Publications
Explore WARC's science publications.
Filter Total Items: 3447
Anuran site occupancy and species richness as tools for evaluating restoration of a hydrologically-modified landscape Anuran site occupancy and species richness as tools for evaluating restoration of a hydrologically-modified landscape
A fundamental goal of wetland restoration is to reinstate pre-disturbance hydrological conditions to degraded landscapes, facilitating recolonization by native species and the production of resilient, functional ecosystems. To evaluate restoration success, baseline conditions need to be determined and a reference target needs to be established that will serve as an ecological blueprint...
Authors
Susan C. Walls, J. Hardin Waddle, William J. Barichivich, Ian A. Bartoszek, Mary E. Brown, J. M. Hefner, Melinda J. Schuman
Ecological implications of Laurel Wilt infestation on Everglades Tree Islands, southern Florida Ecological implications of Laurel Wilt infestation on Everglades Tree Islands, southern Florida
There is a long history of introduced pests attacking native forest trees in the United States (Liebhold and others, 1995; Aukema and others, 2010). Well-known examples include chestnut blight that decimated the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), an extremely important tree in the eastern United States, both as a food source for wildlife and humans and for the wood; Dutch elm disease...
Authors
James R. Snyder
A numerical study of vegetation impact on reducing storm surge by wetlands in a semi-enclosed estuary A numerical study of vegetation impact on reducing storm surge by wetlands in a semi-enclosed estuary
Coastal wetlands play a unique role in extreme hurricane events. The impact of wetlands on storm surge depends on multiple factors including vegetation, landscape, and storm characteristics. The Delft3D model, in which vegetation effects on flow and turbulence are explicitly incorporated, was applied to the semi-enclosed Breton Sound (BS) estuary in coastal Louisiana to investigate the...
Authors
Hu Kelin, Chen Qin, Hongqing Wang
Efficacy of plastic mesh tubes in reducing herbivory damage by the invasive nutria (<i>Myocastor coypus</i>) in an urban restoration site Efficacy of plastic mesh tubes in reducing herbivory damage by the invasive nutria (<i>Myocastor coypus</i>) in an urban restoration site
The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ecological obstacles to project success. The nutria(Myocastor coypus) is an invasive, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America that causes detrimental ecological impacts in...
Authors
Trevor R. Sheffels, Mark D. Systma, Jacoby Carter, Jimmy D. Taylor
Diverse coral communities in mangrove habitats suggest a novel refuge from climate change Diverse coral communities in mangrove habitats suggest a novel refuge from climate change
Risk analyses indicate that more than 90% of the world's reefs will be threatened by climate change and local anthropogenic impacts by the year 2030 under "business-as-usual" climate scenarios. Increasing temperatures and solar radiation cause coral bleaching that has resulted in extensive coral mortality. Increasing carbon dioxide reduces seawater pH, slows coral growth, and may cause...
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, Caroline S. Rogers, James J. Herlan, Gregg R. Brooks, Nathan A. Smiley, Rebekka A. Larson
Using scenario planning to evaluate the impacts of climate change on wildlife populations and communities in the Florida Everglades Using scenario planning to evaluate the impacts of climate change on wildlife populations and communities in the Florida Everglades
It is uncertain how climate change will impact hydrologic drivers of wildlife population dynamics in freshwater wetlands of the Florida Everglades, or how to accommodate this uncertainty in restoration decisions. Using projections of climate scenarios for the year 2060, we evaluated how several possible futures could affect wildlife populations (wading birds, fish, alligators, native...
Authors
Christopher P. Catano, Stephanie S. Romañach, James M. Beerens, Leonard G. Pearlstine, Laura A. Brandt, Kristen M. Hart, Frank J. Mazzotti, Joel C. Trexler
Population age and initial density in a patchy environment affect the occurrence of abrupt transitions in a birth-and-death model of Taylor's law Population age and initial density in a patchy environment affect the occurrence of abrupt transitions in a birth-and-death model of Taylor's law
Taylor's power law describes an empirical relationship between the mean and variance of population densities in field data, in which the variance varies as a power, b, of the mean. Most studies report values of b varying between 1 and 2. However, Cohen (2014a) showed recently that smooth changes in environmental conditions in a model can lead to an abrupt, infinite change in b. To...
Authors
Jiang Jiang, Donald L. DeAngelis, B. Zhang, J.E. Cohen
Comparing species distribution models constructed with different subsets of environmental predictors Comparing species distribution models constructed with different subsets of environmental predictors
Aim To assess the usefulness of combining climate predictors with additional types of environmental predictors in species distribution models for range-restricted species, using common correlative species distribution modelling approaches. Location Florida, USA Methods We used five different algorithms to create distribution models for 14 vertebrate species, using seven different...
Authors
David N. Bucklin, Mathieu Basille, Allison M. Benscoter, Laura A. Brandt, Frank J. Mazzotti, Stephanie S. Romañach, Carolina Speroterra, James I. Watling
Estimates of vital rates for a declining loggerhead turtle (<i>Caretta caretta</i>) subpopulation: implications for management Estimates of vital rates for a declining loggerhead turtle (<i>Caretta caretta</i>) subpopulation: implications for management
Because subpopulations can differ geographically, genetically and/or phenotypically, using data from one subpopulation to derive vital rates for another, while often unavoidable, is not optimal. We used a two-state open robust design model to analyze a 14-year dataset (1998–2011) from the St. Joseph Peninsula, Florida (USA; 29.748°, −85.400°) which is the densest loggerhead (Caretta...
Authors
Margaret M. Lamont, Ikuko Fujisaki, Raymond R. Carthy
Temporal variability of carbon and nutrient burial, sediment accretion, and mass accumulation over the past century in a carbonate platform mangrove forest of the Florida Everglades. Temporal variability of carbon and nutrient burial, sediment accretion, and mass accumulation over the past century in a carbonate platform mangrove forest of the Florida Everglades.
The objective of this research was to measure temporal variability in accretion and mass sedimentation rates (including organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP)) from the past century in a mangrove forest on the Shark River in Everglades National Park, USA. The 210Pb Constant Rate of Supply model was applied to six soil cores to calculate annual rates over the...
Authors
Josh L. Breithaupt, Joseph M. Smoak, Thomas J. Smith, Christian J. Sanders
Connectivity in the tropical coastal seascape: Implications for marine spatial planning and resource management Connectivity in the tropical coastal seascape: Implications for marine spatial planning and resource management
No abstract available.
Authors
John C. Ogden, Ivan Nagelkerken, Carole C. McIvor
Global research priorities to mitigate plastic pollution impacts on marine wildlife Global research priorities to mitigate plastic pollution impacts on marine wildlife
Marine wildlife faces a growing number of threats across the globe, and the survival of many species and populations will be dependent on conservation action. One threat in particular that has emerged over the last 4 decades is the pollution of oceanic and coastal habitats with plastic debris. The increased occurrence of plastics in marine ecosystems mirrors the increased prevalence of...
Authors
Amanda C. Vegter, Mário Barletta, Cathy A. Beck, José C. Borrero, Harry Burton, Marnie L. Campbell, Monica F. Costa, Marcus Eriksen, Cecilia Eriksson, Andres Estrades, Kirsten V. Gilardi, Britta D. Hardesty, Juliana A. Ivar do Sul, Jennifer L. Lavers, Bojan Lazar, Laurent Lebreton, Wallace J. Nichols, Christine A. Ribic, Peter G. Ryan, Qamar A. Schuyler, Stephen D. A. Smith, Hideshige Takada, Kathy A. Townsend, Colette C. C. Wabnitz, Chris Wilcox, Lindsay C. Young, Mark Hamann