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SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT PROJECT
Impact/Purpose:
This is the objective of the program.
Description:
The South Florida Ecosystem Assessment Project is an innovative, large-scale monitoring and assessment program designed to measure current and changing conditions of ecological resources in South Florida using an integrated holistic approach. Using the United States Environmental Protection AGency ecological risk assessment framework as the foundation, the ultimate goal of this program is to provide decision makers with sound ecological data needed to improve environmental management decisions for the restoration of the Everglades ecosystem. Furthermore, through an ecological risk assessment approach, the South Florida Ecosystem Assessment Project addresses multiple issues that are thought to be critical to the restoration of the Everglades ecosystem and addresses the interactions among issues. These issues include mercury contamination, eutrophication, marsh habitat alteration and hydroperiod modification. Guided by a set of policy-relevant questions, this project strongly supports the federal and state Everglades restoration efforts and provides a means to evaluate present and future management actions.