FCE LTER Journal Articles

Authors

Tiffany G. Troxler, Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International UniversityFollow
Evelyn E. Gaiser, Department of Biological Sciences and Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International UniversityFollow
Jordan Barr, South Florida Natural Resources Center, Everglades National Park
Joseph D. Fuentes, The Pennsylvania State University,
Rudolf Jaffe´, Southeast Environmental Research Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University,Follow
Daniel L. Childers, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Ligia Collado-Vides, Department of Biological Sciences and Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International UniversityFollow
Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University
Edward Castañeda-Moya, Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University
William T. Anderson, Southeast Environmental Research Center and Earth Sciences Department, Florida International UniversityFollow
Randy Chambers, Keck Environmental Lab, College of William and Mary
Meilian Chen, Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International University
Carlos Coronado-Molina, Everglades Division, South Florida Water Management District,
Stephen E. Davis, Everglades Foundation
Victor Engel, US Geological Survey Southeast Ecological Science Center
Carl Fitz, Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida
James W. Fourqurean, Department of Biological Sciences and Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International UniversityFollow
Thomas A. Frankovich, Department of Biological Sciences and Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International UniversityFollow
John Kominoski, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Chris Madden, Everglades Division, South Florida Water Management District
Sparkle L. Malone, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama
Steve F. Oberbauer, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Paulo Olivas, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Jennifer H. Richards, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Colin Saunders, Everglades Division, South Florida Water Management District
Jessica Schedlbauer, Department of Biology, West Chester University
Leonard J. Scinto, Southeast Environmental Research Center and Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International UniversityFollow
Fred Sklar, Everglades Division, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow
Tom Smith, Everglades Division, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow
Joseph M. Smoak, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Geography, University of South FloridaFollow
Gregory Starr, Department of Biological Sciences, University of AlabamaFollow
Robert R. Twilley, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program and Department of Oceanography and Coastal Science, Louisiana State UniversityFollow
Kevin R.T. Whelan, South Florida/Caribbean Network, Inventory and Monitoring Program, National Park ServiceFollow

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that coastal ecosystems can bury significantly more C than tropical forests, indicating that continued coastal development and exposure to sea level rise and storms will have global biogeochemical consequences. The Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research (FCE LTER) site provides an excellent subtropical system for examining carbon (C) balance because of its exposure to historical changes in freshwater distribution and sea level rise and its history of significant long-term carbon-cycling studies. FCE LTER scientists used net ecosystem C balance and net ecosystem exchange data to estimate C budgets for riverine mangrove, freshwater marsh, and seagrass meadows, providing insights into the magnitude of C accumulation and lateral aquatic C transport. Rates of net C production in the riverine mangrove forest exceeded those reported for many tropical systems, including terrestrial forests, but there are considerable uncertainties around those estimates due to the high potential for gain and loss of C through aquatic fluxes. C production was approximately balanced between gain and loss in Everglades marshes; however, the contribution of periphyton increases uncertainty in these estimates. Moreover, while the approaches used for these initial estimates were informative, a resolved approach for addressing areas of uncertainty is critically needed for coastal wetland ecosystems. Once resolved, these C balance estimates, in conjunction with an understanding of drivers and key ecosystem feedbacks, can inform cross-system studies of ecosystem response to long-term changes in climate, hydrologic management, and other land use along coastlines.

Comments

The definitive publisher-authenticated version is also available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2013.51

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under Cooperative Agreements #DBI-0620409 and #DEB-9910514. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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