Restoring the foundation of the Everglades ecosystem: assessment of edaphic responses to hydrologic restoration scenarios

Because of the significant role soils play in the health and function of the Everglades ecosystem, soil conservation is a central tenet of Everglades restoration. As such, it is critical to anticipate ecosystem responses to hydrologic restoration activities from the perspective of the soil component...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Restoration ecology 2017-10, Vol.25 (S1), p.S59-S70
Main Authors: Osborne, Todd Z., Fitz, Harold Carl, Davis, Stephen E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accretion
Carbon
Carbon sequestration
decompartmentalization
Deposition
Ecological function
Ecosystem assessment
Ecosystems
Environmental quality
Everglades
Hydrology
Mineral nutrients
Modelling
Phosphorus
Reduction
Restoration
Soil
soil accretion
Soil conservation
Soil investigations
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Summary:Because of the significant role soils play in the health and function of the Everglades ecosystem, soil conservation is a central tenet of Everglades restoration. As such, it is critical to anticipate ecosystem responses to hydrologic restoration activities from the perspective of the soil component. The broad goal of this work was to investigate the resulting effects of various hydrologic restoration scenarios on soil processes of phosphorus and carbon accretion by modeling soil edaphic processes using the Everglades Landscape Model. The results of modeling effort suggest that full implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan provides the greatest spatial reduction of phosphorus (P) enrichment throughout the system. The existing condition baseline (ECB) scenario, which represents the current hydrologic and nutrient impaired condition, produced the highest observed rates of soil carbon accretion; however, this scenario is successful in accretion of soil carbon due to elevated P conditions, not restored hydrology. Management implications of restoration with respect to soil elucidated from this work include: (1) prioritization of habitat quality and ecosystem function (via P reduction) over carbon sequestration potential and (2) need to reduce P inputs before restoring hydrologic connectivity and historic flows.
ISSN:1061-2971
1526-100X
DOI:10.1111/rec.12496