GENERAL REGIONAL INFORMATION

South Florida is an environmentally sensitive region of rapid population and economic growth with multiple, complex, and often competing land-use options (Davis and Odgen, 1994; McPherson and Halley, 1996). The sub-tropical Everglades aquatic ecosystem, that includes the South Florida Water Conservation Areas (WCA) 1, 2, and 3, Everglades National Park, and parts of Big Cypress National Preserve, depends on surface water "sheet flow" that originates in the Lake Okeechobee watershed which includes the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA, fig. 1). Changes in the nutrient levels (especially phosphorus) of water moving south from the watershed have been traced, at least in part, to input from EAA (Izuno and others, 1991; Zielinski and others, 2000). These altered nutrient levels are hypothesized to be responsible for changes in both the macrophyte and microalgae (periphyton) communities of the Everglades wetlands (Jensen and others, 1995; Browder and others, 1994). Therefore, of particular concern in the management of this region has been (1) the dramatic decrease in the quantity and quality of surface water that leaves EAA, (2) the impact of decreased water quantity on the historically shallow hyposaline waters of eastern Florida Bay (just off the southern coast), and (3) the alteration (shortening) of the historical surface water hydroperiod (affecting bird breeding success) (Delfino and others, 1993).

South Florida has a sub-tropical climate with a summer wet-season and a winter dry-season. The ambient temperature rarely drops below 0^oC (Duever and others, 1994). The Everglades wetland ecosystem is one of the largest fresh water marshes in the world (Douglas, 1947) and is dependent on periodic fires, both natural and human caused, for its stability and biodiversity. The dissemination of invasive and unwanted exotic plant species such as Melaleuca quinquenervia (cajeput) and Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper) are of particular concern (Bodle and others, 1994). Occasional major cyclonic storms, such as Hurricane Andrew which tracked east to west across south Florida at latitude 25^o 35' N on August 24, 1992, do little actual damage to the interior wetlands but do extensive damage to coastal mangrove forests, interior hardwood "islands" (hammocks), and the remaining pockets of slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) forests.

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