Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 28-30, 2008

Symposium on Biogeochemistry and Water Quality of the Greater Everglades: Fate and Transport of Nutrients and other Contaminants

    Symposium Objective:

The objective of this symposium is to provide a framework for synthesis and interpretation of the research findings related to fate and transport of nutrients and other contaminants in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem

The focus of the symposium will be to review our current understanding on the role of biogeochemical cycles in regulating the fate and transport of nutrients and other contaminants as related to ecosystem restoration and recovery. In addition new approaches and techniques that link community structure at the micro, and macro, scales to better understand the mechanisms that control the fate of chemicals at ecosystem scale will be discussed at the symposium. The symposium will also review current management strategies to abate the impact of nutrients and other contaminants and identify key water quality indicators to assess the recovery. 

    Symposium Background:

Excess nutrients and other contaminant inputs from various sources including agricultural and urban land use activities, atmospheric deposition, and weathering of natural minerals can significantly impact trophic conditions of wetlands and aquatic systems in the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Many biogeochemical processes functioning in soil, water, periphyton, and vegetation components influence fate and transport of nutrients and other contaminants. The scales at which many of the biogeochemical processes are studied vary, with some researchers conducting studies at small-scale (microbial cell or particle level or laboratory-scale), while others are involved at a relatively large-scale (field-plot or ecosystem level). Conclusions derived from the studies conducted at different scales are usually influenced by the disciplinary bias. Although, the research conducted by each of these scientists is very important, it lacks the linkage or common targeted goal to solve the problem. At present, there are no effective mechanisms to establish the linkage between scientists and users of the scientific information. Linkage among these groups will provide an opportunity to exchange technical information and will aid in effectively solving more practical problems.

    Symposium Topics:
 

Sources and types of nutrients and contaminants Types of nutrients and other contaminants (phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, mercury, pesticides, emerging contaminants, and others) Anthropogenic sources Atmospheric deposition Natural weathering of minerals Internal load Spatial distribution of nutrients and contaminants Landscape patterns of water column nutrients and other contaminants Landscape patterns of vegetation Landscape patterns of periphyton Landscape patterns of soil nutrients and other contaminants Biogeochemical transformations Phosphorus Nitrogen Carbon Sulfur Mercury Coupled biogeochemical cycles Pesticides and other organic contaminants

Biogeochemical responses Microbial communities Periphyton Vegetation Other biotic communities Transport processes Hydrologic processes uplands Hydrologic processes in wetlands Hydrodynamic processes in shallow lakes Transport processes of nutrients and other contaminants Remediation and management of nutrients and other contaminants Long-term water quality trends Stormwater treatment areas Chemical treatment systems Biogeochemical modeling Synthesis Indicators of ecosystem recovery Mechanistic biogeochemical models Ecosystem models …that include the fate of biogeochemical parameters, responses and recovery Landscape models for spatial scaling biogeochemical parameters

NOTE: There is no fee to participate in this symposium. Please sign up in advance when registering online for the GEER meeting.

    For more information, contact the Symposium Organizer:

Dr. K. Ramesh Reddy   Meeting Organizer and Chair Soil and Water Science Department University of Florida/IFAS PHONE: 352-392-1804 ext EMAIL: krr@ufl.edu

Dr. G. Ronnie Best   Meeting Chair   - Technical Sessions Coordinator, Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science United States Geological Survey c/o University of Florida/IFAS   Fort Lauderdale Research and      Education Center 3205 College Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7799 PHONE: 954-577-6354 FAX: 954-577-6347 PHONE (CELL): 954-658-4676 EMAIL: Ronnie_Best@usgs.gov WEB SITE: SOFIA.usgs.gov