Fred Sklar - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Fred Sklar

Research paper thumbnail of Seasonal Measurements of Sediment Elevation in Three Mid-Atlantic Estuaries

Journal of Coastal Research, Oct 10, 1993

Research paper thumbnail of Water Budget, Benthological Characterization, and Simulation of Aquatic Material Flows in a Louisiana Freshwater Swamp

Research paper thumbnail of Hydrology shapes microbial communities and microbiome‐mediated growth of an Everglades tree island species

Restoration Ecology, 2022

Plant‐associated microbiomes can improve plant fitness by ameliorating environmental stress, prov... more Plant‐associated microbiomes can improve plant fitness by ameliorating environmental stress, providing a promising avenue for improving outplantings during restoration. However, the effects of water management on these microbial communities and their cascading effects on primary producers are unresolved for many imperiled ecosystems. One such habitat, Everglades tree islands, has declined by 54% in some areas, releasing excess nutrients into surrounding wetlands and exacerbating nutrient pollution. We conducted a factorial experiment, manipulating the soil microbiome and hydrological regime experienced by a tree island native, Ficus aurea, to determine how microbiomes impact growth under two hydrological management plans. All plants were watered to simulate natural precipitation, but plants in the “unconstrained” management treatment were allowed to accumulate water above the soil surface, while the “constrained” treatment had a reduced stage to avoid soil submersion. We found signi...

Research paper thumbnail of Tree Islands of the Everglades

Rangeland Ecology & Management, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling net ecosystem carbon balance and loss in coastal wetlands exposed to sea‐level rise and saltwater intrusion

Ecological Applications

Coastal wetlands are globally important stores of carbon (C). However, accelerated sea‐level rise... more Coastal wetlands are globally important stores of carbon (C). However, accelerated sea‐level rise (SLR), increased saltwater intrusion, and modified freshwater discharge can contribute to the collapse of peat marshes, converting coastal peatlands into open water. Applying results from multiple experiments from sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense)‐dominated freshwater and brackish water marshes in the Florida Coastal Everglades, we developed a system‐level mechanistic peat elevation model (EvPEM). We applied the model to simulate net ecosystem C balance (NECB) and peat elevation in response to elevated salinity under inundation and drought exposure. Using a mass C balance approach, we estimated net gain in C and corresponding export of aquatic fluxes () in the freshwater marsh under ambient conditions (NECB = 1119 ± 229 gC m−2 year−1; FAQ = 317 ± 186 gC m−2 year−1). In contrast, the brackish water marsh exhibited substantial peat loss and aquatic C export with ambient (NECB = −366 ± 15 gC m...

Research paper thumbnail of Functional and Compositional Responses of Periphyton Mats to Simulated Saltwater Intrusion in the Southern Everglades

Estuaries and Coasts, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of The Development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to Document Research in an Everglades Physical Model

Research paper thumbnail of CHAPTER 8: BACK TO THE FUTURE -REBUILDING THE EVERGLADES

The Coastal Everglades: The Dynamics of Social-Ecological Transformation in the South Florida Landscape, 2019

