Investigating how phosphorus controls structure and function in two Everglades wetland plant communities
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Major/Program
Biology
First Advisor's Name
Daniel L. Childers
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Joel C. Trexler
Third Advisor's Name
James W. Fourqurean
Date of Defense
3-25-1998
Abstract
Recent anthropogenic activity in south Florida has increased inputs of phosphorus being delivered to the historically oligotrophic Everglades. Consequently, understanding how phosphorus structures these wetlands is critical. I investigated this with both indirect, correlative techniques and direct, experimental manipulation in two community types: sawgrass and wet prairie. Composition, abundance and productivity in the sawgrass community is most likely controlled primarily by P-availability. In contrast, controls of structure in the wet prairie seem to vary among species and include both P-availability and hydrologic regime. These two communities also respond differently to nutrient enrichment. While the sawgrass community appears to store newly available P in the form of increased production, the wet prairie seems to rapidly recycle P through increases in aboveground turnover rates. As part of my research, a nondestructive technique which accurately estimates aboveground live standing crop in eight common Everglades species was developed.
Identifier
FI14061599
Recommended Citation
Daoust, Robert J., "Investigating how phosphorus controls structure and function in two Everglades wetland plant communities" (1998). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2715.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2715
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).