Work conducted in 2008 will continue to establish baseline conditions for fish and macroinvertebrate communities in the mangrove creeks of Everglades National Park (ENP). This monitoring was begun in 2004, with the focus from 2004-2007 on testing methodologies and strategies for sampling fishes and macroinvertebrates in this difficult–to-sample mangrove habitat. Findings from the 2004-2007 work showed electrofishing catch per unit effort (CPUE) provided a reliable estimator of large-bodied fish abundance and species richness at salinities below 15 (Loftus and Rehage 2007, Rehage and Loftus 2007). For the smaller species, our data showed that minnow trap CPUE provides an adequate estimate of forage-fish and macroinvertebrate abundance in the mangrove prop-root microhabitat. Results also showed that there is significant biotic connectivity between freshwater marshes and the oligohaline/mesohaline mangrove habitats, particularly along the Shark Slough-Shark River ecotone. These data indicate that mangrove creeks serve as important dry-season habitat for a variety of freshwater taxa. As upstream marshes dry, fishes and decapods move into mangrove creeks. We hypothesize that the timing and spatial extent of this movement into creeks is affected by the pattern and timing of water recession in marshes, and the effects of this recession on salinity levels in the creeks. We suspect that animal movements into creeks results in a shift in energy flow from avian predators in the wetlands to piscine predators in the creeks. Ecotonal creeks are deep (> 1m), and prey that move into creeks become unavailable to many wading birds, instead serving as prey for freshwater, estuarine, and marine fish predators (along with alligators). In 2008, we continue to test these hypotheses. Sampling in FY08 will result in additional sampling events and increase replication, which should enhance our ability to detect changes in the fish and macroinvertebrate community in relation to changes in key ecological drivers, namely freshwater inflow and salinity. In particular, our objectives for 2008 include: (1) Continue data collection begun in 2004 to provide pre-CERP baseline conditions for the fish and macroinvertebrate community inhabiting mangrove creeks; (2) Relate patterns of variation in the fish and macroinvertebrate community of creeks to key hydrological and physiochemical variables; (3) Continue to develop an integrated experimental design that will optimize effort and information utility, incorporating both spatial (across the landscape) and temporal (seasonal and interannual) variability; (4) Continue to work with other PIs to integrate our results with theirs in testing the key hypotheses in MAP II. II. Statement of work (abbreviated) This MAP activity will enhance the ongoing biological monitoring in freshwater and estuarine regions of ENP by providing data from an infrequently sampled habitat that provides both a source and a sink for wetland forage fishes that are prey for wading birds. Relatively little is known about the fish community inhabiting mangrove creeks in ecotonal and estuarine regions of southwest Florida. Small-scale inventory studies in several creek systems showed a mixed assemblage of marine, estuarine, and freshwater fishes (Tabb and Manning 1961, Tabb et al. 1962, McPherson 1970, Odum 1971, Loftus and Kushlan 1987), but those studies are not recent and mostly provided inventory data. Without understanding the factors that control the survival and abundance of those fishes once they are confined to this dry-season habitat, it is impossible to predict the effects of CERP actions on this prey base in the future. Similarly, this activity also provides the only data for freshwater and estuarine fishes that support a valuable sport fishery in south Florida. Without these data on the effects of hydrology and salinity variation on patterns of fish abundance and diversity, the effects of CERP on those key fishery species will not be science-based.

description: This pilot project has several related goals concerning a specific type of habitat thought to be important for juvenile sawfish habitat: mangrove shorelines. First, we will delineate and classify historic mangrove shorelines. Second, we will map and classify current mangrove shorelines. Third, we will determine amounts of shoreline change. Lastly, we will conduct an analysis to compare sawfish sightings and / or captures with the type of shoreline where those sightings-captures occurred. This will allow us to answer the question: Are juvenile sawfish selecting for a specific type of mangrove shoreline, and if so, what type of mangrove shoreline is it?; abstract: This pilot project has several related goals concerning a specific type of habitat thought to be important for juvenile sawfish habitat: mangrove shorelines. First, we will delineate and classify historic mangrove shorelines. Second, we will map and classify current mangrove shorelines. Third, we will determine amounts of shoreline change. Lastly, we will conduct an analysis to compare sawfish sightings and / or captures with the type of shoreline where those sightings-captures occurred. This will allow us to answer the question: Are juvenile sawfish selecting for a specific type of mangrove shoreline, and if so, what type of mangrove shoreline is it?

