Lynn Brewster-Wingard
2006
Ecosystem History: Florida Bay and Southwest Coast
database
http://sofia.usgs.gov/projects/eh_fbswc/index.html
Recent negative trends in the Florida Bay ecosystem have been attributed to human activities, however, neither the natural patterns of change, nor the pre-human baseline for the environment have been determined. The major objectives of this project are 1) to determine patterns of faunal and floral change over the last 150-200 years, and 2) to explore associations between biotic changes and anthropogenically-induced changes and/or natural changes in the physical environment. Environmental managers and policy makers responsible for restoring the Everglades ecosystem to a "natural state" can use these data to make economical and realistic decisions about restoration goals and to determine interim steps to ameliorate further damage to the ecosystem.
The history of the ecosystem during the last 150-200 years is studied by analysis of faunal and floral assemblages from a series of shallow cores taken in Florida Bay. Cores are located at strategic sites in Florida Bay, with initial emphasis on the northeast and northern portions of the Bay where the most significant changes are thought to have occurred. These cores are submitted for Pb 210 analysis to determine the age and degree of disruption of the sediments. Cores that present a good stratigraphic record are sampled at closely spaced intervals for all macro-and micro-fauna and flora present. Quantitative down-core assemblage diagrams are drawn up and the various faunal and floral data are compared to look for correlated changes among the groups analyzed. Determinations of salinity, bottom conditions, nutrient supply and various other physical and chemical parameters of the environment are made for each sample based on the fauna and flora present. Data from all cores will be integrated to search for regional patterns of change in diversity and distribution of the fauna and flora, and data from Florida Bay will supplement and be correlated to onshore data and to Biscayne Bay (Ecosystems History: Terrestrial and Fresh Water Ecosystems of Southern Florida Project and Ecosystems History: Biscayne Bay and the southeast coast Project). The integrated data set will be analyzed to see if detected changes in biota correlate to alterations in physical parameters and/or historic records of human-induced modifications of the environment.
This project is one component of an interdisciplinary study of the ecosystem history in Florida Bay. A number of USGS and other agencies scientist's are examining a series of shallow cores (~1-2 m) collected from Florida Bay. By studying the patterns of change that have occurred in the ecosystem over the last two centuries, we gain insight into the natural processes, including the natural range of variability that exists within any ecosystem. We can then determine the degree to which anthropogenic-induced change has effected the system. This understanding is critical to the restoration effort; otherwise we will be attempting to restore the system to a targeted snapshot in time, without understanding how realistic or obtainable those goals are. The ecosystem history component of the initiative will save time and money by providing realistic, economical, obtainable goals.
Our component of this study is to analyze the down-core faunal and floral assemblages, over the last 150-200 years. Cores are located at strategic sites in Florida Bay, with initial emphasis on the northeast and northern portions of the Bay where the most significant changes are thought to have occurred. These cores are submitted for Pb 210 analysis to determine the age and degree of disruption of the sediments. Cores that present a good stratigraphic record are sampled at closely spaced intervals for all macro- and micro-fauna and flora present. Quantitative down-core assemblage diagrams are drawn up and the various faunal and floral data are compared to look for correlated changes among the groups analyzed. Determinations of salinity, bottom conditions, nutrient supply and various other physical and chemical parameters of the environment are made for each sample based on the fauna and flora present. Data from all cores will be integrated to search for regional patterns of change in diversity and distribution of the fauna and flora, and data from Florida Bay will supplement and be correlated to onshore data and to Biscayne Bay. The integrated data set will be analyzed to see if detected changes in biota correlate to alterations in physical parameters and/or historic records of human-induced modifications of the environment.
