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Primary producers and nutrient loading in Silver Springs, FL, USA
Citation:
QUINLAN, E. L., E. J. Phlips, K. A. Donnelly, C. H. Jett, P. Sleszynski, AND S. Keller. Primary producers and nutrient loading in Silver Springs, FL, USA. AQUATIC BOTANY. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 88(3):247-255, (2008).
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this study was to re-examine the characteristics and dynamics of primary producer communities of Silver Springs to compare the existing structure of the cmmunity with that observed by Odum (1957), as a means of evaluating the impacts of changes that have occurred over time, and gain a better understanding of the factors that may drive future changes in the system.
Description:
The characteristics and dynamics of primary producer communities of Silver Springs was examined to compare with that observed by Odum as a means of evaulating the impacts of changes that have occurred over time. The Silver Springs ecosystem is considered an ecosystem at risk, where nitrate levels have more than doubled over the past 50 years. The spatial and temporal abundance and distribution of above-sediment primary producers in Silver Springs, FL, USA was estimated on a system-wide basis using a GIS platform. The results of study suggest that while the Sagittaria component of Silver Springs has remained relatively stable, epiphyte and benthic algal mat community biomass has expanded, particularly enthic forms, like Lyngbya. However, we argue for caution in weighing the significance of long-term comparisons of system-wide biomass in light of considerable spatial heterogeneity in aquatic primary producer communities.