description: This project provides an integrated suite of vegetation and nutrient resource models of the land-margin ecosystem compatible with and undergirding other restoration models of hydrology and higher trophic levels identified as critical. This modeling project fills the gaps and needs of existing restoration models, ELM and ATLSS, for a vegetation and nutrient dynamics component and complements continuing empirical studies within the land-margin ecosystem of the Everglades restoration program. The proposed work has eight major objectives: 1. Re-measurement and analysis of mangrove permanent plots 10 years after the passage of Hurricane Andrew to verify forest structure models (SELVA-MANGRO) and to re-calibrate output accordingly. 2. Map historic marsh-mangrove ecotone boundaries in selected southwest Florida regions. 3. Survey land/water datums across the intertidal and develop tidal ebb/flow synoptic functions for incorporation into SELVA-MANGRO. 4. Site quality characterization across the mangrove landscape using ground surveys and research studies, aerial photography, and aerial videography. 5. Develop external SELVA-MANGRO model linkages and WEB-based access to SELVA-MANGRO for Everglades restoration evaluations. 6. Verify HYMAN (hydrology), NUMAN (nutrient/organic matter decomposition), and FORMAN (forest structure/primary productivity) unit ecological simulation models with application to Everglades restoration evaluations. 7. Link SALSA (Hydrology BOX model) to HYMAN and FORMAN models to develop a better link between vegetation response and hydrological fluxes to the Everglades system. 8. Conduct field and greenhouse studies on nutrient biogeochemistry and determine the effects of nutrients and hydroperiod on forest biomass allocation and soil formation.; abstract: This project provides an integrated suite of vegetation and nutrient resource models of the land-margin ecosystem compatible with and undergirding other restoration models of hydrology and higher trophic levels identified as critical. This modeling project fills the gaps and needs of existing restoration models, ELM and ATLSS, for a vegetation and nutrient dynamics component and complements continuing empirical studies within the land-margin ecosystem of the Everglades restoration program. The proposed work has eight major objectives: 1. Re-measurement and analysis of mangrove permanent plots 10 years after the passage of Hurricane Andrew to verify forest structure models (SELVA-MANGRO) and to re-calibrate output accordingly. 2. Map historic marsh-mangrove ecotone boundaries in selected southwest Florida regions. 3. Survey land/water datums across the intertidal and develop tidal ebb/flow synoptic functions for incorporation into SELVA-MANGRO. 4. Site quality characterization across the mangrove landscape using ground surveys and research studies, aerial photography, and aerial videography. 5. Develop external SELVA-MANGRO model linkages and WEB-based access to SELVA-MANGRO for Everglades restoration evaluations. 6. Verify HYMAN (hydrology), NUMAN (nutrient/organic matter decomposition), and FORMAN (forest structure/primary productivity) unit ecological simulation models with application to Everglades restoration evaluations. 7. Link SALSA (Hydrology BOX model) to HYMAN and FORMAN models to develop a better link between vegetation response and hydrological fluxes to the Everglades system. 8. Conduct field and greenhouse studies on nutrient biogeochemistry and determine the effects of nutrients and hydroperiod on forest biomass allocation and soil formation.

description: Southern Biscayne Bay's shoreline fish community been monitored visually twice a year since 1998 to compare fish use of mangrove prop root habitats along the mainland with that along the leeward side of the northernmost Florida Keys. This has been pursued by examining seasonal and spatial variation in fish taxonomic composition and diversity as well as variation in the frequency of occurrence, density and size structure of dominant fish taxa that occupy these mangrove lined shorelines. The purpose of this MAP activity is to ensure the continuation and spatial expansion of this 14-year baseline time-series with an emphasis on evaluating relationships between the shoreline fish community and variation in salinity/freshwater flow; abstract: Southern Biscayne Bay's shoreline fish community been monitored visually twice a year since 1998 to compare fish use of mangrove prop root habitats along the mainland with that along the leeward side of the northernmost Florida Keys. This has been pursued by examining seasonal and spatial variation in fish taxonomic composition and diversity as well as variation in the frequency of occurrence, density and size structure of dominant fish taxa that occupy these mangrove lined shorelines. The purpose of this MAP activity is to ensure the continuation and spatial expansion of this 14-year baseline time-series with an emphasis on evaluating relationships between the shoreline fish community and variation in salinity/freshwater flow

