Water Quality Gradients in the Northern Florida Everglades

The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) developed as a system with waters low in nutrients. Today, the Refuge wetlands are impacted by inflows containing elevated nutrient concentrations originating from agricultural sources. We analyzed water quality sampled at 54 sites in the Refuge. The Refuge was divided into northern, central, and southern latitudinal areas and then perimeter, transition, and the interior zones based on distance from the canal towards the Refuge interior. In the perimeter zone, total dissolved solids (TDS), silicon (Si), and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in water were higher in the northern than the central area and TDS, Si, SO₄, and TP concentrations in water were higher in the central than the southern area. In general TDS, Ca, Cl, Si, SO₄, and TP loads in the northern perimeter, transition, and interior zones decreased from 2005 to 2009. The decrease is less pronounced in the central and southern areas than the northern area. As water flowed southward for over 30?km from the northern to the southern area in the perimeter zone, most water quality parameters analyzed were reduced in the water column. However, large amounts of Ca and Cl were added to the water column indicating that canal water is continually diffusing and intruding into the Refuge in all zones. In the perimeter zone, and to a lesser degree in the transition zone, the Refuge has accumulated substantial amounts of Ca, Si, SO₄, and TP in vegetation and soils during the sampling period.     

Water Quality Characterization in the Northern Florida Everglades

The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) developed as a system with waters low in nutrients. Today, the Refuge wetlands are impacted by inflows containing elevated nutrient concentrations originating from agricultural sources flowing into canals surrounding the west side and from urban and horticultural areas flowing into canals surrounding the eastern side of the Refuge. We analyzed water quality sampled at 40 sites divided into eastern and western areas and four zones in the Refuge. We defined four zones as the canals surrounding the Refuge marsh, the perimeter zone, the transition zone, and the interior zone. The canal receiving agricultural inflows had greater alkalinity and conductivity (SpC), Si and SO₄ but lower turbidity and total suspended solids than the canal receiving urban and horticultural inflows. Alkalinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), SpC, Ca, Cl, and SO₄ concentrations were greater in the perimeter than in transition and interior zones. Alkalinity and SpC values and SO₄ concentrations were greater in the transition than in interior zone. Alkalinity, SpC, and TDS values and Ca, SO₄, and Cl concentrations correlated in negative curvilinear relationships with distance from the canal (r ²?=?0.78, 0.70, 0.61, 0.78, 0.64, 0.57, respectively). Analysis of multiple water quality parameters may reveal the complexity of interactions that might be overlooked in a simple single parameter analysis. These data show an impact of canal water containing high nutrient concentrations on water quality flowing from the canal towards the Refuge interior.     

Mercury accumulation trends in Florida Everglades and Savannas Marsh flooded soils

Global and regional increases in atmospheric mercury (Hg) concentrations have previously been identified as the cause of increased mercury accumulation rates in north temperate lakes in Sweden, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Atmospheric deposition can often account for elevated Hg concentrations in fish from these systems. Mercury levels in sportfish collected from some areas of the Florida Everglades and Savannas Marsh exceed limits that are acceptable for human consumption. Forty five soil cores and soil grab samples were retrieved from the Everglades and Savannas Marsh wetlands. Eighteen sediment cores were dated radiochemically with²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs using γ-ray spectroscopy to determine modern and historic mercury accumulation rates for these subtropical wetland systems. Recent (“post-1985”) Hg accumulation rates averaged 53 μg m^?2 y^?1 (23 to 141, n=18) corresponding to an average rate increase of 4.9 times (1.6 to 19.1) over those observed around the turn of the century. This accumulation seems to result more from either global or regional atmospheric deposition rather than from lateral transport via overlying surface water. The trends for mercury accumulation match those reported for lakes in Sweden and the northern United States, even though these systems are distinctly different in their climate, vegetational composition, and location. We provide the first data on accumulation of mercury in subtropical wetland systems, and demonstrate the feasibility of radiochemical dating of wetland sediment.     

Distributions of Mercury and Phosphorous in Everglades Soils From Water Conservation Area 3A,Florida, U.S.A.

