Project Work Plan

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

Project Title: Across Trophic Level System Simulation Program for the Everglade/Big Cypress Region
Project Start Date: 2004 Project End Date: 2007
Web Site: atlss.org, sofia.usgs.gov
Location (Subregions, Counties, Park or Refuge): Total System
Funding Source: USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science (GE PES)
Other Complementary Funding Source(s): CESI, NSF.
Funding History: FY04, FY05, FY06, FY07
Principal Investigator(s): Donald L. DeAngelis
Email address: ddeangelis@umiami.ir.miami.edu
Phone: 305-284-3973
Fax: 305-284-3039
Mail address: Department of Biology, University of Miami, P. O. Box 249118, Coral Gables, Florida 33124
Project Personnel:
Supporting Organizations: University of Florida, University of Tennessee, University of Miami
Associated/Linked Projects:

Other Investigator(s): Dr. Lou Gross
Email address: gross@tiem.utk.edu
Phone: 865-974-4295 Fax: 865-974-3067
Mail address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996

Other Investigator(s): Dr. Jimmy Johnston
Email address: jimmy_johnston@usgs.gov
Phone: 337-266-8556 Fax: 337-266-8616
Mail address: USGS-BRD National Wetland Research Center, 700 Cajundome Road, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506

Other Investigator(s): Kenneth G. Rice, USGS; Frank J. Mazzotti, University of Florida
Email address: Ken_R_Rice@usgs.gov
Phone: 954-577-6305 Fax: 954-577-6347
Mail address: IFAS, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale 33314

Overview and Objectives: An essential component of restoration planning in South Florida has been the development and use of computer simulation models for the major physical processes driving the system, notably models of hydrology incorporating effects of alternative human control systems and non controlled inputs such as rainfall. The USGS's ATLSS (Across Trophic Level System Simulation) Program utilizes the outputs of such physical system models as inputs to a variety of ecological models that compare the relative impacts of alternative hydrologic scenarios on the biotic components of South Florida. The immediate objective of ATLSS is to provide a rational, scientific basis for ranking the water management scenarios as part of to the planning process for Everglades restoration. The longer term goals of ATLSS are to help achieve a better understanding of components of the Everglades ecosystem, to provide an integrative tool for empirical studies, and to provide a framework monitoring and adaptive management schemes. The ATLSS Program coordinates and integrates the work of modelers and empirical ecologists at many universities and research centers.

ATLSS (Across Trophic Level System Simulation) program addresses CERP's need for quantitative projections of effects of scenarios on biota of the Greater Everglades and can provide guidance to monitoring in an adaptive assessment framework. It does this through creating a suite of models for selected Everglades biota, which can translate the hydrologic scenarios into effects on habitat and demographic variables of populations.

ATLSS is constructed as a multimodel, meaning that it includes a collection of linked models for various physical and biotic systems components of the Greater Everglades. The ATLSS models are all linked through a common framework of vegetative, topographic, and land use maps that allow for the necessary interaction between spatially explicit information on physical processes and the dynamics of organism response across the landscape. This landscape modeling approach is the work of USGS scientists and collaborators from several universities.

The South Florida Water Management Model provides hydrology for ATLSS models at a 2 x 2 mile spatial resolution. The ATLSS multimodeling approach starts with models that translate this coarse-scale hydrology output to a finer resolution appropriate for biotic components. This is achieved through use of GIS vegetation maps and empirical information relating hydroperiods with vegetation types, to develop an approximate hydrology at 500 x 500 m resolution from the 2 x 2 mile hydrology model.

The simplest ecological models in the ATLSS family are the Spatially Explicit Species Index (SESI) models, which compute indices for breeding or foraging potential for key species. These models use the fine resolution hydrology output, combining several attributes of hydrology that are relevant to the well-being of particular species to derive an index value for every 500 x 500 spatial cell in the landscape. This can be done for hydrology data for any given year under any alternative water management scenario. SESI models have been constructed and applied during the Central and Southern Florida Comprehensive Review Study (Restudy) to the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, the snail kite, short and long legged wading birds, the white tailed deer, the American alligator, two species of crayfish, and the Florida panther.

A considerably more spatially explicit simulation model, ALFISH, has been developed for the distribution of functional groups of fish across the freshwater landscape. This model considers the size distribution of large and small fish as important to the basic food chain that supports wading birds. It has been applied to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of availability of fish prey for wading birds. This simulation modeling approach is being extended to crayfish.

Spatially explicit individual based (SEIB) models, which track the behavior, growth and reproduction of individual organisms across the landscape, have been constructed for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow (SIMSPAR), the snail kite (EVERKITE), the white tailed deer (SIMDEL), the Florida panther, the American crocodile (CROCMOD), and various wading bird species. The models include great mechanistic detail on the behavioral and physiological aspects of these species. An advantage of these detailed models is that they link each individual animal to specific environmental conditions on the landscape. These conditions (e.g., water depth, food availability) can change dramatically through time and from one location to another, and determine when and where particular species will be able to survive and reproduce. ATLSS models have been developed and tested in close collaboration with field ecologists who have years of experience and data from working with the major animal species of South Florida.

The ATLSS integrated suite of models has been used extensively in Everglades Restoration planning. Restoration goals include recovery of unique Everglades species, including snail kites and Florida panthers. The quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of deliveries of water to the Greater Everglades are keys to the restoration of natural functions. The challenge is to provide the hydrologic conditions needed by communities of plants and animals, while maintaining water supplies and flood control for a large and expanding human population. The role of USGS's ATLSS Program is to predict the effects of changes in water management on Greater Everglades species and biological communities, as an aid to identifying and selecting those changes most effective for the restoration effort.

To date, the focus of ATLSS to date has been on the freshwater systems, with emphasis on the intermediate and upper trophic levels. ATLSS will be extended estuarine and near shore dynamic models once physical system models for these regions are completed. Modeling of the mangrove vegetative community and estuarine fish is now underway.

There are four tasks in this project. The first (DeAngelis) involves the coordination of the other tasks. The second task (Gross) involves the development and running of the ATLSS computer simulation models. The third task (Rice) involves developing restoration success indicators for the amphibian community. The fourth task (Johnston) involves upgrading of a ATLSS Data Visualization system.

