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The influence of restoration efforts in the freshwater Everglades on the salinity regime of Florida Bay
Author(s) -
Marshall Frank E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
restoration ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1526-100X
pISSN - 1061-2971
DOI - 10.1111/rec.12454
Subject(s) - bay , estuary , wetland , salinity , freshwater inflow , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , oceanography , ecosystem , discharge , ecology , geography , geology , biology , drainage basin , geotechnical engineering , cartography
Florida Bay is a subtropical estuary in Everglades National Park with a salinity regime that is hydrology‐dependent but also affected by Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean coastal connections, wind forcing, and geophysical factors. In South Florida significant changes have been made to the regional hydrology including water diversions out of the historical Everglades. This has reduced freshwater flows and levels in the upstream wetlands and increased salinity in Florida Bay thereby negatively impacting this coastal ecosystem. Because Florida Bay salinity is sufficiently correlated with upstream freshwater wetland stage, tide elevation, and wind vectors, statistical (multiple‐variable linear regression) salinity models were developed from observed data. These models were then used to simulate the salinity variability in Florida Bay resulting from implementation of seven Everglades hydrologic restoration alternatives, including two natural landscape scenarios. Salinity reductions were compared to existing conditions regionally and Bay‐wide. For all modeled restoration scenarios in all regions of the Bay, mean salinity was reduced 1–3 psu compared to exiting conditions. The statistical significance of the salinity reductions was evaluated using 95% confidence intervals for the simulated mean, and all reductions were statistically significant. Even though the reduced salinities resulting from each of the restoration alternatives are important ecosystem improvements to Florida Bay, the reductions were not enough to fully meet the established restoration salinity targets for the Bay.