Recent and Historic Drivers of Landscape Change in the Everglades Ridge, Slough, and Tree Island Mosaic

Authors

Laurel Larson, U.S. Geological Survey
Nicholas Aumen, A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife RefugeFollow
Christopher Bernhardt, U.S. Geological Survey
Vic Engel, Everglades National ParkFollow
Thomas Givnish, Deptartment of Botany, University of Wisconsin
Scot Hagerthey, Watershed Management Department, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow
Judson Harvey, U.S. Geological Survey
Lynn Leonard, Geography and Geology, University of North Carolina WilmingtonFollow
Paul McCormick, Watershed Management Department, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow
Christopher Mcvoy, Watershed Management Department, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow
Gregory Noe, U.S. Geological SurveyFollow
Martha Nungesser, Watershed Management Department, South Florida Water Management District
Kenneth Ritchey, Watershed Management Department, South Florida Water Management District
Fred Sklar, Watershed Management Department, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow
Tiffany Troxler-Gann, Southeast Environmental Research Center and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
John Volin, Natural Resources and the Environment, University of ConnecticutFollow
Debra Willard, U.S. Geological Survey

Abstract

More than half of the original Everglades extent formed a patterned peat mosaic of elevated ridges, lower and more open sloughs, and tree islands aligned parallel to the dominant flow direction. This ecologically important landscape structure remained in a dynamic equilibrium for millennia prior to rapid degradation over the past century in response to human manipulation of the hydrologic system. Restoration of the patterned landscape structure is one of the primary objectives of the Everglades restoration effort. Recent research has revealed that three main drivers regulated feedbacks that initiated and maintained landscape structure: the spatial and temporal distribution of surface water depths, surface and subsurface flow, and phosphorus supply. Causes of recent degradation include but are not limited to perturbations to these historically important controls; shifts in mineral and sulfate supply may have also contributed to degradation. Restoring predrainage hydrologic conditions will likely preserve remaining landscape pattern structure, provided a sufficient supply of surface water with low nutrient and low total dissolved solids content exists to maintain a rainfall-driven water chemistry. However, because of hysteresis in landscape evolution trajectories, restoration of areas with a fully degraded landscape could require additional human intervention.

Comments

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.

Recommended Citation

Larsen, L., N. Aumen, C. Bernhardt, V. Engel, T. Givnish, S.E. Hagerthey, J. Harvey, L. Leonard, P. McCormick, C. McVoy, G.B. Noe, M. Nungesser, K. Rutchey, F.H. Sklar, T. Troxler, J.C. Volin, D.A. Willard. 2011. Recent and Historic Drivers of Landscape Change in the Everglades Ridge, Slough, and Tree Island Mosaic. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 41: 344-381.