Specific Relevance to Major Unanswered Questions and Information Needs Identified:

Many of the ATLSS models were used during scenario evaluation (1997-99). In this process, hydrology model output for scenarios was sent from the SFWMD to the U. of Tennessee. Hydrology output was used to drive the following ATLSS models: SESI models: Cape Sable seaside sparrow, snail kite, American alligator, long- and short-legged wading birds, white-tailed deer. SEIB model: Cape Sable seaside sparrow (SIMSPAR). Spatially explicit number/biomass density model: Freshwater fish (ALFISH). ATLSS output was sent to the Alternative Evaluation Team (AET), composed of representatives of agencies in South Florida, and used extensively in its evaluations and recommendations.

ATLSS models will continue to be used for scenario evaluations for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Recent Products:

Publications (2004-2006):

Koslow, J., and D. L. DeAngelis. 2006. Host mating system and the prevalence of a disease in a plant population. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 273: 1825-1831.

Holland, J. N., and D. L. DeAngelis. 2006. Interspecific population regulation and the stability of mutualism: fruit abortion and density-dependent mortality of pollinating seed-eating moths. Oikos 113:563-571.

DeAngelis, D. L., and J. N. Holland. 2006 Emergence of ratio-dependent and predator-dependent functional responses for pollination mutualism and seed parasitism. Ecological Modelling 191:551-556.

Binshamlan, M., H.-L. Koh, L.-H. Lee, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2005. Modeling bioaccumulation of mercury in the Everglades fishes. Proceedings of International Conference on Reservoir Operation and River Management, Guangzhou & Three Gorges, China, September 17-23, 2005. Published in: Advances in Reservoir Operation and River Management (Yangbo Chen, ed.)

Grimm, V, E.. Revilla, U. Berger, F. Jeltsch, W. M. Mooij, S. F. Railsback, H.-H. Thulke, J. Weiner, T. Wiegand, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2005. Pattern-oriented modeling of agent-based complex systems: Lessons from ecology. Science 310:987-991.

DeAngelis, D. L., and W. M. Mooij. 2005. Individual-based modeling of ecological and evolutionary processes. Annual Reviews of Ecology and Evolutionary Systematics 36:147-168.

DeAngelis, D. L., J. C. Trexler, and W. F. Loftus. 2005. Life history trade-offs and community dynamics of small fishes in a seasonally pulsed wetland. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 62:781-790.

Vos, M., B. W. Kooi, D. L. DeAngelis and W. M. Mooij. 2005 . Inducible defenses in food webs. Pages 114-127 in "Dynamic Food Webs". P. de Ruiter, V. Wolters and J. Moore (eds.), Elsevier Press, The Netherlands.

Immanuel, A., M. W. Berry, L. J. Gross, M. Palmer, and D. Wang. 2005. A parallel implementation of ALFISH: simulating hydrological compartmentalization effects on fish dynamics in the Florida Everglades. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 13:55-76.

Wang Y.Q., D. A. Williams, and M. S. Gaines. 2005 Evidence for a recent genetic bottleneck in the endangered Florida Keys silver rice rat (Oryzomys argentatus) revealed by microsatellite DNA analyses. Conservation Genetics 6 (4): 575-585 July 2005

Wang, D., E. Carr, M. Palmer, M. W. Berry, and L. J. Gross. 2005. A Grid Service Module for Natural Resource Managers. IEEE Internet Computing 9:35-41.

Wang, D., E. Carr, L. J. Gross, and M. W. Berry. 2005. Toward ecosystem modeling on computing grids. Computing in Science and Engineering 7:44-52.

Wang, D., M. W. Berry, and L. J. Gross. 2005. A parallel structured ecological model for high-end shared memory computers. First International Workshop on Open MP. Lecure Notes in Computer Science (in press).

Vos, M., A. M. Verschoor, B. W. Kooi, F. L. Wackers, D. L. DeAngelis, and W. M. Mooij. 2004. Inducible defences and trophic structure. Ecology 85:2783-2794.

Richards, P. M., W. M. Mooij, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2004. Evaluating the effect of salinity on a simulated American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) population with applications to conservation and Everglades restoration. Ecological Modelling 180:371-394.

Comiskey, E. J., A. C. Eller, Jr., and D. W. Perkins. 2004. Evaluating impacts to Florida panther habitat: how porous is the umbrella. Southeastern Naturalist 3(1):51-74.

Holland, J. N. , D. L. DeAngelis, and S. Schultz. 2004. Evolutionary stability of mutualism: interspecific population regulation as an evolutionarily stable strategy. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271:1807-1814.

Gaff, H., J. Chick, J. Trexler, D. DeAngelis, L. Gross, and R. Salinas. 2004. Evaluation of and insights from ALFISH: a spatially explicit landscape-level simulation of fish populations in the Everglades. Hydrobiologia 520:73-87.

Jost, C., C. Rhodes, F. Campolongo, W. van de Bund, S. Hill, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2004. The effects of mixotrophy on the stability and dynamics of a simple planktonic food web. Theoretical Population Biology 66(1):37-51.

Dreitz, V. J., W. M. Kitchens, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2004. The effects of natal departure and water level on survival of juvenile snail kites in Florida. The Auk 121:894-903.

Vos, M., B. W. Kooi, D. L. DeAngelis, and W. M. Mooij. 2004. Inducible defences and the paradox of enrichment. Oikos 105:471-480.

Holland, J. N., J. L. Bronstein, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2004. Testing hypotheses for excess flower production and low fruit-to-flower ratios in a pollinating seed-consuming mutualism. Oikos 105:633-640.

DeAngelis, D. L., and P. J. Mulholland. 2004. Dynamic consequences of allochthonous nutrient input into freshwater systems. Pages 12-24, In: G. A. Polis, M. E. Power, and G. R. Huxel (eds.), Food Webs at the Landscape Level. University of Chicago Press.

Vanni, M. J., D. L. DeAngelis, D. E. Schindler, and G. R. Huxel. 2004. Introduction: Cross-habitat flux of nutrients and detritus. Page 3-11, In: G. A. Polis, M. E. Power, and G. R. Huxel. (eds.) Food Webs at the Landscape Level.