In a Nutshell: • Bringing back the past is constrained by legacy effects, irrevocable damages, an... more In a Nutshell: • Bringing back the past is constrained by legacy effects, irrevocable damages, and anthropogenic trends not seen in the past. Restoration in the purest sense of the word is not possible. A more accurate term is rehabilitation. • Rehabilitation requires an understanding of what is ecologically, economically, and legally possible. It requires models to extrapolate and synthesize long-term datasets, adaptive management to test alternative hypotheses of ecosystem processes, and a system of governance that allows for debate on the socioeconomic , legal, and ecological constraints of future alternatives. • For simulations of the future to be credible, they require long-term datasets that capture cyclical patterns, an understanding of feedbacks, drivers and forcing functions, calibration, validation, and clear peer-reviewed documentation. • The ecological uncertainties of restoration or rehabilitation are reduced by focusing on the impacts of Anthropocene trends in ecotones, where change is most dynamic. Introduction: Welcome to the Anthropocene: Few places, if any, exist on the planet that have not been directly or indirectly altered, influenced, degraded, or destroyed by humans (Klein 2014; Kolbert, 2014). Since societies value the landscapes, seascapes, plants, and animals that were prevalent 100-200 years ago, there has been a concerted effort by scientists, decision-makers, and non-government organizations to look at the [seemingly] pristine past and develop plans to move the past into the future (Dengler 2007; Miller and Hobbs 2007; Doyle and Drew 2008). The Society of Ecosystem Restoration defines restoration on their webpage as "the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. An ecosystem has recovered-and is restored-when it contains sufficient biotic and abiotic resources to continue its development without further assistance or subsidy". Because of its sheer size and its importance for water supply and flood protection, the Everglades landscape will never fit this rigorous definition at all times and in all places. Regardless, justification for pursuing "restoration" of the Everglades can be found in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) that was released by the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) in August 2014. We will reference this 3,000 page document often (USACE 2014) because, as in the movie series "Back to the Future," CEPP is the "flux-capacitor" that generates the ability to analyze the past and travel to a potential future. Native Americans in South Florida have always had a deep appreciation and respect for the Everglades (Carr 2002; see Chapter 1). However, from a utilitarian perspective (Greer 2011), the past was no bed of roses in South Florida. Everything was wet, alligators were dangerous, mosquitos were everywhere, cultivation during the rainy season was impossible, and industry saw

Research paper thumbnail of In situ simulation of sea‐level rise impacts on coastal wetlands using a flow‐through mesocosm approach

Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Jun 13, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Saltwater Pulses on Soil Microbial Enzymes and Organic Matter Breakdown in Freshwater and Brackish Coastal Wetlands

Estuaries and Coasts, Feb 19, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Experimental Saltwater Intrusion Drives Rapid Soil Elevation and Carbon Loss in Freshwater and Brackish Everglades Marshes

Estuaries and Coasts, Sep 4, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Heterogeneity of phosphorus distribution in a patterned landscape, the Florida Everglades

Plant Ecology, Jun 26, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Event-driven nutrient dynamics in a southern Everglades mangrove creek

AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts, May 1, 2002

Wind and precipitation events strongly influence the hydrodynamics of micro-tidal estuarine syste... more Wind and precipitation events strongly influence the hydrodynamics of micro-tidal estuarine systems. These events can also have profound effects on the pulsing of materials, leading to enhanced primary and secondary production, especially in oligotrophic systems such as the Everglades and Florida Bay. Since 1996, we have been monitoring the nutrient and salinity content of surface water along Taylor River, a mangrove waterway of the southern Everglades. The U.S. Geological Survey has been making concurrent measurements of flow and stage at proximal sites. Over the past 5 years, there have been a number of meteorological events that have significantly affected south Florida. In this presentation, we highlight the effects of three major events as well as typical variability in concentrations and fluxes of materials. In November 1996, eight consecutive days of >40kt winds pushed freshwater out of the Everglades into Florida Bay. Concentrations of TN increased throughout this event while TP and inorganic N and P remained fairly constant. Immediately following this wind storm, there was a 6-fold increase in salinity as flow reversed. In September 1999, Tropical Storm Harvey dropped nearly 26 cm of precipitation in south Florida with negligible winds. Harvey caused TP concentrations to more than triple (from 1mu M to 3.8mu M) and discharge to increase by more than an order of magnitude. The following month, the eye of Hurricane Irene passed just west of Taylor River producing strong southerly winds in excess of 80 mph and more than 37 cm of precipitation. Like the wind event of 1996, Irene led to increased concentrations of TN and no observable change in TP. Irene also produced the highest discharge measured in this system (730,000 m3 d-1). These 3 events: wind, rain, and wind+rain exemplify the kinds of events common to this region. The effects of these events combined with a synthesis of long-term water quality and quarterly flux data indicate that the patterns of nutrient dynamics in this system are dependent upon the nature (i.e. type, intensity, duration) of each event. Such findings will be useful in understanding the effects of freshwater and nutrient pulsing into the Florida Bay estuary.

