G. Lynn Wingard, Ph.D.
Lynn Wingard’s research focus is on the application of paleoecologic techniques to the interpretation of Holocene marine and estuarine ecosystems. Current emphasis is on deriving baseline environmental data for Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration resource managers and on examining the interaction of climate and sea level on south Florida’s coastline in the Holocene.
Professional Experience
1991-Present Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Lynn Wingard has been a Research Geologist with the USGS since 1991. She has conducted biostratigraphic and paleoecologic research on Mesozoic and Cenozoic Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain sediments throughout her career. Her early research focused on molluscan taxonomy and evolution across the Cretaceous Tertiary boundary and she examined the role of taxonomic assignments in calculations of extinction at the boundary. Investigations into the subsurface geology and paleoenvironments in Florida led to a reclassification of the subsurface Oligocene units and she assisted the Florida State Geologic Survey in their state map efforts.
Beginning in 1994, Lynn has served as Principal Investigator on projects related to the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration as part of the USGS Priority Ecosystem Science Program and she has served in a number of advisory roles related to this research. Her work has helped define salinity targets for Florida’s southern estuaries and has contributed to estimating historic freshwater flow through the wetlands. Her collaboration with Everglades resource managers has demonstrated the importance of paleoecology and the emerging field of conservation paleobiology in providing valuable scientific information to guide restoration efforts. Recent work has focused on sea level rise and storm history and how these driving factors have shaped the south Florida coastline over the last 5,000 years and what this tells us in terms of future projections of coastal change.
Science Leadership and Advisory Roles
- 1993: helped draft Program Implementation Plan for USGS South Florida Ecosystem Initiative
- 2001-Present: member of 6 CERP - Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan - Teams; currently serving on Southern Coastal Systems Sub-Team and Biscayne Bay Southeast Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Eco-subteam
- 2002: helped draft DOI and USGS Science Plans in Support of Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration
Education and Certifications
1979 BS (Geology / Biology) The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg VA
1983 MS (Geology) George Washington University, Washington DC
1990 PhD (Geology) George Washington University, Washington DC
Science and Products
Synthesis of age data and chronology for Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay cores collected for ecosystem history of South Florida’s estuaries project
A cyclostratigraphic and borehole-geophysical approach to development of a three-dimensional conceptual hydrogeologic model of the karstic Biscayne aquifer, southeastern Florida
Application of carbonate cyclostratigraphy and borehole geophysics to delineate porosity and preferential flow in the karst limestone of the Biscayne aquifer, SE Florida
Paleontology of the upper Eocene to quaternary postimpact section in the USGS-NASA Langley core, Hampton, Virginia
Ecosystem history of southern and central Biscayne Bay: Summary report on sediment core analyses - year two
Characterization of aquifer heterogeneity using cyclostratigraphy and geophysical methods in the upper part of the Karstic Biscayne Aquifer, Southeastern Florida
Ecosystem history of southern and central Biscayne Bay: Summary report on sediment core analyses
Molluscan faunal distribution in Florida Bay, past and present: An integration of down-core and modern data
Historical trends in salinity and substrate in central and northern Florida Bay: A Paleoecological Reconstruction using modern analogue data
Environmental impacts on the southern Florida coastal waters: A history of change in Florida Bay
Reinterpretation of the peninsular Florida oligocene: An integrated stratigraphic approach
A detailed taxonomy of Upper Cretaceous and lower Tertiary Crassatellidae in the eastern United States: An example of the nature of extinction at the boundary
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Science
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 36
Synthesis of age data and chronology for Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay cores collected for ecosystem history of South Florida’s estuaries project
210Pb, 14C, and pollen biostratigraphic data have been compiled and synthesized to develop age models for cores collected from Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay. These cores are being used to interpret the ecosystem history of south Florida’s estuaries by examining the physical, chemical, and biological record preserved within the cores. The beginning of the 20th century, which marks an important turniAuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, J.W. Hudley, C. W. Holmes, Debra A. Willard, M. MarotA cyclostratigraphic and borehole-geophysical approach to development of a three-dimensional conceptual hydrogeologic model of the karstic Biscayne aquifer, southeastern Florida
A fundamental problem in the simulation of karst ground-water flow and solute transport is how best to represent aquifer heterogeneity as defined by the spatial distribution of porosity, permeability, and storage. Combined analyses of cyclostratigraphy, including lithofacies and depositional environments, and borehole-geophysical logs, has improved the conceptualization of porosity, permeability,AuthorsKevin J. Cunningham, Michael A. Wacker, Edward Robinson, Joann F. Dixon, G. Lynn WingardApplication of carbonate cyclostratigraphy and borehole geophysics to delineate porosity and preferential flow in the karst limestone of the Biscayne aquifer, SE Florida
Combined analyses of cores, borehole geophysical logs, and cyclostratigraphy produced a new conceptual hydrogeologic framework for the triple-porosity (matrix, touching-vug, and conduit porosity) karst limestone of the Biscayne aquifer in a 0.65 km2 study area, SE Florida. Vertical lithofacies successions, which have recurrent stacking patterns, fit within high-frequency cycles. We define three idAuthorsKevin J. Cunningham, Robert A. Renken, Michael A. Wacker, M.R. Zygnerski, E. Robinson, Allen M. Shapiro, G. Lynn WingardPaleontology of the upper Eocene to quaternary postimpact section in the USGS-NASA Langley core, Hampton, Virginia