In press or submitted:

Mooij, W. M., J. Martin, W. M. Kitchens, and D. L. DeAngelis. Exploring the temporal effects of seasonal water availability on the snail kite of Florida. Pulsed Resources and Wildlife Population Response: The Importance of Time. Editors: John Bissonette and Ilse Storch. Springer-Verlag Publisher. (In press.)

Rashleigh, B, and D. L. DeAngelis. Conditions for coexistence between parasitic freshwater mussels. Ecological Modelling (in press).

Call, E. M., L. A. Brandt, and D. L. DeAngelis. Old World climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum) spore germination in natural substrates. Florida Scientist (in press).

Volker Grimm, Uta Berger, Finn Bastiansen, Sigrunn Eliassen, Vincent Ginot, Jarl Giske, John Goss-Custard, Tamara Grand, Simone Heinz, Geir Huse, Andreas Huth, Jane U. Jepsen, Christian Jørgensen, Wolf M. Mooij, Birgit Müller, Guy Pe'er, Cyril Piou, Steven F. Railsback, Andrew M. Robbins, Martha M. Robbins, Eva Rossmanith, Nadja Rüger, Espen Strand, Sami Souissi, Richard Stillmann, Rune Vabø, Ute Visser, Donald L. DeAngelis. A standard protocol for describing individual-based and agent-based models. Ecological Modelling (in press).

Al-Rabai'ah, Hussam, H.- L. Koh, D. L. DeAngelis, H.-L. Lee, Modeling long-term effects of PCBs on the Everglades fish communities. Wetland Ecology and Management (in press).

Petersen, J. H., D. L. DeAngelis, and C. P. Paukert. Developing bioenergetics and life history models for rare and endangered species. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (in press).

DeAngelis, D. L, M. Vos, W. M. Mooij, and P. A. Abrams. Feedback effects between the food chain and induced defense strategies. In: From Energetics to Ecosystems: The Dynamics and Structure of Ecological Systems N. Rooney, K. McCann and D. Noakes (eds). Springer-Verlag (In press.)

Sternberg, L. D. L. DeAngelis, S. Ewe, and F. Wilhelm-Miralles. A dynamic model of ecosystem shifts at the saline/freshwater vegetation ecotone. Ecosystems (submitted).

Presentations:

DeAngelis, D. L., and W. M. Mooij. 2005. Individual-based modeling and fundamental theoretical questions in ecology. Keynote Speech. Annual Meeting, British Ecological Society, Hatfield, England.

DeAngelis, D. L. 2006. Coupling population and biomass in individual-based models. Keynote Speech, International Society of Ecological Modelling, Yamaguchi, Japan.

Mooij, W. M., J. Martin, W M. Kitchens, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2006. Modeling snail kites in a variable environment. GEER Meeting, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Gaines, M. S., D. L. DeAngelis, M. Fernandes, J. Warren, and H. Beck. 2006. Effects of Patch Size and Hydrology on Population Dynamics of Small Mammals in the Everglades. GEER Meeting, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Planned Products: See tasks below

Project Budget and Time Frame:

Collaborators: Collaborators have included the following: Florida International University, Southwestern Louisiana University, University of Florida, University of Maryland, University of Miami, University of Tennessee, University of Washington, University of West Florida, National Wetland Research Center (USGS), Institute for Bird Populations, Everglades Research Group, and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology.

Clients: National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

WORK PLAN

Title of Task 1: Coordination of the projects and tasks under ATLSS
Task Funding: USGS Priority Ecosystem Science FY05
Task Leaders: Donald L. DeAngelis
Phone: 305-284-1690
FAX: ddeangelis@umiami.ir.miami.edu
Task Status (proposed or active): Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 1: 10/01/2004 - 9/31/2007
Task Personnel: D. L. DeAngelis
Task Summary and Objectives: Coordinate all of the projects and tasks under ATLSS. Work with collaborators in planning their projects. Interact with agencies and interagency teams in South Florida to ascertain their needs for modeling and evaluation of restoration plans and determine how ATLSS can best meet those needs. Lay the groundwork for a decision support system.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:

During the next year there will be especially heavy need for working with the DOI agencies (National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service) to perform the needed ATLSS model simulations for CERP evaluations. Part of this work will involve making ATLSS models more directly accessible to agencies. A meeting with agency representatives on September 22, 2005, indicated that there is now an urgent need to test a number of different water regulation scenarios in a short time, as well as to be able to make minor alterations in the models. This requires rapid turnaround of results (within a day or two).

The leader of this task will work to achieve this goal both through interactions with Lou Gross of the University of Tennessee as well as by improving the capabilities at the Joint Ecological Modeling (JEM) Center. Currently the USGS's Across Trophic Level System Simulation (ATLSS) models are run at the University of Tennessee using 2 x 2 mile hydrology provided by the South Florida Water Management Model (SFWMM). But the DOI agencies need to have ATLSS models working in South Florida on PCs. Currently the USGS's Across Trophic Level System Simulation (ATLSS) models are run at the University of Tennessee using 2 x 2 mile hydrology provided by the South Florida Water Management Model (SFWMM). The initial step in this process is converting SFWMM topography and hydrology to the 500 x 500 meter scale of resolution used by the ATLSS models. The 500-m hydrology is used in the ATLSS models, which include Spatially Explicit Species Index (SESI) models for wading birds, snail kites, white-tailed deer, American alligator, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, crayfish, Florida panthers, and apple snails, as well as population demographic models of the American alligator and the forage fish functional group (ALFISH model). In order to transfer these functions to DOI agencies, the University of Tennessee is now cooperating in training between two and four persons from these agencies during a series of visits to the University of Tennessee beginning in early 2006. In addition, source code and documentation of the models and procedures will be transferred to the involved agencies. The task leader has been organizing and participating in visits by DOI staff to the University of Tennessee to learn how the processes needed to run ATLSS models.

The task leader will also coordinate with other modeling research in order to incorporate new models in the ATLSS framework.

The task leader is also engaged in other project related to Everglades research and restoration.