The South Florida Seagrass Fish and Invertebrate Assessment Network (FIAN) is an element of the Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) a part of RECOVER, the Restoration, Coordination and Verification Program of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). FIAN is an element of the Southern Coastal System module of MAP (MAP activities 3.2.3.5 and 3.2.4.5). FIAN monitors seagrass-associated fish and invertebrate (penaeid and caridean shrimp and crabs) communities present in shallow waters of South Florida; the pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, as an indicator of restoration success, is a species of special interest. FIAN represents the first region-wide view of these communities and the pink shrimp.

The FIAN monitoring component of the Southern Estuaries module of MAP is designed to support the four broad objectives of MAP: (1) to establish a pre-CERP reference state, including variability, for each of the performance measures; (2) to determine the status and trends in the performance measures; (3) to detect unexpected responses of the ecosystem to changes in stressors resulting from CERP activities; and (4) to support scientific investigations designed to increase ecosystem understanding, cause-and-effect, and interpretation of unanticipated results.

The data developed in FIAN will be used to evaluate the success of CERP by contributing to the assessment of the estuarine response to restoration-related modifications to upstream hydrology in the freshwater Everglades. At present, FIAN provides input to the pink shrimp performance measure (RECOVER, 2004; SFWMD 2005). The pink shrimp emerged as an ecosystem attribute to be monitored from the Florida and Biscayne Bay conceptual ecological models. More generally these data will be used to relate seagrass-associated faunal communities to habitat and environmental conditions in South Florida shallow water estuaries.

FIAN is closely coupled with the MAP seagrass monitoring project FHAP-SF and other seagrass monitoring programs in South Florida, e.g. DERM. Close coupling with seagrass monitoring recognizes the importance of shallow seagrass systems to the function of coastal waters and their vulnerability to anthropogenic change. Estuaries downstream from CERP projects will be affected by changes in the quantity, timing, and distribution of freshwater inflows. Associated changes in estuarine salinity regimes and subsequent, long-term, changes in benthic vegetation are anticipated. We hypothesize that abundance and diversity of seagrass-associated fish and invertebrates including the pink shrimp in nearshore waters of South Florida will increase as the overlap of favorable salinity conditions with favorable seagrass/algal habitat increase.

Introduction

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus are often higher in groundwater than in surface water. Seawater intrudes along the entire coastline of the southern Everglades (Fig 1). This brackish groundwater contains concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) as high as 2 M (Price et al. 2006), with higher groundwater TP concentrations with increasing salinity. The occurrence of the brackish groundwater corresponds with the mangrove ecotone along the coastal Everglades, and suggests that the mangroves may be utilizing this high TP groundwater as a nutrient source.
The goal of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is to restore the natural quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of flows into the Everglades. CERP is expected to restore the freshwater flows across Tamiami Trail and the northern boundary of ENP. The additional supply of freshwater to Shark Slough is expected to move the brackish groundwater closer towards the coastline, thereby moving the nutrient rich groundwater closer to the coast. The ecological implications for the movement of the brackish groundwater are currently unknown. This project directly addresses Hypothesis 9.2.4.4 in the "Assessment Strategy of the Monitoring and Assessment Plan" (RECOVER 2005): Sea level and freshwater flow as determinants of production, organic matter accretion, and resilience of coastal mangrove forests.

Objectives

The goal of this study is to determine the concentrations of both total and dissolved nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon) in groundwater and sediment water within the mangrove ecotone region of Shark River Slough. Samples will be collected from existing USGS wells. Many of these wells were sampled in 2003 and the nutrient concentrations in these wells were published in Price et al (2006). This additional sampling and analysis will determine if the nutrient concentrations in the brackish groundwater beneath the Shark River Slough region has changed since 2003. The data collected in this study will also provide background information on groundwater concentrations of nutrients within the mangrove ecotone, prior to the increase of freshwater flows across Tamiami Trail.

