Priority Landscapes: Greater Everglades Active
The Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Sciences Program (GEPES) in USGS was established to conduct long-term research, monitoring, and modeling to provide science to inform Everglades restoration decisions and meet natural resource management goals. The program is one of several placed-based efforts in the USGS that focuses resources and science in “iconic” landscapes to support restoration and management activities.
Everglades Research
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: EverSnail
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Alligator Production Probability Model
Fish Slam - November 2017
Fish Slam - Fall 2016
Seagrass Beds and Manatee Foraging Areas in the Ten Thousand Islands: Mapping and Characterizing by Incorporating Manatee GPS Tracking Data and Habitat Information
Economic Impacts of Ecological Restoration
Fish Slam - Spring 2016
Assessment of Small Mammal Demographics and Communities in the Picayune Strand Restoration Area
Assessment of Small Mammal Demographics and Communities in Everglades National Park
Wildlife Indicators of Greater Everglades Restoration Progress, Climate Change, and Shifts in Ecosystem Service
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Greater Everglades Modeling Decision Support Tools
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS Everglades research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS Everglades data is available from the button below.
Tagging date, site, turtle size, and migration and foraging behavioral data for loggerheads (Caretta caretta) nesting at three sites in the Gulf of Mexico from 2011–2019
Total and Methyl Mercury Water and Fish Concentrations within Everglades National Park
Ecological modeling output for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 2020
Photo-documented sequences from 01 Jun 2021 - 30 Aug 2021 showing novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida, USA, bobcat and Burmese python
EverWaders species distribution model development and output in the Greater Everglades from 2000-2009
Burmese python acceleration and location data, Everglades National Park, 2010 - 2012
Dataset from 2015-2016 thermal and behavior monitoring of Argentine giant tegus in Everglades, Florida
Ecological modeling output for the Combined Operational Plan, Round 1 in the Greater Everglades, 2018-2019
o FTLOADDS (combined SWIFT2D surface-water model and SEAWAT groundwater model) simulator used to Repurpose a Hindcast Simulation of the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane using the South Florida Peninsula for the Biscayne and Southern Everglades Coastal Transport
EverForecast hydrologic output for April 2020: a six-month water stage forecast for the Greater Everglades
Hatch dates of American crocodile nests in Everglades National Park and Turkey Point Power Plant 1983-2016
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS Everglades research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS Everglades publications is available from the button below.
Landscape-scale drivers of endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis) presence using an ensemble modeling approach
Genome-wide SNP analysis reveals multiple paternity in Burmese pythons invasive to the Greater Florida Everglades
Thermal stability of an adaptable, invasive ectotherm: Argentine giant tegus in the Greater Everglades ecosystem, USA
The Everglades vulnerability analysis—Integrating ecological models and addressing uncertainty
Spatial ecology of invasive Burmese pythons in southwestern Florida
American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) as restoration bioindicators in the Florida Everglades
Demographic responses to density-dependence by two populations of the Florida Tree Snail, Liguus fasciatus (Gastropoda: Orthalicidae), in Everglades National Park
EverForecast—A near-term forecasting application for ecological decision support
Forecasting ecological responses for wetland restoration planning in Florida's Everglades
Joint species distribution models of Everglades wading birds to inform restoration planning
Small mammal responses to wetland restoration in the Greater Everglades ecosystem
Modeling soil porewater salinity in mangrove forests (Everglades, Florida, USA) impacted by hydrological restoration and a warming climate
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- Overview
The Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Sciences Program (GEPES) in USGS was established to conduct long-term research, monitoring, and modeling to provide science to inform Everglades restoration decisions and meet natural resource management goals. The program is one of several placed-based efforts in the USGS that focuses resources and science in “iconic” landscapes to support restoration and management activities.