1. Working with a Master's student at the University of Miami (Mark Mandica) to develop an index of biotic integrity for amphibian communities in the southern Everglades.
2. Working with a Ph. D. student at the University of Miami (Shu Ju) to create a nutrient cycling model for tree islands in the Everglades to understand the differences in productivity, tree communities, and other properties between and within tree islands.
3. Working with Prof. Joel Trexler of FIU to create a simple, more flexible version of ALFISH that can be used to predict fish biomasses on subregions of the Everglades.
4. Working with a University of Miami post-doc (Dr. Irene van der Stap) to upgrade and apply to scenarios the snail kite individual-based model (EVERKITE).
5. Working with Dr. Michael Gaines of the University of Miami to complete the report on 11 years of study of effects of tree island size and hydroperiod on abundance, survival, reproduction, and movement of rice rats and cotton rats.

Deliverables:

• A grid based version of EVERKITE that incorporates the new empirical knowledge with documentation. The input will consist of grid based hydrological scenarios, the output of grid based kite numbers, vital rates, population structure, etc.
• A simple user-interface to run the model developed in close contact with the agencies with documentation.
• Grid based output files of EVERKITE with documentation for the existing hydrological scenarios. These output files can be inspected with the existing ATLSS dataviewer or other GIS software already available at the agencies.
• Report of 11-year study of small mammals (with Gaines).

Title of Task 2: Development of Selected Model Components of an Across-Trophic-Level System Simulation (ATLSS) for the Wetland Systems of South Florida
Task Funding: USGS Priority Ecosystem Science FY07
Task Leaders: Louis J. Gross, University of Tennessee
Phone: 865-974-4295
FAX: 865-974-3067
Task Status (proposed or active): Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 2: 2004-2007
Task Personnel: Louis J. Gross, Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling, Univ. Tenn.
Staff of The Institute for Environmental Modeling including: Jane Comiskey and Eric Carr.

Task Summary and Objective(s): The ongoing goals in this project have been to produce models capable of projecting and comparing the effects of alternative hydrologic scenarios on various trophic components of the Everglades. The methodology involves: 1) a landscape structure; 2) a high resolution topography to estimate high resolution water depth across the landscape; 3) models to calculate spatially explicit species indices (SESI) for breeding and foraging success measures across the landscape; 4) spatially explicit individual-based (SEIB) computer simulation models of selected species populations; 5) a variety of visualization and evaluation tools to aid model development, validation, and comparison to field data, and 6) developing an efficient way for agencies in South Florida to use models. Included in this are numerous sub-projects for different species, vegetation succession, analysis of alternative approaches to developing high resolution, models which deal with estuarine systems, methods to allow users from a variety of agencies to access and run the models, and methods to enhance the computational efficiency of the simulations. The continuing general objective is to provide a flexible, efficient collection of methods, utilizing the best current science, to evaluate the relative impacts of alternative hydrologic plans on the biotic systems of South Florida. This is done in a spatially-explicit manner which allows different stakeholders to evaluate the impacts based upon their own criteria for the locations and biotic systems under consideration. The objectives of the proposed study are as follows:

• Continue the effort started in FY06 to provide to training of local DOI staff in South Florida to run ATLSS models with hydrologic scenarios from the SFWMM
• Complete the delivery of ATLSS SESI models to Everglades National Park and other DOI agencies and collaborators; in particular, wading bird, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, snail kite, crayfish, apple snail, and alligator.
• Complete the ATLSS implementation of Version 3.0 to operate with the SFWMD's Regional Simulation Model (RSM) and couple ATLSS Hydro and all ATLSS SESI models to the RSM.
• Integrate the vegetation dynamics model (linked to fire, nutrients, and hydrology) to ATLSS SESI models.
• Continued testing and validation of SESI models

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:

The emphasis on work being done under Task 2 shifted during FY06 due to the changing needs of agencies in South Florida. It was originally intended to continue development of a system (through an NSF-funded project at the University of Tennessee) to allow dispersed resource managers to access remotely, through the Web, the capabilities of the SInRG (Scalable Intracampus Research Grid) at the University of Tennessee. This would have allowed users at resource agencies in South Florida, with relatively little computer expertise, to initiate ATLSS simulations on the computers at the University of Tennessee. The Web-based use of the ATLSS models was progressing rapidly, using software, called NetSolve, developed at the University of Tennessee. Completion of this task would have left time to continue development of ATLSS (Version 3) and a number of other subtasks.

However, a meeting with agency representatives on September 22, 2005, indicated that there is now an urgent need to test a number of different water regulation scenarios in a short time, as well as to be able to make minor alterations in the models. This requires rapid turnaround of results (within a day or two). This requires having ATLSS models to run locally on agency PCs. In order to provide this capability the objectives of Task 2 were changed during FY06. Work is now underway to transfer the expertise in using the ATLSS (Version 2.0) models and in performing the model runs to DOI agencies in southern Florida. In order to transfer these functions to DOI agencies, the University of Tennessee is training between two and four persons from DOI agencies and collaborators during a series of visits to the University of Tennessee that began in early 2006. In addition, source code and available documentation of the models and procedures are being shared with the involved agencies.

The specific objectives of the proposed work begun during FY06 were specified as the following,

1. A team of at least two DOI designated scientists from southern Florida will develop an understanding of the process for creating the ATLSS 500-m resolution topography and hydrology. (Expected time, two days.)
2. Together with staff of the Institute for Environmental Modeling, University of Tennessee (TIEM), the DOI team should run usable ATLSS models against a standard 2x2 hydro scenario, converted to 500-m hydrology. This will include the following SESI models: white-tailed deer, snail kite, wading bird, alligator, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, crayfish, and apple snail. This will also include the models ALFISH and SIMSPAR. (Expected time, three days.)
3. The team will, along with the TIEM staff, write down a standard operating procedure for updating the 500-m topography for SFWMM hydrology input, as well as the 500-m conversion program provided to ENP previously. This is important, because this topography may be used in the future not only for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow model, but may be incorporated into a marl prairie performance measure. (Expected time, one to two weeks.)
4. The team, together with TIEM staff, will proceed to rapidly determine if a transition to Visual C++ in Windows is feasible, and concurrently move forward to develop a Linux-based version of ATLSS V2 to run on DOI computers.
5. The team, together with TIEM staff, will examine and discuss the present ATLSS input and output files, in order to see if there are ways to better facilitate parameter sensitivity analysis and post-run data analysis.
6. A written agreement will be developed by the team as a group that sets up a protocol for software versioning management that protects the source code while still allowing for needed updates and modifications to be performed both at UT and DOI agencies.

