramdin, Gianna, Baldwin, John D., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description
This study investigated variations m body condition of brown hoplos (Hoplosternum littorale) refuging in ponds in the Big Cypress region of southern Florida. During the dry season environmental parameters fluctuated, water depth and dissolved oxygen decreased, while temperature and conductivity increased. Standard lengths and wet weights of 675 juvenile brown hoplos were measured from seven populations. Body condition was compared between populations and through time (early vs. late dry...
Show moreThis study investigated variations m body condition of brown hoplos (Hoplosternum littorale) refuging in ponds in the Big Cypress region of southern Florida. During the dry season environmental parameters fluctuated, water depth and dissolved oxygen decreased, while temperature and conductivity increased. Standard lengths and wet weights of 675 juvenile brown hoplos were measured from seven populations. Body condition was compared between populations and through time (early vs. late dry season) using length-weight relationship and Fulton's condition factor. The only significant spatia-temporal variations in body condition occurred in the deepest refuges. One population demonstrated an unexpected positive change in body condition, while another (a deep culvert pond) showed negative changes in body condition over time. Smaller fish (≤S65mmSL) found in these deep-water refuges demonstrated the most change in body condition. Almost all populations exhibited isometric growth but the culvert pond population had variable regression slopes (slopes ≠ 3 for both samples).
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Date Issued
2007
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000817
Subject Headings
Seminole Tribe of Florida, Big Cypress Swamp (Fla )--Environmental aspects, Wetland ecology--Florida--Big Cypress Swamp (Fla ), Ecosystem management--Florida--Big Cypress Swamp (Fla)
Format
Document (PDF)