Research paper thumbnail of The salinity transition zone between the southern everglades and Florida Bay: System functioning and implications for coastal zone management

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of habitat nutrients and seed sources on growth and expansion of Typha domingensis

Aquatic Botany, Dec 1, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of Importance of Storm Events in Controlling Ecosystem Structure and Function in a Florida Gulf Coast Estuary

Journal of Coastal Research, Sep 1, 2004

... Please visit our Foundation website. http://www.cerf-jcr.org. ... Stephen E. Davis III Jaye E... more ... Please visit our Foundation website. http://www.cerf-jcr.org. ... Stephen E. Davis III Jaye E. Cable Daniel L. Childers Carlos Coronado-Molina John W. Day Jr Clinton D. Hittle Christopher J. Madden Enrique Reyes David Rudnick Fred Sklar Search in: JCR. ...

Research paper thumbnail of The Subtropical Everglades, Florida, USA

Research paper thumbnail of Coastal Ecosystem Vulnerability and Sea Level Rise (SLR) in South Florida: A Mangrove Transition Projection

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, May 25, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Wetland Ecosystem Response to Hydrologic Restoration and Management: The Everglades and its Urban-Agricultural Boundary (FL, USA)

Research paper thumbnail of South Florida: The Reality of Change and the Prospects for Sustainability

Ecological Economics, Jun 1, 2001

... The South Florida and Everglades ecosystems have undergone much change in the twentieth centu... more ... The South Florida and Everglades ecosystems have undergone much change in the twentieth century. ... The US Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) was asked to prepare a comprehensive plan ... The State of Florida responded by creating the Central and Southern Florida Flood ...

Research paper thumbnail of Seasonal Measurements of Sediment Elevation in Three Mid-Atlantic Estuaries

Journal of Coastal Research, Oct 10, 1993

Research paper thumbnail of Water Budget, Benthological Characterization, and Simulation of Aquatic Material Flows in a Louisiana Freshwater Swamp

Research paper thumbnail of Hydrology shapes microbial communities and microbiome‐mediated growth of an Everglades tree island species

Restoration Ecology, 2022

Plant‐associated microbiomes can improve plant fitness by ameliorating environmental stress, prov... more Plant‐associated microbiomes can improve plant fitness by ameliorating environmental stress, providing a promising avenue for improving outplantings during restoration. However, the effects of water management on these microbial communities and their cascading effects on primary producers are unresolved for many imperiled ecosystems. One such habitat, Everglades tree islands, has declined by 54% in some areas, releasing excess nutrients into surrounding wetlands and exacerbating nutrient pollution. We conducted a factorial experiment, manipulating the soil microbiome and hydrological regime experienced by a tree island native, Ficus aurea, to determine how microbiomes impact growth under two hydrological management plans. All plants were watered to simulate natural precipitation, but plants in the “unconstrained” management treatment were allowed to accumulate water above the soil surface, while the “constrained” treatment had a reduced stage to avoid soil submersion. We found signi...

Research paper thumbnail of Tree Islands of the Everglades

Rangeland Ecology & Management, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling net ecosystem carbon balance and loss in coastal wetlands exposed to sea‐level rise and saltwater intrusion