The following progress on these objectives has been made through August 2006.

• A series of three visits to the University of Tennessee (UT) by a team from DOI in South Florida has been started, with the first two visits occurring in April and June 2006. A final version of the SOW was developed and the team learned the process of developing ATLSS's high resolution topography (HRT) and hydrology (HRH). The UT staff started the documentation of the process of developed HRT and HRH, and also of converting ATLSS SESI models from UNIX work stations to LINUX boxes.
• The source code for a suite of the ATLSS models was provided to the DOI agencies by UT. This included ALFISH, and the wading bird, alligator, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, and snail kite SESI models. The source code will be the versions of ATLSS which utilize Version 2 of the ATLSS Landscape classes built for Sun Microsystems Solaris Forte C++ compiler. These will be provided by March 31, 2006.
• As part of the preparation for the third meeting, UT staff delivered to Everglades National Park and the JEM lab in July, 2006, the following handbooks:
  • ATLSS High Resolution Topography (HRT) Manual
  • ATLSS High Resolution Multi-Source Topography (HRMST) Implementation Manual
  • ATLSS HydroSuite (HS) Implementation Manual
• These draft versions of instruction manuals cover the complete ATLSS hydrology creation process from SFWMM Calibration/Verification to generation of ATLSS hydrology from Scenario runs. In the draft version, separate manuals are provided for HRT, HMDT, and HydroSuite.
• In addition, a copy of the Linux version of the ATLSS white-tailed SESI has been delivered to Everglades National Park and the JEM lab.

A second piece of information that was learned about in July, 2006, is that the new model of the South Florida Water Management District, the Regional Simulation Model (RSM) is expected to be ready earlier than previously anticipated; in fact, perhaps be January 2006. Use of this would require an entire revision of the ATLSS models to the ATLSS Version 3.

There are three subtasks to the proposed work for FY07:

1. Complete the process of providing training and delivery of PC-compatible ATLSS models to DOI agencies and collaborators in South Florida
2. Complete the development of ATLSS Version 3.0, in order to be able to run ATLSS models on the RSM.
3. As time permits after completion of subtasks 1 and 2, continue integration the vegetation dynamics model (linked to fire, nutrients, and hydrology) to ATLSS SESI models. Continue testing and validation of SESI models

The methods for the first two subtasks are as follows.

• A third visit by Doug Donalson, Kevin Chartier, and Don DeAngelis will take place in September or early October, 2006.
• The first drafts of the three hydro model documentation manuals will be reviewed and finalized.
• The ATLSS SESI models that have been revised to run on Linux will be installed and tested on Linux boxes in South Florida agencies.
• Work will resume on development of ATLSS Version 3. Work on this was initiated under CESI funding in FY05. However, only one year of funding was obtained and the project was not completed. Under the CESI funding, a way of creating ATLSS Hydro from any hydrologic model, including irregularly shaped cells, as in the RSM, was developed. However, revisions to the SESI models were not made. Each SESI model may require individual adjustment to operate with irregular cells. In particular, obtaining vegetation data at the level of RSM cells, using the FGAP model, poses a challenge.

The methods for the third subtask have been described in previous SOWs.

Work to be undertaken during future FY's and proposed funding:

Recent Products: See earlier list

Specific Task Products:

• Delivery of manuals for of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that clearly lays out the steps necessary to get from 2x2 output to the ATLSS high resolution hydrology (HRH) output. This should include everything that is needed from the District, and everything that is needed from UT, including any steps that require access to model code, and any explicit assumptions that go into the ATLSS models.
• Two to four people designated by DOI will have been trained by UT staff in HRH and ATLSS model output production.
• In collaboration with DOI-designated individuals, work will start immediately by UT to port ATLSS models to a Linux-based machine. A full report, including source code and documentation on the completed components of a Linux-version of ATLSS (using ATLSS Landscape classes Version 2) will be provided to DOI by UT by March 31, 2007. In addition a report will be made on the feasibility of development of ATLSS for a Microsoft Windows platform. This will include, but not be limited to, the sparrow index, wading birds index, ALFISH, and alligator index models. UT has responsibility for providing input and assessment for this Windows transfer feasibility report (expending no more than one month of staff time), but the DOI participants are responsible for composing the report.
• ATLSS Version 3 will be working for selected SESI models before the end of FY07.

Title of Task 3: Use of Amphibian Communities as Indicators of Restoration Success
Task Funding: USGS Priority Ecosystems Science
Task Leaders: Kenneth G. Rice, USGS; Frank J. Mazzotti, University of Florida
Phone: 954-577-6305
FAX: 954-577-6347
Task Status (proposed or active): Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 2: 2004-2007
Task Personnel: Valerie Johnson, University of Florida
Task Summary and Objectives: Declines in amphibian populations have been documented by scientists worldwide from many regions and habitat types. No single cause for declines has been demonstrated, but stressors like acid precipitation, environmental contaminants, the introduction of exotic predators, disease agents, parasites, and the effects of ultraviolet radiation have all been suggested. Because of their susceptibility to these and other stressors, amphibians are important as indicators of ecosystem health. Amphibians are present in all habitats and under all hydrologic regimes in the Everglades. The species present and the occupancy rate of a given species differ greatly across those gradients. These differences are due to hydropattern, vegetation, and other environmental factors. The combination of species composition and proportion of each habitat occupied at a given time form unique communities defined by those environmental factors. Therefore, if these communities can be reliably defined and measured, Everglades restoration success can be evaluated, restoration targets can be established, and restoration alternatives can be compared. This study will develop methodologies for defining and measuring the membership and area occupancy of amphibian communities. Further, we will investigate the relationship of occupancy of amphibians with hydroperiod and other environmental factors. Finally, we will provide a method for measuring restoration success based on these communities. The importance of amphibian communities to Everglades restoration has been recognized and listed as critical priority research needs (see USGS Ecological Modeling Workshop and the DOI Science Plan in Support of Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration).