The images are available as .jpeg and as georeferenced .tiff files. With the exception of three images, all images are subset to 7500 pixels square. Individual photos can be selected from the 1940 flight lines image at http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/aerial-photos/40s_flight.html The numbering scheme for the aerial photos is an identification number consisting of the flight number followed by the photo or frame number.

A foundation for Everglades research must include a clear understanding of the pre-drainage south Florida landscape. Knowledge of the spatial organization and structure of pre-drainage landscape communities such as mangrove forests, marshes, sloughs, wet prairies. And pinelands, is essential to provide potential endpoints, restoration goals and performance measures to gauge restoration success. Information contained in historical aerial photographs of the Everglades can aid in this endeavor. The earliest known aerial photographs are from the mid-to-late 1920s and resulted in the production of what are called T-sheets (Topographic sheets) for the coasts and shorelines of far south Florida. The position of the boundary between differing vegetation communities (the ecotone) can be accurately measured. If followed through time, changes in the position of these ecotones could potentially be used to judge effects of drainage on the Everglades ecosystem and to monitor restoration success. The Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), a center of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Biological Resources Discipline (BRD), in collaboration with the Eastern Region Geography (ERG) of the Geography Discipline has created digital files of existing 1940 (1:40,000-scale) Black and White aerial photography for the South Florida region. These digital files are available through the SOFIA web site at http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/aerial-photos/index.html

Coastal Gradients across the freshwater-marine interface of the mangrove estuaries of Florida Bay and the Southwest Florida shelf are monitored to: - Track salinity gradients along historic flow paths that will be restored by CERP and relate to fresh water flow volumes and sea level. - Delineate the boundaries of coastal regions for the stratified random sample design - Measure freshwater flow volumes and nutrient inputs into the high-productivity salinity transition zone of the mangrove estuary to support the elevation of estuarine productivity in relation to freshwater inputs from CERP. - Measure freshwater flow volumes and nutrient inputs from Greater Everglades Wetlands to Florida Bay and Gulf estuaries.

A central prediction of the current Everglades restoration plan is that the return to natural flows and hydropatterns will result in large, sustainable breeding wading bird populations; a return to natural timing of nesting; and restoration of nesting in the coastal zone. The timing, location, size, and productivity of wading bird nesting will be monitored over the geographic range of the Everglades ecosystem. Monitoring methods will allow for comparison of historical and current information. The geographic regions monitored will include Florida Bay; mangrove estuaries and ecotone; freshwater marshes of ENP; WCAs 1, 2, and 3; Rotenberger and Holey Land; and BCNP.

Nesting of six wading bird species will be monitored: wood stork, white ibis, roseate spoonbill, snowy egret, great egret, and great white heron. These are the species for which the best historical comparisons exist for one or more of the parameters of interest: range of trophic levels, prey sizes, and foraging techniques used (Ogden, 1994; Frederick et al., 1996). Nesting will be monitored between January and late June of each year, with the exception of Florida Bay (November through June). However, there is the possibility that monitoring in the mainland areas will need to be expanded if wood storks begin nesting earlier than January. Evidence of early nesting (eggs or young) is likely to be discovered on January surveys, and timing of surveys will be adjusted accordingly.

The timing, location, and size of nesting events will be monitored using systematic aerial surveys followed by ground counts. Established techniques used in the freshwater marsh sections of the study area (Frederick et al., 2001) will be adapted to specific habitats in Big Cypress and the mainland mangrove estuary. Ground counts will focus on the largest colonies of each species based on the analysis of past years, which suggests that 90% of nesting birds are found on average in 3 to 33 colonies depending on the species (Frederick, personal communication). Accuracy in aerial counts of large colonies will be improved through the use of aerial photography followed by later counts of those photos (Frederick et al., in prep.).