Soils in the southern half of Water Conservation Area3A are mostly peats with some organic-rich marls. Mercury contents of 64 surface samples over a500 km² area average 28.7 ng cc^-1 (209 ppb drysediment), which is typical of organic-rich soils. High Hg contents in Everglades fish are therefore notcaused by anomalously high soil Hg. Hg contents showno systematic lateral variation, consistent withdeposition from well-mixed atmospheric sources ratherthan nearby point sources or runoff from canals.Cores from 9 sites contain more Hg and P at or nearthe surface than at 20–30 cm depth. Hg and P contentsof individual cores correlate well and define separatebackground and anomalous populations. The subsurfacedistribution of P is determined largely by uptake bysawgrass and other plants. The correlation between Pand Hg suggests that, although atmospheric Hgdeposition has undoubtedly increased in recentdecades, postdepositional mobilization of Hg may beimportant in Everglades soils. This finding, togetherwith recent direct measurements of atmospheric Hgdeposition, indicates that previous estimates of Hgdeposition rates based on Everglades peat cores, whichassumed that Hg is immobile in peat after deposition,have yielded large overestimates.     

Physicochemical assessment and phosphorus storage of canal sediments within the Everglades Agricultural Area, Florida

Purpose

Excess nutrients such as phosphorus (P) transported from the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) in South Florida, USA, to downstream water bodies have been identified as contributing to trophic imbalances within the Florida Everglades. Decades of farming drainage from the EAA has led to accumulation of sediments in regional canals which may be transported to downstream ecosystems and act as potential internal source of P.

Materials and methods

Intact sediment cores were collected from three main conveyance and three farm canals within the EAA. Physicochemical assessment, mineralogy, P speciation, and storage were determined for surface and subsurface layers.

Results and discussion

The main conveyance canal sediments had higher total P (TP) concentrations (1,280?±?360?mg?kg^-1) than the farm canals (960?±?540?mg?kg^-1), while farm canal sediments showed higher organic matter content (28?C53?%) compared to the main canal (24?C27?%) sediments. The minerals found in main conveyance canal sediments were similar to those found in Lake Okeechobee. The labile KCl?CP fraction comprised <2?% of TP from all canal sediments, while NaOH?CPi (i?=?inorganic) fraction consisted of 1?C14?% of TP. The majority of P in the canal sediments was contained in the HCl?CP fraction (Ca?CP and Mg?CP), comprising >50?% of TP in the main and farm canal sediments. An estimated 73 metric tons (mt) of P was stored in the 0?C10-cm layer of the three main conveyance canals within the EAA boundary of which 57-mt P is reactive and potentially available for release at different time scales.

Conclusions

The EAA canal sediments are highly organic with low bulk density and susceptible of being transported to downstream ecosystems. Many factors can impact the potential release of the reactive stored P, including redox potential of sediments as well as the overlying water column P concentration. Further investigation of potential P release from these sediments is warranted.     

Phosphorus Release and Equilibrium Dynamics of Canal Sediments within the Everglades Agricultural Area, Florida