Everglades ResearchFilter Total Items: 36Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator
Marl prairie is the most diverse freshwater vegetation community in the Greater Everglades and provides the only suitable habitat for the federally endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow (CSSS; Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis ).Joint Ecosystem Modeling: EverSnail
EverSnail, developed in collaboration with the University of West Florida, is an age- and size-structured spatially-explicit landscape model of native apple snails ( Pomacea paludosa ).Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Alligator Production Probability Model
Because the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ) is a keystone species of the Everglades ecosystem, managers need a way to quantitatively assess the effects of alternative restoration scenarios on alligators.Fish Slam - November 2017
The Hunt For The Southernmost Snakehead. Thirty-one fishery biologists from eleven agencies participated in a two-day Fish Slam event. Thirty-five sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties were sampled for non-native fishes.Fish Slam - Fall 2016
November 1 - 2, 2016 – Eight teams of fishery biologists from the US Geological Survey (USGS), US Fish and Wildlife Service - Peninsular Florida Fisheries Office and Welaka National Fish Hatchery (USFWS), the National Park Service (NPS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida International University (FIU), and Zoo Miami sampled 20 sites for non-native fishes in Palm...Seagrass Beds and Manatee Foraging Areas in the Ten Thousand Islands: Mapping and Characterizing by Incorporating Manatee GPS Tracking Data and Habitat Information
Turbid water conditions make the delineation and characterization of benthic habitats difficult by traditional in situ and remote sensing methods. Consequently, only a small fraction of this valuable resource has been mapped or characterized.Economic Impacts of Ecological Restoration
Federal investments in ecosystem restoration projects protect Federal trusts, ensure public health and safety, and preserve and enhance essential ecosystem services. These investments also generate business activity and create jobs. However, limited information exists on the costs and associated economic impacts of ecosystem restoration projects due to the complexity of the “restoration economy”.Fish Slam - Spring 2016
May 23, 2016 – Five teams of fishery biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Park Service (NPS), Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida (UF), and Florida International University (FIU) sampled 12 sites for non-native fishes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties in southeastern Florida.Assessment of Small Mammal Demographics and Communities in the Picayune Strand Restoration Area
The Picayune Strand Restoration Project (PSRP) is in the process of restoring pre-drainage hydrology to the southwest portion of the Greater Everglades ecosystem.Assessment of Small Mammal Demographics and Communities in Everglades National Park
The decline of mammal populations in Everglades National Park (ENP) over the last 20 years is likely to influence the ecology of the Everglades system and the likelihood of successful Everglades restoration.Wildlife Indicators of Greater Everglades Restoration Progress, Climate Change, and Shifts in Ecosystem Service
As Greater Everglades restoration project implementation progresses, wetlands in near coastal areas may undergo changes in salinity, hydroperiod, and water depth.Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Greater Everglades Modeling Decision Support Tools
The Joint Ecosystem Modeling team is developing and applying ecological models and other decision support tools for Greater Everglades restoration project planning. - Data
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS Everglades research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS Everglades data is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 23Tagging date, site, turtle size, and migration and foraging behavioral data for loggerheads (Caretta caretta) nesting at three sites in the Gulf of Mexico from 2011–2019
Tagging information, including migration and foraging behavioral data, for female reproductive loggerhead marine turtles (Caretta caretta) that were satellite tagged at nesting beaches at Gulf Shores (Alabama [AL]), Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO, Florida [FL]), and Everglades National Park (ENP, FL) from 2011–2019. Variables include the tagging date, tagging site, the curved carapace length-notTotal and Methyl Mercury Water and Fish Concentrations within Everglades National Park
The data in this data release includes results from the analysis of water and fish from 76 sites in the Everglades National Park (ENP). Water and particulate matter samples were collected from 2008 to 2018 and analyzed for total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg). Filtered water samples were also analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), and major aniEcological modeling output for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 2020
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative approaches to restore the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The models of particular interest to the South Florida Water Management District for planning for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator, (2) Florida apple snail (native) population model (EverSnail), (3)Photo-documented sequences from 01 Jun 2021 - 30 Aug 2021 showing novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida, USA, bobcat and Burmese python