19950201
20030206
ground condition
as needed
-80.75
-80.33
25.25
24.75
none
mollusks
ostracodes
benthic foraminifera
dinocysts
pollen
salinity
diversity
biology
ecology
vegetation
invertebrates
ecosystem history
hydrology
diatoms
ISO 19115 Topic Category
biota
environment
inlandWaters
002
007
012
Department of Commerce, 1995, Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 10-4, Washington, D.C., National Institute of Standards and Technology
United States
US
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1987, Codes for the identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the outlying areas of the United States, and associated areas (Federal Information Processing Standard 5-2): Washington, D. C., NIST
Florida
FL
Department of Commerce, 1990, Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, Its Possessions, and Associated Areas, FIPS 6-3, Washington, DC, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Miami-Dade County
Monroe County
USGS Geographic Names Information System
Florida Bay
none
Central Everglades
Upper Keys
Lower Keys
Florida Keys
none
Holocene sediments
none
wet season
dry season
none
none
Lynn Brewster-Wingard
U.S. Geological Survey
mailing address
926A National Center
Reston
VA
20192
USA
703 648-5352
703 648-6953
lwingard@usgs.gov
Scott Ishman, Debra Willard, Tom Cronin, and Lucy Edwards are principal investigators on complementary projects. Bob Halley and Charles Holmes are collecting and dating cores as part of their respective projects. Technical assistance is provided by South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the Florida Geological Survey, the National Park Service, the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI), the Keys Marine Lab, and NOAA.
MS Access database
Edwards, L. E.
Weedman, S. D.,
Simmons, K. R.,
Scott, T. M.,
Brewster-Wingard, G. L.,
Ishman, S. E.,
Carlin, N. M.
1998
Lithostratigraphy, petrography, biostratigraphy, and strontium-isotope stratigraphy of the surficial aquifer system of western Collier County, Florida
report
USGS Open-File Report
98-205
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/98-205/
Wingard, G. Lynn
Cronin, Thomas M.,
Holmes, Charles W.,
Willard, Debra A.,
Dwyer, Gary,
Ishman, Scott E.,
Orem, William,
Williams, Christopher P.,
Albietz, Jessica,
Bernhardt, Christopher E.,
Budet, Carlos A.,
Landacre, Bryan,
Lerch, Terry,
Marot, Marci,
Ortiz, Ruth E.
2004
Ecosystem History of Southern and Central Biscayne Bay: Summary Report on Sediment Core Analyses - Year Two
report
USGS Open-File Report
2004-1312
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/2004-1312/
Trappe, Carleigh A.
Brewster-Wingard, G. Lynn
2001
Molluscan Fauna from Core 25B, Whipray Basin, Central Florida Bay, Everglades National Park
report
USGS Open-File Report
01-143
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/01-143
Brewster-Wingard, G. Lynn
Ishman, Scott E.,
Waibel, Neil J.,
Willard, Debra A.,
Edwards, Lucy E.,
Holmes, Charles W.
1998
Preliminary Paleontologic Report on Core 37, from Pass Key, Everglades National Park, Florida Bay
report
USGS Open-File Report
98-0122
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/of/ofr98122.html
Scott, Thomas M.
Means, Guy H.,
Brewster-Wingard, G. Lynn
1997
Progress Report on Sediment Analyses at Selected Faunal Monitoring Sites in North-central and Northeastern Florida Bay
report
USGS Open-File Report
97-0534
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/of/ofr97534.html
Willard, Debra A.
Brewster-Wingard, G. Lynn,
Fellman, Claire,
Ishman, Scott E.
1997
Paleontological Data from Mud Creek Core 1, southern Florida
report
USGS Open-File Report
97-0736
Reston, VA
U. S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/of/ofr97736.html
Brewster-Wingard, G. Lynn
Ishman, S. E.,
Edwards, L. E.,
Willard, D. A.
1996
Preliminary Report on the Distribution of Modern Fauna and Flora at Selected Sites in North-central and North-eastern Florida Bay
report
USGS Open-File Report
96-0732
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/of/ofr96732.html
Ishman, S. E.
Brewster-Wingard, G. L.,
Willard, D. A.,
Cronin, T. M.,
Edwards, L. E.,
Holmes, C. W.
1996
Preliminary paleontologic report on core T-24, Little Madeira Bay, Florida
report
USGS Open-File Report
96-0543
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/of/ofr96543.html
Brewster-Wingard, G. L.
Ishman, S. E.,
Willard, D. A.,
Edwards, L. E.,
Holmes, C. W.