Ecological Applications

Coastal wetlands are globally important stores of carbon (C). However, accelerated sea‐level rise... more Coastal wetlands are globally important stores of carbon (C). However, accelerated sea‐level rise (SLR), increased saltwater intrusion, and modified freshwater discharge can contribute to the collapse of peat marshes, converting coastal peatlands into open water. Applying results from multiple experiments from sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense)‐dominated freshwater and brackish water marshes in the Florida Coastal Everglades, we developed a system‐level mechanistic peat elevation model (EvPEM). We applied the model to simulate net ecosystem C balance (NECB) and peat elevation in response to elevated salinity under inundation and drought exposure. Using a mass C balance approach, we estimated net gain in C and corresponding export of aquatic fluxes () in the freshwater marsh under ambient conditions (NECB = 1119 ± 229 gC m−2 year−1; FAQ = 317 ± 186 gC m−2 year−1). In contrast, the brackish water marsh exhibited substantial peat loss and aquatic C export with ambient (NECB = −366 ± 15 gC m...

Research paper thumbnail of Functional and Compositional Responses of Periphyton Mats to Simulated Saltwater Intrusion in the Southern Everglades

Estuaries and Coasts, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of The Development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to Document Research in an Everglades Physical Model

Research paper thumbnail of CHAPTER 8: BACK TO THE FUTURE -REBUILDING THE EVERGLADES

The Coastal Everglades: The Dynamics of Social-Ecological Transformation in the South Florida Landscape, 2019

In a Nutshell: • Bringing back the past is constrained by legacy effects, irrevocable damages, an... more In a Nutshell: • Bringing back the past is constrained by legacy effects, irrevocable damages, and anthropogenic trends not seen in the past. Restoration in the purest sense of the word is not possible. A more accurate term is rehabilitation. • Rehabilitation requires an understanding of what is ecologically, economically, and legally possible. It requires models to extrapolate and synthesize long-term datasets, adaptive management to test alternative hypotheses of ecosystem processes, and a system of governance that allows for debate on the socioeconomic , legal, and ecological constraints of future alternatives. • For simulations of the future to be credible, they require long-term datasets that capture cyclical patterns, an understanding of feedbacks, drivers and forcing functions, calibration, validation, and clear peer-reviewed documentation. • The ecological uncertainties of restoration or rehabilitation are reduced by focusing on the impacts of Anthropocene trends in ecotones, where change is most dynamic. Introduction: Welcome to the Anthropocene: Few places, if any, exist on the planet that have not been directly or indirectly altered, influenced, degraded, or destroyed by humans (Klein 2014; Kolbert, 2014). Since societies value the landscapes, seascapes, plants, and animals that were prevalent 100-200 years ago, there has been a concerted effort by scientists, decision-makers, and non-government organizations to look at the [seemingly] pristine past and develop plans to move the past into the future (Dengler 2007; Miller and Hobbs 2007; Doyle and Drew 2008). The Society of Ecosystem Restoration defines restoration on their webpage as "the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. An ecosystem has recovered-and is restored-when it contains sufficient biotic and abiotic resources to continue its development without further assistance or subsidy". Because of its sheer size and its importance for water supply and flood protection, the Everglades landscape will never fit this rigorous definition at all times and in all places. Regardless, justification for pursuing "restoration" of the Everglades can be found in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) that was released by the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) in August 2014. We will reference this 3,000 page document often (USACE 2014) because, as in the movie series "Back to the Future," CEPP is the "flux-capacitor" that generates the ability to analyze the past and travel to a potential future. Native Americans in South Florida have always had a deep appreciation and respect for the Everglades (Carr 2002; see Chapter 1). However, from a utilitarian perspective (Greer 2011), the past was no bed of roses in South Florida. Everything was wet, alligators were dangerous, mosquitos were everywhere, cultivation during the rainy season was impossible, and industry saw

Research paper thumbnail of In situ simulation of sea‐level rise impacts on coastal wetlands using a flow‐through mesocosm approach

Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Jun 13, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Saltwater Pulses on Soil Microbial Enzymes and Organic Matter Breakdown in Freshwater and Brackish Coastal Wetlands

Estuaries and Coasts, Feb 19, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Experimental Saltwater Intrusion Drives Rapid Soil Elevation and Carbon Loss in Freshwater and Brackish Everglades Marshes

