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projects > historical changes in salinity, water quality and vegetation in biscayne bay > project summary
Project Summary SheetFiscal Year 2003 Project Summary Report Project Title: Historical Changes in Salinity, Water Quality and Vegetation in Biscayne Bay Project Start Date: 3/15/02 Project End Date: 9/30/05 Web Sites: http://sofia.usgs.gov/flaecohist/ Location (Subregions, Counties, Park or Refuge): Biscayne National Park, Miami-Dade County, Monroe County Funding Source: USGS's Greater Everglades Science Initiative (PBS); South Florida Water Management District Principal Investigator(s): G. Lynn Wingard Project Personnel: Thomas Cronin; Debra Willard; Chuck Holmes; William Orem; James Murray; Robert Stamm; Joseph Murray, Carlos Budet, Jessica Albeitz, Marci Marot; US Geological Survey. Gary Dwyer, Duke University. Scott Ishman, Christopher Williams; University of Southern Illinois. Supporting Organizations: South Florida Water Management District; Biscayne National Park Associated / Linked Projects: Paleosalinity as a Key for Success Criteria in South Florida Restoration; Ecosystem History of the Southwest Coast-Shark River Slough Outflow Area; Monitoring Sub-Aquatic Vegetation through Remote Sensing: A pilot study in Florida Bay. Overview & Objective(s): The objectives of this project are to examine in broad context the historical changes in the Biscayne Bay ecosystem at selected sites on a decadal-centennial scale, and to correlate these changes with natural events and anthropogenic alterations in the South Florida region. Specific emphasis will be placed on historical changes to 1) amount, timing, and sources of freshwater influx and the resulting effects on salinity and water quality; 2) shoreline and sub-aquatic vegetation; and 3) the relationship between sea-level change, onshore vegetation, and salinity. In addition, a detailed examination of historical seasonal salinity patterns will be derived from biochemical analyses of ostracodes, foraminifers, molluscs, and corals. The corals will allow us to compare marine and estuarine trends, examine the linkage between the two systems, and will provide precise chronological control. Land management agencies (principally SFWMD, ACOE and Biscayne NP) can use the data derived from this project to establish performance criteria for restoring natural flow, and to understand the consequences of altered flow. These data can also be used to forecast potential problems as upstream changes in water delivery are made during restoration. Status: Initial analyses of cores collected in Spring 2002 have been completed, compiled with data from cores collected in 1997-98, and a report produced. Analyses of corals and water chemistry completed by P. Swart, UM-RSMAS. New core sites were selected in consultation with the clients and three new cores collected in June 2003. These cores will be processed in the summer of 2003. Recent & Planned Products: Completed 12 reports for SFWMD between 3/02 and 3/03. Abstract and talk for GEER conference. OFR summarizing results is in review and should be published as CD-Rom by end of FY03. Relevance to Greater Everglades Restoration Information Needs: One of the primary restoration goals identified by the South Florida Restoration Task Force - to "get the water right." The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project (BBCW) has specifically identified the importance of understanding freshwater flow into Biscayne Bay and the changes incurred due to alterations in flow. The USGS Science Plan for south Florida has identified five primary science objectives (SO) to address the needs of restoration and this project meets 3 of those objectives for Biscayne Bay: SO2. Determine the historical setting of the greater Everglades ecosystem This project fulfills these objectives by providing information on natural patterns of change in salinity, water quality, vegetation, and benthic fauna in Biscayne Bay and the nearby wetlands over the last 100-500 years. Data on historical patterns of change over centennial and decadal time scales allows CERP project managers to set realistic restoration targets that take natural patterns of change into consideration, and provides predictive capabilities on how the system will respond to future changes. Key Findings:
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U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
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Last updated: 04 September, 2013 @ 02:08 PM(TJE)
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