1997
Preliminary paleontologic report Cores 19A and 19B, Russell Bank, Everglades National Park, Florida Bay
report
USGS Open-File Report
97-460
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/97-460/
Wingard, G. Lynn
Cronin, T. M.,
Willard, D. A.,
Ishman, S. E.,
Edwards, L. E.,
Holmes, C. W.,
Weedman, S. D.
199510
Florida Bay Ecosystem: Measuring Historical Change
report
Conference Proceedings
Florida Bay Science Conference 1995
Gainesville, FL
Program Management Committee for Florida Bay Research
This report was published as part of the Florida Bay Science Conference: A Report by Principal Investigators
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/flbay/sedi95.html#ecosystem
Wingard, G.L.
Ishman, S.E.,
Cronin, T.M.,
Edwards, L.E.,
Willard, D.A.,
Halley, R.B.
1995
Preliminary Analysis of Down-core Biotic Assemblages: Bob Allen Keys, Everglades National Park, Florida Bay
report
USGS Open-File Report
95-628
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/95-628/
Brewster-Wingard, G.L.
Ishman, S.E.,
Willard, D.A.,
Edwards, L.E.,
Holmes, C.W.
1997
Preliminary Paleontologic Report on Sediment Analyses at Selected Faunal Monitoring Sites in North-central and North-eastern Florida Bay
report
USGS Open-File Report
97-460
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/97-460/
Pyle, Laura
Cooper, Sherri R.,
Huvane, Jacqueline K.
1998
Diatom Paleonecology Pass Key Core 37, Everglades National Park, Florida Bay
report
USGS Open File Report
98-522
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/of/ofr98522.html
not applicable
not available
Flora and fauna were analyzed from a series of Pb-210 dated shallow cores collected in Florida Bay. Core data will be compared to data from modern sampling sites within Florida Bay. Cores are retained by Bob Halley and Charles Holmes in the USGS St. Petersburg, FL. office. Processed faunal and floral samples are retained at the USGS in Reston, VA.
1) Cores or bottom samples are collected from strategic sites in Florida Bay.
2) Cores are a) visually examined, b) x-rayed, and c) Pb210 profiles are developed. These 3 methods determine if the sediments within the core are disrupted. If the core seems to be undisturbed, then processing proceeds.
3) Samples for sedimentologic, palynologic, charcoal, and isotopic analyses are removed.
4) Portions of the cores and the surface samples are washed through sieves down to 63 microns for calcareous samples.
5) Palynologic, and charcoal analyses proceed through a series of acidulation processes and slides prepared for counting of dinocysts, pollen grains, and charcoal.
6) Calcareous samples are dried and picked for mollusks, benthic foraminifera and ostracodes. Counts of taxa present are made.
7) Percent abundance diagrams are constructed. Core data is compared to modern analogue data for information on salinity and substrate preferences of species. Data from all faunal and floral groups are combined and analysis completed.
Unknown
Lynn Brewster-Wingard
U.S. Geological Survey
mailing address
926A National Center
Reston
VA
20192
USA
703 648-5352
703 648-6953
lwingard@usgs.gov
Florida Bay
Heather S.Henkel
U.S. Geological Survey
mailing address
600 Fourth St. South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727 803-8747 ext 3028
727 803-2030
hhenkel@usgs.gov
Ecosystem History of South Florida Estuaries Data
The field data contained in this database have not been reviewed for publication and therefore may contain inconsistencies or errors. The field measurements (such as salinity and temperature) were made on an variety of instruments over the years. Project personnel have made every attempt to calibrate and standardize the instruments and check the data, however, the field data should be considered preliminary. Also taxonomic names may not represent the most up to date usage, but are internally consistent.
MS Access
unknown
The Access database is available as a zipped file
4.8
http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/flaecohist/
The database may be downloaded from the SOFIA website
none
20061206
Heather Henkel
U.S. Geological Survey
mailing and physical address
600 Fourth Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727 803-8747 ext 3028
727 803-2030
sofia-metadata@usgs.gov
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998