Influence of Experimental Sheet Flow on Aquatic Foods Webs of the Central Everglades

Authors

Sarah C. Bornhoeft, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Biology

First Advisor's Name

Joel C. Trexler

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Evelyn Gaiser

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

John Kominoski

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Keywords

Wetlands, Food Webs, Algae, Fatty Acids, Sailfin Molly, Eastern Mosquitofish, Riverine Grass Shrimp, Everglades, stoichiometry, phosphorus

Date of Defense

7-1-2016

Abstract

Establishing historical water velocities is a goal of Everglades restoration because of their role maintaining landscape topographic relief. However, flows may also change the trophic state of marshes by phosphorus loading. I used fatty acid (FA) and stoichiometric data to quantify how increased sheet flow altered the relative heterotrophic and autotrophic contributions to aquatic consumers in a field experiment that introduced flowing water to an Everglades marsh in November, 2014. Algal taxonomic composition was different between pre-flow and flow sampling, marked by increases in the nutrient exploiting Mougeotia species (green algae) during flow sampling. Dietary tracer FAs in consumers reflected changes in algal resources, including an increase in green algae-derived and a decrease in bacteria-derived FAs. These food web responses indicate that establishing historic water velocity in degraded wetlands can shift the origins of organic matter from a more detrital to more algal supported web.

Identifier

FIDC000760

Recommended Citation

Bornhoeft, Sarah C., "Influence of Experimental Sheet Flow on Aquatic Foods Webs of the Central Everglades" (2016). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2562.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2562