We will use established sampling methodologies such as PVC refugia trapping to investigate amphibian occupancy rates, develop new methods for sampling across hydroperiod gradients (drift fence arrays, PVC arrays), and use newly developed statistical techniques to estimate the proportion of area occupied by and to define amphibian communities. Our objectives include:

• Define amphibian communities appropriate for evaluating restoration success.
• Develop methods for measuring the area occupancy of amphibian communities across habitats and environmental gradients.
• Investigate the relationship of occupancy with hydroperiod and other environmental factors.
• Develop restoration targets for the amphibian community of the Everglades.
• Develop a restoration tool for amphibian communities that measures restoration success and compares restoration alternatives.
• Develop an index of biological integrity for amphibians that provides a framework for scientifically defensible decisions by restoration managers.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:

During FY07, we will concentrate our work on:

• Establishing restoration targets for amphibian communities in appropriate habitats.
• Collection of additional field data on amphibian distributions in the Ten Thousand Islands and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge to supplement existing data from Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park.
• Collection of further information on cryptic species including aquatic amphibians within Big Cypress National Preserve.
• Acquisition of hydrologic data from different state and federal sources in southwest Florida to estimate hydrologic parameters of interest (mean annual hydroperiod, days since dry down, etc.) at our sampling locations. This will include cooperation with the Everglades Depth Estimation Network funded by USGS-PES and ACOE. This data will be used to finalize models of amphibian presence due to hydropattern in the Everglades.
• Finalizing models and methods to measure restoration success across these communities and compare restoration alternatives.
• Finalizing an overall index of amphibian community integrity.

Duellman and Schwartz (1958) produced the first scientific survey of the amphibians of south Florida. This work serves as an excellent reference for the historical distribution of many species before the extensive habitat loss in south Florida during the second half of the 20^th century. Meshaka et al. (2000) produced a species list of the herpetofauna for ENP, but little information about the habitat associations and population status of the species was contained in that report. Dalrymple (1988) provided a good description of the herpetofauna of the Long Pine Key area in ENP, but no attempt has been made to sample amphibians throughout the Everglades.

We used 2 primary methods to accomplish the objectives of the project:

• Proportion area occupied (PAO) by a species.
  • Vocalization survey
  • Time-constrained searches
• Proportion area occupied by a community.

Proportion area occupied by a species (Field work FY04-FY05, Analysis FY06).-- One problem with many of the methods used to sample amphibians is the lack of any control of the myriad environmental factors that affect the behavior and activity of the animals. Abiotic factors like temperature, humidity and hydrology as well as biotic factors like the presence of predators or conspecifics can affect the observability of amphibians. The observability of species' population is a function of the population size, the behavior of the individuals, and the ability of the observer to locate the animals in the particular habitat. Many monitoring programs simply count animals and do not control for this observability or capture probability (p). Therefore, comparisons over time or space are not possible or are biased. If the monitoring program can assume the cost of marking individual animals, then p can be determined and population size or density determined (standard mark-recapture methods, see Williams, et al. 2002). However, this would be cost prohibitive in a monitoring program for all amphibian species throughout the Everglades. MacKenzie, et al. (2002) has developed a novel approach to this problem. Rather than mark the individual, we “mark” the species. Therefore, presence/absence data from several plots within a habitat (or along a hydroperiod gradient in our study) provided an estimate of p and will allow estimation of the proportion of a stratum occupied by a given species at a given time.

Sampling units were chosen randomly within each stratum. Within Everglades National Park these were along the Main Park Road and Context Road. We chose 5 permanent sites along each road accessed by foot. The sites were located within 300 to 900 feet of the road. In Water Conservation Area 3A, we selected 5 permanent sites in each stratum along a North-South transect from I75 to SR41. Each stratum was defined by the hydroperiod observed from existing hydrologic data and habitat type as defined by existing GIS vegetation layers. Sites were visited twice biweekly, April through September. Further sites in each stratum were visited twice during the study to provide further information on a broader geographic scale.

Additional sites will be established in Big Cypress National Preserve (Bear Island and Addition Lands) and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge to fill in data gaps from previous studies on the distribution of treefrog species. Also, we will establish sites within slough and prairie habitats in Big Cypress National Preserve to further investigate distribution patterns of aquatic amphibians.

Our standardized sampling unit was a circular plot of 20m radius. Plots were sampled after dark to increase the probability of observing nocturnal amphibians. At each plot 2-3 person crews began by listening for anuran vocalizations for 10 minutes. The abundance of each species was categorized as: no frogs calling, one frog calling, 2-5 calling, 6-10 calling, >10 calling, or large chorus. The intensity of the vocalizations were categorized as: no frogs calling, occasional, frequent, or continuous. After the vocalization survey, we performed a 30-minute visual encounter survey (VES) in each plot. During this time, all individual amphibians observed were identified to species and captured if possible. We recorded the species, categorized the age (egg, larvae, juvenile, sub-adult, or adult), measured and recorded the snout-to-vent length and recorded the sex when possible. The animal was released at the original capture site. We also recorded the substrate and perch height of the animal. A University of Florida Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval was obtained for animal capture. In addition to VES, we used funnel traps to attempt to capture aquatic amphibians. We also recorded several ancillary variables at each plot (air temperature, relative humidity, presence of water, water temperature, wind speed, cloud cover).

In addition, 20-1m tall, 5 cm diameter PVC removable pipes were installed in each site for refugia of treefrog species. During each visit, animals were removed from the pipe for identification and measurement as outlined above. All animals were released into the original PVC refugia. All PVC was removed at the end of the study.

At 10 sites in ENP (5 along Context Road and 5 along Main Park Road) we installed 20m of drift fence for capture of aquatic salamanders. The drift fence consisted of removable erosion control fence with a funnel trap incorporated at each end. The fence was arrayed as 4 separate 5-m fences in a grid around the center of the site. Traps were placed along the fence for 5 consecutive days once per month during May through October. The traps were checked each day in the morning to minimize heat stress on captured animals. Animals were measured as outlined above and released at the capture site. All traps and drift fences were removed during non-capture periods and at the end of the study.

