Philip M. Heidemann¹, Dale E. Gawlik¹, Leonard Pearlstine², ZongBo Shang², Bryan Botson¹, Rachael Harris¹, Frank Mazzotti² and Aaron Higer^3
1Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
²Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
³Priority Ecosystem Science Program, US Geological Survey, Boca Raton, FL, USA

The Everglades Depth Estimation Network (EDEN) is intended to support the Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP). The primary goal of the MAP is to develop a single system-wide monitoring and assessment program that can be used by all participating agencies to evaluate system responses to CERP alternatives. To achieve this objective, the MAP will need accurate and integrated hydrologic data for the entire system, because restoration alternatives will be evaluated based on their affects on hydrology and the resulting changes to the Everglades ecosystem biota. There is currently no single network that provides real-time water stage data across the greater Everglades.

EDEN was designed to provide accurate water depths throughout the Everglades, by using real-time gages and relating gage data to ungaged areas through ground elevation comparisons. We consider three important uses for such data by Principle Investigators involved with biological monitoring projects. First, the real-time availability of the EDEN data will allow investigators to quickly identify sites that are at the proper water depths for biological sampling. This ability will increase sampling efficiency by reducing the number of unsuitable sites that are visited prior to sampling. Second, EDEN data could be used to develop statistical models that describe the relationship between hydrologic variables and biological response variables. For example, aerial surveys of wading birds could be combined with EDEN water depths and other habitat data to generate predictive models of bird foraging habitat. Finally, water parameters from EDEN could be used to drive existing spatially-explicit landscape suitability indices, which would provide real-time assessment of habitat conditions for selected species. This rapid assessment could be a powerful tool for water managers seeking to minimize impacts of sudden water releases or inflows. Previously, suitability indices relied on output from hydrologic models to get the necessary spatial coverage; however, such output often lagged years behind real time.

In this paper we first evaluate EDEN water depths against actual water depth measurements taken in the field during 2004 and 2005 as part of the MAP Fauna Concentration Project. We measured water depths at 1-m intervals along a 100-m transect at each of 27 sampling sites in 2004 and 94 sampling sites in 2005.

We then used EDEN water depths to drive a landscape suitability index for white ibis and wood storks during 2005 to determine whether the EDEN-driven suitability indices were spatially and temporally sensitive enough to detect the reversals of water recession that led to large-scale nest abandonment by wading birds.

Contact Information: Philip M. Heidemann, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431 USA, Phone: 561-297-0671, Fax: 561-297-2749, Email: pheidema@fau.edu

(This abstract is from the 2006 Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Conference.)

Back to Project Homepage