Entire photo-documented sequence from 01 June 2021-09 September 2021, including novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida - the native bobcat (Lynx rufus) and the invasive Burmese python (Python bivittatus). A bobcat depredated an unguarded Burmese python nest and subsequently the python exhibited nest defense behavior following the return of both animals to the nest. FirEverWaders species distribution model development and output in the Greater Everglades from 2000-2009
Restoration of the Florida Everglades, a substantial wetland ecosystem within the United States, is one of the largest ongoing restoration projects in the world. Decision-makers and managers within the Everglades ecosystem rely on ecological models forecasting indicator wildlife response to changes in the management of water flows within the system. One such indicator of ecosystem health, the presBurmese python acceleration and location data, Everglades National Park, 2010 - 2012
The dataset contains 3 components: (1) acceleration data logger (ADL) data, (2) GPS location data, and (3) body temperature data. We have ADL data from pythons in captivity (N = 2) and in free-ranging snakes (N=4). We have GPS data for 3 out of 4 free-ranging snakes. We have body temperature data for all 4 free-ranging snakes.Dataset from 2015-2016 thermal and behavior monitoring of Argentine giant tegus in Everglades, Florida
Thermal data collected from iButton temperature loggers implanted into research animals (Argentine giant tegus) and in their surrounding environment. Tegus undergo winter dormancy (hibernation) to cope with colder temperatures, and we studied the thermal habits of wild tegus within their invaded range in southern Florida, USA. We used radiotelemetry and trail cameras to verify dates of above-grounEcological modeling output for the Combined Operational Plan, Round 1 in the Greater Everglades, 2018-2019
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative plans for restoring the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Modeling outputs were used in evaluations of alternative water control plans to be performed by the Combined Operational Plan (COP). The models used were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator in conjunction with (2) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Helper, (3) Floro FTLOADDS (combined SWIFT2D surface-water model and SEAWAT groundwater model) simulator used to Repurpose a Hindcast Simulation of the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane using the South Florida Peninsula for the Biscayne and Southern Everglades Coastal Transport
The previously developed Biscayne and Southern Everglades Coastal Transport (BISECT) model, which combines a three-dimensional groundwater model with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic surface-water model with variable-density solute-transport (https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20195045), was used to evaluate the hydrologic response to historical and hypothesized modern hurricane strikes. Simulations werEverForecast hydrologic output for April 2020: a six-month water stage forecast for the Greater Everglades
Operational ecological forecasting is an emerging field that leverages ecological models in a new, cross-disciplinary way, using a real-time or nearly real-time climate forecast to project near-term ecosystem states. These applications give decision-makers lead time to anticipate and manage state changes that degrade ecosystem functions or directly impact humans. The Everglades Forecasting model (Hatch dates of American crocodile nests in Everglades National Park and Turkey Point Power Plant 1983-2016
We monitored nests from 1983 to 2016 during the crocodile nesting season (April through August) as part of a long-term American crocodile monitoring programs within Everglades National Park (ENP; since 1978) and Turkey Point Power Plant (TP; since 1983). Nests were located during April and May (egg laying period) and monitored from June to August (hatching period). During the hatching period, surv - Publications
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS Everglades research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS Everglades publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 30Landscape-scale drivers of endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis) presence using an ensemble modeling approach
The Florida Everglades is a vast and iconic wetland ecosystem in the southern United States that has undergone dramatic changes from habitat degradation, development encroachment, and water impoundment. Starting in the past few decades, large restoration projects have been undertaken to restore the landscape, including improving conditions for threatened and imperiled taxa. One focus of restoratioAuthorsSaira Haider, Allison Benscoter, Leonard G. Pearlstine, Laura D'Acunto, Stephanie RomanachGenome-wide SNP analysis reveals multiple paternity in Burmese pythons invasive to the Greater Florida Everglades
Reproductive strategies are an essential component of invasion ecology that influence invasion success and rates of population growth. Burmese Pythons (Python bivittatus) are large constrictor snakes that were introduced to the Greater Everglades Ecosystem of southern Florida, USA, from Asia. Since their introduction, these giant constrictors have spread throughout wetlands of southern Florida whiAuthorsJames Skelton, Ian A. Bartoszek, Caitlin Beaver, Kristen Hart, Margaret HunterThermal stability of an adaptable, invasive ectotherm: Argentine giant tegus in the Greater Everglades ecosystem, USA