Estuaries and Coasts, Sep 4, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Heterogeneity of phosphorus distribution in a patterned landscape, the Florida Everglades

Plant Ecology, Jun 26, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Event-driven nutrient dynamics in a southern Everglades mangrove creek

AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts, May 1, 2002

Wind and precipitation events strongly influence the hydrodynamics of micro-tidal estuarine syste... more Wind and precipitation events strongly influence the hydrodynamics of micro-tidal estuarine systems. These events can also have profound effects on the pulsing of materials, leading to enhanced primary and secondary production, especially in oligotrophic systems such as the Everglades and Florida Bay. Since 1996, we have been monitoring the nutrient and salinity content of surface water along Taylor River, a mangrove waterway of the southern Everglades. The U.S. Geological Survey has been making concurrent measurements of flow and stage at proximal sites. Over the past 5 years, there have been a number of meteorological events that have significantly affected south Florida. In this presentation, we highlight the effects of three major events as well as typical variability in concentrations and fluxes of materials. In November 1996, eight consecutive days of >40kt winds pushed freshwater out of the Everglades into Florida Bay. Concentrations of TN increased throughout this event while TP and inorganic N and P remained fairly constant. Immediately following this wind storm, there was a 6-fold increase in salinity as flow reversed. In September 1999, Tropical Storm Harvey dropped nearly 26 cm of precipitation in south Florida with negligible winds. Harvey caused TP concentrations to more than triple (from 1mu M to 3.8mu M) and discharge to increase by more than an order of magnitude. The following month, the eye of Hurricane Irene passed just west of Taylor River producing strong southerly winds in excess of 80 mph and more than 37 cm of precipitation. Like the wind event of 1996, Irene led to increased concentrations of TN and no observable change in TP. Irene also produced the highest discharge measured in this system (730,000 m3 d-1). These 3 events: wind, rain, and wind+rain exemplify the kinds of events common to this region. The effects of these events combined with a synthesis of long-term water quality and quarterly flux data indicate that the patterns of nutrient dynamics in this system are dependent upon the nature (i.e. type, intensity, duration) of each event. Such findings will be useful in understanding the effects of freshwater and nutrient pulsing into the Florida Bay estuary.

Research paper thumbnail of The salinity transition zone between the southern everglades and Florida Bay: System functioning and implications for coastal zone management

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of habitat nutrients and seed sources on growth and expansion of Typha domingensis

Aquatic Botany, Dec 1, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of Importance of Storm Events in Controlling Ecosystem Structure and Function in a Florida Gulf Coast Estuary

Journal of Coastal Research, Sep 1, 2004

... Please visit our Foundation website. http://www.cerf-jcr.org. ... Stephen E. Davis III Jaye E... more ... Please visit our Foundation website. http://www.cerf-jcr.org. ... Stephen E. Davis III Jaye E. Cable Daniel L. Childers Carlos Coronado-Molina John W. Day Jr Clinton D. Hittle Christopher J. Madden Enrique Reyes David Rudnick Fred Sklar Search in: JCR. ...

Research paper thumbnail of The Subtropical Everglades, Florida, USA

Research paper thumbnail of Coastal Ecosystem Vulnerability and Sea Level Rise (SLR) in South Florida: A Mangrove Transition Projection

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, May 25, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Wetland Ecosystem Response to Hydrologic Restoration and Management: The Everglades and its Urban-Agricultural Boundary (FL, USA)

Research paper thumbnail of South Florida: The Reality of Change and the Prospects for Sustainability

Ecological Economics, Jun 1, 2001

... The South Florida and Everglades ecosystems have undergone much change in the twentieth centu... more ... The South Florida and Everglades ecosystems have undergone much change in the twentieth century. ... The US Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) was asked to prepare a comprehensive plan ... The State of Florida responded by creating the Central and Southern Florida Flood ...