Wetland Ecosystem Response to Hydrologic Restoration and Management: The Everglades and its Urban- Agricultural Boundary (FL, USA)

Authors

Pamela L. Sullivan, Pennsylvania State University - Main CampusFollow
Evelyn E. Gaiser, Department of Biological Sciences and Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International UniversityFollow
Donatto Surratt, National Park ServiceFollow
David T. Rudnick, Everglades National ParkFollow
Stephen E. Davis, Everglades FoundationFollow
Fred H. Sklar, South Florida Water Management DistrictFollow

Abstract

Wetland restoration success depends on understanding ecohydrological complexities in addition to the historical extent and legacies of past modifications. Restoration effectiveness in the Florida Everglades has been studied for several decades. We focused this special issue on the effects of hydrologic restoration in the southeastern Everglades, as this region provides a model for understanding wetland and estuarine response to management and restoration along an urban-agricultural-wetland boundary. We synthesize several decades of interdisciplinary wetland ecosystem restoration studies examining the influence of hydrologic and biogeochemical changes on spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem structure and function. Our goal is to improve restoration effectiveness by revealing connections between water management activities and ecosystem changes. Synthesis of these long-term data suggests restoration success is contingent on quantifying the influences hydrologic restoration on landscape connectivity within and outside of the Everglades boundaries, in addition to its interactions with organisms and their complex food webs. Rehabilitating habitat structure and connectivity in the southeastern Everglades can be accomplished through increasing delivery of clean freshwater to its primary flow-way, Taylor Slough. This compendium indicates that reversal of water quality impacts of rehydration is possible given timely and informed approaches that improve the flow clean freshwater to the Everglades.

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 #DEB-1237517, #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

Sullivan, P., E.E. Gaiser, D.D. Surratt, D.T. Rudnick, S.E. Davis, F.H. Sklar. 2014. Wetland Ecosystem Response to Hydrologic Restoration and Management: The Everglades and its Urban- Agricultural Boundary (FL, USA). Wetlands 34: 1-8. DOI: 10.1007/s13157-014-0525-2