Analysis during FY07. - Individual species capture histories (matrix of presence/absence of each species at a sampling period and plot) and corresponding covariates (habitat, hydroperiod, temperature, humidity) will be assembled. We will then estimate the proportion of each stratum occupied by a species and the capture probability (using MLE and the logistic regression for covariates; MacKenzie et al. 2002). The best model will minimize AIC and adequately estimate the parameters in the model (the candidate model list will be developed a priori based on ecological knowledge and will not include all possible combinations). We can then use these estimates to construct appropriate communities for each stratum (see proportion of area occupied by a community below).

Proportion area occupied by a community. - Given that species occupancy rates differ across hydroperiod gradients and that hydrology is the controlling factor of this difference (see above), we can begin to construct “communities.” In Figure 1 below (letters represent species, the size of the circle represents PAO, numbers represent hydroperiod), we can see that in short hydroperiod sites, species A and D dominate. However, as we move to longer hydroperiod sites, other species emerge as the dominate species in the community. This pattern of species composition and PAO forms the set of “communities” along the hydroperiod gradient.

Figure 1. Conceptual view of proportion of area occupied by communities of amphibians across a gradient of hydroperiod in the Everglades. [larger image]

We have seen this pattern begins to emerge in preliminary data from the Everglades (Table 1).

Table 1. Proportion Area Occupied values for amphibian species in the Everglades across a gradient of hydroperiod (values are an estimate of the proportion of a stratum occupied by that species): Hydroperiod Cricket Frog Southern Toad Squirrel Treefrog Pigfrog Leopard Frog Short 0.0000 0.5277 0.7058 0.0000 0.3101 0.0000 0.5155 0.6495 0.3123 1.0000 0.1525 1.0000 0.1865 1.0000 0.8564 0.3391 0.0000 1.0000 0.8708 0.8646 Long 0.7080 0.4333 0.1718 0.7068 0.3558

At present, the method for defining and then predicting community composition and PAO is not complete. This study will develop this methodology for the Everglades.

Index of Biological Integrity. -- Indices of biological integrity (IBI) were originally developed to assess conditions of riverine systems (Karr 1991, 1993) and also have been developed successfully for use in terrestrial environments (O'Connell et al. 1998). The basic premise of IBI's is that a range of conditions of ecological integrity can be defined based on the structure and composition of a selected biological community (e.g. amphibians, fish, birds, macroinvertebrates). The concept of biological integrity provides an ecologically-based framework in which species-assemblage data can be ranked in a manner that is more informative than traditional measures such as richness and diversity (Karr and Dudley 1981, Brooks et al. 1998). Therefore, the final step in this project will be to develop an amphibian community index (ACI) for evaluating the success of restoration and management of Greater Everglades Ecosystems. The ACI will be modeled after previously developed IBI's (Cronquist and Brooks 1991, Karr 1991,1993, Books et al. 1998, O'Connell et al. 1998). Essentially, we will use the PAO of communities estimated above to index or define the integrity of a given stratum. As restoration proceeds, we can use changes in the index to make informed management decisions and to measure success. Further, we can use the pattern of these communities based on hydropattern to develop restoration targets and to compare alternatives. By providing a reliable and repeatable measure of ecological quality an ACI will help managers reach scientifically defensible decisions (Brooks et al. 1998).

Work to be undertaken during future FY's and proposed funding:

This project is scheduled to end in FY07.

Literature Cited:

Boughton, R. G., J. Staiger, and R. Franz. 2000. Use of PVC pipe refugia as a sampling technique for hylid treefrogs. American Midland Naturalist 144: 168-177.

Brooks, R.P., O'Connell, T.J., Wardrop, D.H., and Jackson, L.E.: 1998, 'Towards a Regional Index of Biological Integrity: The Example for Forested Riparian Systems,' Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 51, 131-143.

Croonquist, M.J. and Brooks, R.P.: 1991, 'Use of avian and mammalian guilds as indicators of cumulative impacts in riparian-wetland areas,' Environmental Management 15, 701-714.

Dalrymple, G. H. 1988. The herpetofauna of Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park, in relation to vegetation and hydrology. Pp 72-86 In: Szaro, R. C., K. E. Stevenson, and D. R. Patton, eds. The management of amphibians, reptiles and small mammals in North America. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service Symposium, Gen. Tech. Rept. RM-166, Flagstaff, AZ.

Donnelly, M. A., C. Guyer, J. E. Juterbock, and R. A. Alford. 1994. Techniques for marking amphibians. In Heyer, W. R., M. A. Donnelly, R. W. McDiarmid, L. C. Hayek, and M. S. Foster, editors. Measuring and monitoring biological diversity: Standard methods for amphibians. Smithsonian Institution. Washington, D.C.

Duellman, W.E. and A. Schwartz. 1958. Amphibians and reptiles of southern Florida. Bull. Florida State Mus., no. 3.

Enge, K. M. 1997. A standardized protocol for drift-fence surveys. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission Technical Report No. 14. Tallahassee. 69 pp.

Karr, J.R. : 1991, 'Biological integrity: a long-neglected aspect of water resource management,' Ecological Applications 1, 66-84.

Karr, J.R. : 1993, 'Defining and assessing ecological integrity: beyond water quality,' Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 12, 1521-1531.

Karr, J.R. and Dudley, D.R. : 1981, 'Ecological perspective on water quality goals,' Environmental Management 5, 55-68.

MacKenzie, D.I., J.D. Nichols, G.B. Lachman, S. Droege, J.A. Royle, and C.A. Langtimm. 2002. Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one, Ecology. In Press.

Meshaka, W.E., W.F. Loftus, and T. Steiner. 2000. The Herpetofauna of Everglades National Park. Florida Scientist 63(2): 84-103.

O'Connell, T. J., Jackson, L.E., and Brooks, R.P. : 1998, 'A Bird Community Index of Biotic Integrity for the Mid-Atlantic Highlands,' Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 51, 145-156.

Williams, B.K., J.D. Nichols, and M.J. Conroy. 2002. Analysis and management of animal populations. Academic Press, London. 817 pp.