Florida Bay. Roseate spoonbill and ibis nests in Florida Bay are generally located in dense red mangrove stands and are not generally visible from outside the colony. All islands that were previously reported to have had nesting colonies (Lorenz et al., 2001) will be surveyed monthly during the nesting season, and the number of nests will be counted. While traversing Florida Bay by boat, locations of roseate spoonbill and white ibis activity will be investigated for new nesting sites. The timing of colony surveys late in the incubation period and during mild climatic conditions and the limitation of time in an individual colony to less than one hour whenever possible will minimize impacts of surveys on colonies (Lorenz et al., 2001).

Roseate Spoonbill Foraging Location. In order to use nesting effort and nesting success as criteria for ecosystem evaluation, the location of primary foraging grounds must be monitored for each colony group (Lorenz et al., 2001). In order to identify the direction of foraging grounds from nesting colonies, flight line counts similar to those described by Dusi and Dusi (1978) will be made at the two largest colonies in each colony group. Flight line counts will yield an estimate of the proportion of birds using general areas (e.g., eastern, middle, or western mainland sites; mainline keys; etc.). To get more specific foraging locations, individual birds will be followed using a fixed-wing aircraft from their nesting colonies to the first foraging location. Flight line observation and following flights will also greatly aid in identifying new colony sights locations throughout the bay.

Refinement of Nest Survey and Counting Methods. Any periodic surveys are likely to lead to underestimates due to asynchronous nesting and the possibility that nests may start and fail in between survey dates. Comparing typical monthly survey schedules with a large sample of known nesting histories of individual nests shows that the monthly survey schedule that has been followed in the central Everglades since 1986 has been associated with a known correction factor, with annual variation in that correction factor of 26% above and below any annual estimate (Frederick et al., in prep.) Therefore, the resulting nesting population estimates are likely to be associated with this level of error. However, estimation of this error rate is based on only 2 – 4 years of information on marked nests, depending on species. The database of individual nest histories will be expanded in order to refine the estimation of error associated with monthly surveys. This involves close monitoring of individual nests at one or more colonies throughout the nesting season in order to measure both duration and seasonal timing of nesting attempts.

This project examined that past and present distribution of oyster reefs in the western Everglades from Lopez River to Shark River / White Water Bay complex. Using geological, geochemical, and biological techniques, the distribution of oysters (past and present) and the influence of environmental factors on oyster reef development were examined. The study examined two phases: (1) the past distribution and history of reef development during late Holocene and the influence reef development has had (or not had) on coastal geomorphology, and (2) the present distribution of oyster reefs and their physiological and ecological state in the Everglades coastal complex. This distribution and state of health is presumably indicative of the water quality, specifically the salinity and sedimentologic regimes of these watersheds. To quantify the distribution of extant reef-building organisms within the study area, oyster reefs within seven estuaries were mapped and a spatial analysis was performed. Furthermore, the presence of oysters encrusting fringing mangrove prop-roots was mapped to determine whether apparent trends in oyster reef distribution were the result of water quality or substrate limitation. The spatial analysis was conducted by calculating the total area of oyster reefs within five quadrants located along the estuarine axis within the Chatham, Lostmans, and Broad Rivers. These data were then compared to the results of Savarese et al. (2004) that used similar techniques to quantify the distribution of oyster reefs within Blackwater Bay, Pumpkin Bay, Faka Union Bay, and Fakahatchee Bay of the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI). Results from the comparison show that oyster reefs are relatively well distributed throughout the TTI, while the distribution of oyster reefs within the estuaries composing the Everglades Estuarine Tract (EET) are restricted to the mouths of these rivers. This is likely the result of regional differences in watersheds producing distinct water quality in the EET and TTI. In order to document historic coastal processes and predict future responses of those processes to accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) associated with global warming, a stratigraphic study was undertaken. To document the regional stratigraphy five sediment core transects, each containing 4-6 cores, were completed from the Fakahatchee estuary (TTI), Chatham River (transition region), Lostmans River (EET), Broad River (EET), and the inner bays of the EET. To characterize the present distribution of oyster reefs, in addition to spatially mapping their distribution, oyster health measures (disease prevalence and intensity of the oyster disease Perkinsus marinus, condition index, reproduction, spat recruitment, growth and survival of juveniles, and living densities of oysters) were examined along a salinity gradient in a typical estuary, Lostmans River.