The USGS-NASA Langley corehole was drilled in 2000 in Hampton, Va. The core serves as a benchmark for the study of calcareous nannofossils, dinoflagellates, diatoms and silico flagellates, mollusks, ostracodes, planktonic foraminifera and bolboformids, and vertebrate remains in the upper Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene sediments in southeastern Virginia. These sediments were deposited aftAuthorsLucy E. Edwards, John A. Barron, David Bukry, Laurel M. Bybell, Thomas M. Cronin, C. Wylie Poag, Robert E. Weems, G. Lynn WingardEcosystem history of southern and central Biscayne Bay: Summary report on sediment core analyses - year two
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) lists restoration of the timing, quantity, and quality of the natural flow of freshwater as one its primary goals. Before restoration can occur, however, the baseline conditions of the environment prior to significant human alteration must be established and the range of variation within the natural system must be determined. In addition, theAuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, Thomas M. Cronin, Charles W. Holmes, Debra A. Willard, Gary S. Dwyer, Scott E. Ishman, William Orem, Christopher P. Williams, Jessica Albietz, Christopher E. Bernhardt, Carlos A. Budet, Bryan Landacre, Terry Lerch, Marci Marot, Ruth E. OrtizCharacterization of aquifer heterogeneity using cyclostratigraphy and geophysical methods in the upper part of the Karstic Biscayne Aquifer, Southeastern Florida
This report identifies and characterizes candidate ground-water flow zones in the upper part of the shallow, eogenetic karst limestone of the Biscayne aquifer in the Lake Belt area of north-central Miami-Dade County using cyclostratigraphy, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), borehole geophysical logs, and continuously drilled cores. About 60 miles of GPR profiles were used to calculate depths to shalAuthorsKevin J. Cunningham, Janine L. Carlson, G. Lynn Wingard, Edward Robinson, Michael A. WackerEcosystem history of southern and central Biscayne Bay: Summary report on sediment core analyses
During the last century, the environs of Biscayne Bay have been greatly affected by anthropogenic alteration through urbanization of the Miami/Dade County area. The sources, timing, delivery, and quality of freshwater flow into the Bay have been changed by construction of a complex canal system that controls movement of water throughout south Florida. Changes in shoreline and sub-aquatic vegetatioAuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, Thomas M. Cronin, G. S. Dwyer, S. E. Ishman, D. A. Willard, C. W. Holmes, C.E. Bernhardt, C.P. Williams, M. E. Marot, J.B. Murray, R.G. Stamm, J.H. Murray, C. BudetMolluscan faunal distribution in Florida Bay, past and present: An integration of down-core and modern data
Statistical comparison of modern molluscan fauna to down-core molluscan assemblages in four cores elucidates changes in the Florida Bay ecosystem during the past 100 to 200 years. Fluctuations within molluscan faunal dominance and diversity patterns suggest a response to changing environmental conditions. Faunal dominance patterns indicate an increase in salinity in the northern transitional zone,AuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, Jeffrey D. Stoner, Charles W. HolmesHistorical trends in salinity and substrate in central and northern Florida Bay: A Paleoecological Reconstruction using modern analogue data
Understanding the natural spatial and temporal variability that exists within an ecosystem is a critical component of efforts to restore systems to their natural state. Analysis of benthic foraminifers and molluscs from modern monitoring sites within Florida Bay allows us to determine what environmental parameters control spatial and temporal variability of their assemblages. Faunal assemblages asAuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, Scott E. IshmanEnvironmental impacts on the southern Florida coastal waters: A history of change in Florida Bay
Analyses of four cores located in the northern transitional, eastern, and central portions of Florida Bay reveal historical patterns of change in salinity and seagrass distribution. Salinity and the distribution of seagrass beds are two critical issues for the restoration of Florida Bay. The distribution of benthic fauna in Bob Allen 6A and Russell Bank 19B cores illustrates changes in environmentAuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, S. E. Ishman, C. W. HolmesReinterpretation of the peninsular Florida oligocene: An integrated stratigraphic approach
A very thick (> 300 m) nearly continuous Oligocene section exists in southern peninsular Florida, as revealed by lithostratigraphic, biostratigraphic (mollusks and dinocysts), chronostratigraphic (Sr isotopes) and petrographic analyses of twelve cores and two quarries. The Oligocene deposits in the subsurface of southern Florida are the thickest documented in the southeastern U.S., and they also mAuthorsG. Lynn Wingard, T.M. Scott, Lucy E. Edwards, S.D. Weedman, K. R. SimmonsA detailed taxonomy of Upper Cretaceous and lower Tertiary Crassatellidae in the eastern United States: An example of the nature of extinction at the boundary
Current theories on the causes of extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary have been based on previously published data; however, few workers have stopped to ask the question, 'How good is the basic data set?' To test the accuracy of the published record, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Crassatellidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia) of the Gulf and Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plains of the UnitAuthorsG. Lynn WingardNon-USGS Publications**
Marshall, F.E., Bernhardt, C.B., and Wingard, G.L. 2020. Estimating late 19th century hydrology in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem: An integration of paleoecologic data and models. Frontiers in Environmental Science: Freshwater Science. DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2020.00003**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.