High phosphorus (P) in surface drainage water from agricultural and urban runoff is the main cause of eutrophication within aquatic systems in South Florida, including the Everglades. While primary sources of P in drainage canals in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) are from land use application of agricultural chemicals and oxidation of the organic soils, internal sources from canal sediments can also affect overall P status in the water column. In this paper, we evaluate P release and equilibrium dynamics from three conveyance canals within the EAA. Incubation and flux experiments were conducted on intact sediment cores collected from four locations within the Miami, West Palm Beach (WPB), and Ocean canal. After three continuous exchanges, Miami canal sediments reported the highest P release (66?±?37 mg m^?2) compared to WPB (13?±?10 mg m^?2) and Ocean (17?±?11 mg m^?2) canal over 84 days. Overall, the P flux from all three canal sediments was highest during the first exchange. Miami canal sediments showed the highest P flux (2.4?±?1.3 mg m^?2 day^?1) compared to WPB (0.83?±?0.39 mg m^?2?d^?1) and Ocean canal sediments (0.98?±?0.38 mg m^?2 day^?1). Low P release from WPB canal sediments despite having high TP content could be due to carbonate layers distributed throughout the sediment column inhibiting P release. Equilibrium P concentrations estimated from the sediment core experiment corresponded to 0.12?±?0.04 mg L^?1, 0.06?±?0.03 mg L^?1, and 0.08?±?0.03 mg L^?1 for Miami, WPB, and Ocean canal sediments, respectively, indicating Miami canal sediments behave as a source of P, while Ocean and WPB canal sediments are in equilibrium with the water column. Overall, the sediments showed a significant positive correlation between P release and total P (r?=?0.42), Fe_ox (r?=?0.65), and Al_ox (r?=?0.64) content of sediments. The contribution of P from the three main canals sediments within the EAA boundary corresponded to a very small portion of the total P load exiting the EAA. These estimates, however, only take into consideration diffusive fluxes from sediments and no other factors such as canal flow, bioturbation, resuspension, and anaerobic conditions.     

Element and Sediment Accumulation Rates in the Florida Everglades

Sediment and element accumulationrates were determined in cores taken from two borrowcanals and a rockpit lake of known age in the FloridaEverglades. Bulk accumulation of ～1 kg m^-2 yr^-1 is dominated by precipitatedcarbonate and lesser amounts of organic material. Acid-insoluble clastic input is 0.5–2% of the totalaccumulation except in a borrow canal close to alevee. The accumulation rate of Ca tracks bulkaccumulation of carbonate while Al and Fe track bulkaccumulation of fines. Trace elements Cu, Hg, Mn, andV accumulated at rates 2 to 10 times greater thanpublished airborne fluxes while Ni and Zn accumulationrates were similar to airborne fluxes.     

Fulvic Acid-Sulfide Ion Competition for Mercury Ion Binding in the Florida Everglades

Negatively charged functional groups of fulvic acid compete with inorganic sulfide ion for mercury ion binding. This competition is evaluated here by using a discrete site-electrostatic model to calculate mercury solution speciation in the presence of fulvic acid. Model calculatedspecies distributions are used to estimate a mercury-fulvicacid apparent binding constant to quantify fulvic acid and sulfide ion competition for dissolved inorganic mercury (Hg(II)) ion binding. Speciation calculations done with PHREEQC,modified to use the estimated mercury-fulvic acid apparent binding constant, suggest that mercury-fulvic acid and mercury-sulfide complex concentrations are equivalent for very low sulfide ion concentrations (about 10^-11 M) in Everglades' surface water. Where measurable total sulfide concentration (about 10^-7 M or greater) is present inEverglades' surface water, mercury-sulfide complexes shoulddominate dissolved inorganic mercury solution speciation. Inthe absence of sulfide ion (for example, in oxygenated Everglades' surface water), fulvic acid binding should dominateEverglades' dissolved inorganic mercury speciation.     

Microbial community PLFA and PHB responses to ecosystem restoration in tallgrass prairie soils

Native North American prairie grasslands are renowned for the richness of their soils, having excellent soil structure and very high organic content and microbial biomass. In this study, surface soils from three prairie restorations of varying ages and plant community compositions were compared with a nearby undisturbed native prairie remnant and a cropped agricultural field in terms of soil physical, chemical and microbial properties. Soil moisture, organic matter, total carbon, total nitrogen, total sulfur, C:N, water-holding capacity and microbial biomass (total PLFA) were significantly greater (p<0.05) in the virgin prairie remnant as well as the two long-term (21 and 24 year) prairie restorations, compared with the agricultural field and the restoration that was begun more recently (7 years prior to sampling). Soil bulk density was significantly greater (p<0.05) in the agricultural and recently restored sites. In most cases, the soil quality indicators and microbial community structures in the restoration sites were intermediate between those of the virgin prairie and the agricultural sites. Levels of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and PLFA indicators of nutritional stress were significantly greater (p<0.05) in the agricultural and recent restoration sites than in the long-term restorations or the native prairie. Samples could be assigned to the correct site by discriminant analysis of the PLFA data, with the exception that the two long-term restoration sites overlapped. Redundancy analysis showed that prairie age (p<0.005) was the most important environmental factor in determining the PLFA microbial community composition, with C:N (p<0.015) also being significant. These findings demonstrate that prairie restorations can lead to improved quality of surface soils. We predict that the conversion of farmland into prairie will shift the soil quality, microbial community biomass and microbial community composition in the direction of native prairies, but with the restoration methods tested it may take many decades to approach the levels found in a virgin prairie throughout the soil profile.     