Invasive species globally threaten biodiversity and economies, but the ecophysiological mechanisms underlying their success are often understudied. For those alien species that also exhibit high phenotypic plasticity, such as habitat generalists, adaptations in response to environmental pressures can take place relatively quickly. The Argentine giant tegu (Salvator merianae; tegu) is a large omnivAuthorsAndrea Faye Currylow, Michelle Collier, Emma B. Hanslowe, Bryan G. Falk, Brian S. Cade, Sarah E. Moy, Alejandro Grajal-Puche, Frank N. Ridgley, Robert Reed, Amy A. Yackel AdamsThe Everglades vulnerability analysis—Integrating ecological models and addressing uncertainty
The Everglades vulnerability analysis (EVA) is a project led by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accomplish one of the science goals of Restoration Coordination & Verification (RECOVER), a multiagency group responsible for providing scientific and technical evaluations and assessments for improving the ability of the ComprAuthorsLaura E. D’Acunto, Stephanie S. Romañach, Saira M. Haider, Caitlin E. Hackett, Jennifer H. Nestler, Dilip Shinde, Leonard G. PearlstineSpatial ecology of invasive Burmese pythons in southwestern Florida
Understanding the spatial ecology of an invasive species is critical for designing effective control programs. Determining and quantifying home range estimates and habitat associations can streamline targeted removal efforts for wide-ranging, cryptic animals. The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is a large-bodied constrictor snake with an established and expanding invasive population in southernAuthorsIan A. Bartoszek, Brian J. Smith, Robert Reed, Kristen HartAmerican crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) as restoration bioindicators in the Florida Everglades
The federally threatened American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is a flagship species and ecological indicator of hydrologic restoration in the Florida Everglades. We conducted a long-term capture-recapture study on the South Florida population of American crocodiles from 1978 to 2015 to evaluate the effects of restoration efforts to more historic hydrologic conditions. The study produced 10,040 cAuthorsVenetia S. Briggs-Gonzalez, Mathieu Basille, Michael Cherkiss, Frank J. MazzottiDemographic responses to density-dependence by two populations of the Florida Tree Snail, Liguus fasciatus (Gastropoda: Orthalicidae), in Everglades National Park
During May-October 1996, we captured and individually marked and released Florida Tree Snails, Liguus fasciatus, from two sites, a subclimax hammock and a large isolated wild tamarind tree, in the Long Pine Key region of Everglades National Park. Populations shared the same two dominant morphs, castaneozonatus and. cingulatus, both of which are strong colonizers. Monthly survivorship between the tAuthorsWalter E. Meshaka, Kenneth G. Rice, Oron L. Bass, Hardin WaddleEverForecast—A near-term forecasting application for ecological decision support
The Everglades Forecasting application (EverForecast) provides decision makers with a support tool to examine optimal allocations of water across the managed landscape while explicitly quantifying the conflicting needs of multiple species. Covering the Greater Everglades (a vast, subtropical wetland ecosystem in South Florida), EverForecast provides 6-month forecasts of daily projected water stageAuthorsSaira M. Haider, Stephanie S. Romañach, Mark McKelvy, Kevin J. Suir, Leonard PearlstineForecasting ecological responses for wetland restoration planning in Florida's Everglades
The Everglades wetland was once a river of grass, with water flowing slowly through the sawgrass, southward across the landscape. As developers took hold of south Florida, water was sent away from the heart of the Everglades through canals and levees to protect the former wetland for residential and agricultural development. In the 1990s, planning began to restore the Everglades in what is the larAuthorsStephanie Romanach, Leonard G. PearlstineJoint species distribution models of Everglades wading birds to inform restoration planning
Restoration of the Florida Everglades, a substantial wetland ecosystem within the United States, is one of the largest ongoing restoration projects in the world. Decision-makers and managers within the Everglades ecosystem rely on ecological models forecasting indicator wildlife response to changes in the management of water flows within the system. One such indicator of ecosystem health, the presAuthorsLaura D'Acunto, Leonard G. Pearlstine, Stephanie RomanachSmall mammal responses to wetland restoration in the Greater Everglades ecosystem
Wetlands have experienced dramatic losses in extent around the world, disrupting ecosystem function, habitat, and biodiversity. In Florida’s Greater Everglades, a massive restoration effort costing billions of dollars and spanning multiple decades is underway. As Everglades restoration is implemented in incremental projects, scientists and planners monitor the outcomes of projects. In this study,AuthorsStephanie Romanach, Laura D'Acunto, Julia Chapman, Matthew R HansonModeling soil porewater salinity in mangrove forests (Everglades, Florida, USA) impacted by hydrological restoration and a warming climate
Hydrology is a critical driver controlling mangrove wetlands structural and functional attributes at different spatial and temporal scales. Yet, human activities have negatively affected hydrology, causing mangrove diebacks and coverage loss worldwide. In fact, the assessment of mangrove water budgets, impacted by natural and human disturbances, is limited due to a lack of long-term data and inforAuthorsXiaochen Zhao, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Hongqing Wang, Zuo Xue, Cheng-Feng Tsai, C. S. Willson, E. Castañeda-Moya, Robert R. Twilley - Web Tools
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