Specific Task Product(s):

• Tools and scientific data necessary for evaluation of restoration success and comparison of restoration alternatives.
• Methods and data necessary for RECOVER's adaptive assessment process and monitoring program.
• Development of a cost-effective monitoring program for amphibians.
• Development of performance measures for amphibian communities.
• Peer-reviewed publications and published methodology for evaluation of restoration success.

Title of Task 4: Development of an Internet Based GIS to Visualize ATLSS Datasets For Resource Managers
Task Funding: USGS Priority Ecosystem Sciences FY07
Task Leaders: James B. Johnston
Phone: 337-266-8556
Fax: 337-266-8616
e-mail: jimmy_johnston@usgs.gov
Task Status (proposed or active): Active
Task priority: High
Time Frame for Task 3: Year 3 - 1/10/04-9/31/07
Task Personnel: James B. Johnston, Steve Hartley, and William Sleavin

Task Summary and Objectives:
The Across Trophic Level System Simulation (ATLSS) Program attempts to predict the responses of a suite of higher trophic level species to different alterations in the Everglades/Big Cypress region of South Florida to represent the biotic community and various factors that affect this community. A tremendous amount of digital data have resulted from running these scenarios. To make these data available to resource managers and scientists, the USGS-National Wetlands Research Center has developed the ATLSS Data Viewer System (ADV). It is a spatial query and visualization GIS tool that provides the capability of retrieving, displaying, and analyzing ATLSS model data by using a user-friendly graphical interface and project-oriented procedures: The project has

• Designed a customized graphical user interface that makes the system user-friendly
• Displayed the ATLSS SESI output data, performed analyses, and generated outputs that allow resource managers and decision makers to make informed decisions
• Provided training courses for users.

This project concerns the development of a customized spatial query and visualization tool that provide capabilities of loading ATLSS models data and showing, in the Everglades/Big Cypress area, alternative water management changes and their effects on numerous species modeled in ATLSS (i.e. Cape Sable seaside sparrow, Snail Kite, wading birds, white-tailed deer, American alligator, Florida panther), as opposed to one species, and compare numerous scenarios for one species. The overall goal is to provide an easy-to-use tool capable to access the vast amounts of data produced by the ATLSS models, display and integrate spatial and non-spatial information from different sources, interactively extract statistics for user-specified areas, allowing the users to produce easy-to-read outputs in form of maps, time series graphs, summarized tables, reports and metadata. Particular attention is being devoted in:

• implementing procedures that meet final users expectations
• designing a graphical user interface that:
  • keeps the system easy-to-use
  • gives the user enough flexibility to perform advanced analysis
  • limits or warns the users from using the ATLSS data improperly

Continuous feedback will be requested to ATLSS models developers and potential final users to release a finished product that fulfills the initial planning tasks. This project will be used as prototype server application for an Internet based visualization tool.

The above goals have largely been completed. In addition, DVS has been upgraded to ATLSS Data Visualization System (DVS) 2.0. The upgrades include

1. Addition of new base maps into the ATLSS DVS, such as Elevation Data from USGS, official version of GAP data, project boundaries for different projects within CERP, current satellite images.
2. Addition to the DVS flow graphs and brief descriptions on SESI and other models.
3. Use of DVS to visualize and analyze data from other ATLSS models like individual-based and dynamic model (ALFISH) added to the ATLSS DVS.
4. Development of DVS's capability to input user's empirical data in order to determine the degree of correlation between models output and empirical data. Additional code will be necessary to allow users to import into the DVS a set of locations (UTM, decimal degrees, or degree, minute, second coordinates), extract ATLSS model values, and display the result or export it to external applications like MS Excel or the ATLSS Model Validation tool.
5. Simplification DVS's capability of extracting mean index values based on user-defined areas.
6. Development interface and functionality and upgrade code as needed to allow agencies capable of independently running ATLSS models (SFWMD and ENP) to read and display their runs into the ATLSS DVS.
7. Improvement in the DVS user's Guide based on user's comments and suggestions
8. Improvement in the capability to display and analyze the output of the ATLSS simulation models

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:.

The proposed work will continue the replacement of the ATLSS Data Viewer based on ArcView 3.x with a version based on ArcGIS by ESRI. The development of the ArcGIS version will be coordinated with other ATLSS activities.

1. The U. of Tennessee is converting the SESI models to run on Linux boxes, and they expect to have most of the models converted by the end of October. UT is also training some of us to run models down here, at Everglades National Park (ENP) and the Joint Ecological Modeling (JEM) center in Davie.
2. The individual-based snail kite model, EVERKITE, is being revised to run on 2 x 2 mile cells.

The delivery of several ATLSS SESI models to ENP and JEM is scheduled for the end of October, 2006. Soon after that time, there should be training sessions at those locations for the use of the new version of the ATLSS DVS.

Work on upgrading EVERKITE will begin in January, 2007, and output from EVERKITE Version 3 should be ready for use in early summer of 2007. In Spring of 2007, there will be coordination between EVERKITE and the ATLSS DVS to make the changes in the DVS that are necessary to view EVERKITE Version 3 output.

I have not worried too much about the ATLSS Data Viewer up to this point, but we will need the latest version of the ATLSS DVS as soon as the SESI models are running here. There is funding for continued work on the ArcGIS version and for training of the folks at ENP, JEM, and maybe FWS. In addition, I think that EVERKITE output will finally be available on a grid basis that we can use in the ADV. I will have someone here at UM working on EVERKITE, so it will be easier to work with you on that.

The translation to ArcGIS will be completed under FY07 funding. In addition, the investigators will work with the Interagency Modeling Center located at the South Florida Water Management District, and with the new Joint Ecological Modeling center at the University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale, to integrate the ATLSS DVS into their model development plans.

Work to be undertaken during future FY's and proposed funding:

Work scheduled to end at the end of FY07.

Recent Products:

ATLSS Data Viewing System 2.0
ATLSS Data Viewing System 2.0: Training Course Handout

Specific Task Products:

Completion of translation of ATLSS Data Viewing System 2.0 from ArcView basis to ArcGIS basis
Training of users at ENP and JEM to use the new DVS with ATLSS SESI model output
Further development of the DVS to display EVERKITE grid-based output
Working with the Interagency Modeling Center and Joint Ecosystem Modeling center (UF) to help them utilize the ATLSS DVS and modify it for their specific purposes