Mercury exposure in humans through food consumption from the Everglades of Florida

In March 1989, The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) issued a Health Advisory recommending the limited consumption of several fish species caught from the Everglades region of South Florida due to elevated methylmercury (MeHg) levels (average 2–3 ppm in fish meat). There were no reports of clinical MeHg poisoning in humans in Florida, although deaths of Florida panthers were attributed to mercury (Hg). poisoning. This study evaluated the extent of MeHg exposure in persons eating contaminated fish in the Everglades region. Populations at risk were identified including sport fishermen, Everglades Residents and subsistence fishermen. Over 1700 individuals were approached; those who had eaten fish or wildlife from the contaminated areas at least once/month for the prior three months were asked to participate. Three hundred and fifty (350) participants completed a brief questionnaire and provided a hair sample for Hg analysis. In 119 (36%) of individuals with levels above the limits of detection, the mean total Hg in hair was 3.62±3.0μg/g [± standard deviation] with a range of 1.28 – 15.57. The most at risk populations identified with respect to Hg levels were Blacks and men. Although the majority of the participants had fished in the Everglades for many years (>15 years), they reported relatively low intake of fish and had low hair Hg levels compared with similar populations in prior studies of other populations at risk. Although 71% of participants knew of the State Health Advisories concerning ingestion of Hg contaminated fish from the Everglades, this did not change their consumption habits. In addition, Blacks, individuals of lower income and of lower education levels were less likely to know about the Health Advisories. Given recent studies of neurologic effects from relatively low in utero MeHg exposure, the continuation of the Mercury Health Advisories and wildlife monitoring in the Everglades are warranted, especially for women of childbearing age and children. However, public education must be targeted for the populations at risk identified in this study in order to reach these populations more effectively.     

中国水土保持专业高等教育思考

水土保持专业高等教育存在专业教育反映不出中国水土保持的特色 ,专业教学没有支持自身学科的理论知识 ,生物类课程与工程类课程难以有机地结合等问题。解决的途径是扶正水土保持人才专业市场 ,专业名称改为水土保持生态工程 ,水行政主管部门加强指导等     

河北省水源涵养生态功能保护区划分研究

水源涵养是生态系统为人类提供的重要服务功能之一.选取植被结构类型、植被郁闭度、地表层覆盖状况和土壤理化性质等指标,并将其量化,用ArcView软件分别作出了各指标矢量图.运用层次分析法,根据专家系统意见,构建判断矩阵,确定了各指标的权重.综合叠加各指标矢量图,得到了河北省水源涵养生态功能保护区分级图.研究认为,水源涵养生态功能保护区范围为河北省各大城市水源区、冀北、燕山山地和太行山山地等.     

对水土保持监督管理工作有关问题的思考

要进一步加大宣传力度和执法力度 ,克服畏难情绪 ,制裁逃避法律责任者 ;水土保持监督管理机构应纳入政府序列 ,不应是事业单位 ,更不能是自收自支单位 ;对开发建设项目水土保持方案要实行分级管理 ,严把审批关 ,加强对方案实施的监督 ,并建立和落实水保设施验收制度 ;水土保持监督管理规范化建设不仅要在形式上达标 ,而且要在执法能力、执法程序等软件建设上达标     

