Water Conservation Area 1: A Case Study of Hydrology, Nutrient, and Mineral Influences on Biogeochemical Processes

At the northern tip of the remnant Everglades, Water Conservation Area 1 is the only remaining softwater peatland in the ecosystem. The spatial pattern of altered hydrology, anthropogenic nutrient, and mineral enrichment is distinct, with biogeochemical processes driven by a north-south hydrologic gradient combined with west-east nutrient and mineral gradients. Hydrology effects on carbon cycling are evident by the 10-20% lower average soil carbon concentrations in the drier oxidizing regions of the north, compared with the ponded environment in the south. Elevated nutrient and mineral inputs also increase carbon loss by causing changes in species composition, substrate quality, and microbial activity. Water management may be optimized to limit mineral intrusion and peat oxidation, while also meeting water depth requirements for habitat and wildlife, such that ecological tradeoffs are minimized.