我国南方当前水土流失与生态安全中值得重视的问题

根据实地考察,提出我国南方8省当前水土流失及生态安全存在10个值得重视的问题。其中前5个是水土流失现状与问题,诸如,整体好转,局部恶化;远看青山在,近看水土流;生态安全问题凸现;治理经验不少,但效益局限;农村水保,治理应当先;后5个问题是水土治理措施与途径,诸如;国家扶持,地区自立;开发治理,经济生态优先;防治规划,战略推进;政策法制,配套实现;科技领先,体系周全。所有这些问题,对该区当前水土流失治理均有重要的指导意义,可供有关方面参考。     

关于落实吉林省水土保持规划的几点思考

吉林省地处东北黑土区,是我国水土流失较为严重的省份之一。吉林省水土保持规划是吉林省依法防治水土流失、破解水土保持发展瓶颈和今后一个时期开展水土保持工作的总纲领,是吉林省贯彻落实国家生态文明建设的行动指南。结合工作实践,阐述了水土保持规划落实的法律依据及重要意义,着重从全省各地在规划落实过程中普遍存在的规划编制进度滞后、部门联动协作能力较差、公众水土保持意识较弱等主要问题入手,对如何落实好水土保持规划提出了措施和对策。     

水土保持生态修复林植物群落演替研究

根据调查资料，研究了东江流域上杨水土保持试验区内4种典型人工生态修复林植物群落的植物种类分布及林冠郁闭度、地表覆盖度等多项植物群落学。通过与未经生态修复的稀树草坡植物群落进行对比分析，探索了水土保持生态修复林植物群落次生演替状况，并针对生态修复提出了一些的建议。     

瓯江流域低丘缓坡地区生产建设项目不同水土保持措施保水效果研究

目前水土流失主要侧重于土壤侵蚀方面的研究,而对水的流失研究较少。本研究以瓯江流域低丘缓坡地区生产建设项目为对象,通过设置监测小区观测降水量及水的流失量,对比分析工程措施、植物措施、临时措施及综合措施的保水效果。实验结果显示,工程措施、植物措施及综合措施均具有保水效果,以植物措施效果最好;临时措施保水效果差,呈负效应。     

喀斯特地区发展水土保持途径探索

地处黔东门户的铜仁地区,由于诸多因素形成的老少边穷地区,严重的生态环境恶化,加剧了该地区的水土流失,使之陷入恶性循环的生活怪圈,本文旨在探讨在贫困地区如何利用有限的投入,获取更大的治理效果。     

Trace metals and metalloids in forest soils and exotic earthworms in northern New England,USA

Trace metals and metalloids (TMM) in forest soils and invasive earthworms were studied at 9 sites in northern New England, USA. Essential (Cu, Mo, Ni, Zn, Se) and toxic (As, Cd, Pb, Hg, U) TMM concentrations (mg kg⁻¹) and pools (mg m⁻²) were quantified for organic horizons (forest floor), mineral soils and earthworm tissues. Essential TMM tissue concentrations were greatest for mineral soil-feeding earthworm Octolasion cyaneum. Toxic TMM tissue concentrations were highest for organic horizon-feeding earthworms Dendobaena octaedra, Aporrectodea rosea and Amynthas agrestis. Most earthworm species had attained tissue concentrations of Pb, Hg and Se potentially hazardous to predators. Bioaccumulation factors were Cd > Se > Hg > Zn > Pb > U > 1.0 > Cu > As > Mo > Ni. Only Cd, Se, Hg and Zn were considered strongly bioaccumulated by earthworms because their average bioaccumulation factors were significantly greater than 1.0. Differences in bioaccumulation did not appear to be caused by soil concentrations as earthworm TMM tissue concentrations were poorly correlated with TMM soil concentrations. Instead, TMM bioaccumulation appears to be species and site dependent. The invasive A. agrestis had the greatest tissue TMM pools, due to its large body mass and high abundance at our stands. We observed that TMM tissue pools in earthworms were comparable or exceeded organic horizon TMM pools; earthworm tissue pools of Cd were up 12 times greater than in the organic horizon. Thus, exotic earthworms may represent an unaccounted portion and flux of TMM in forests of the northeastern US. Our results highlight the importance of earthworms in TMM cycling in northern forests and warrant more research into their impact across the region.