Impacts of fire and phosphorus on sawgrass and cattails in an altered landscape of the Florida Everglades

Abstract

Introduction: Although fire as a critical ecological process shapes the Florida Everglades landscape, researchers lack landscape-based approach for fire management. The interactive effect of fire, nutrients, water depth, and invasive cattails (Typha spp.) on vegetation communities is of special concern for ecosystem restoration. In particular, questions concerning the effect of fire on nutrient release and, by extension, the potential thereof to stimulate sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense Crantz) re-growth and cattail expansion under varying hydrological conditions are of immediate relevance to ecologists and land managers who work to restore the Everglades. Methods: In late April of 1999, a 42,875 ha surface fire, including a 100 ha peat fire, burned the northern section of Water Conservation Area 3A (WCA-3A) in the Everglades. In this study, total phosphorus (TP) in soil, surface water, pore-water, and vegetation was sampled at non-burned, surface-burned and peat-burned areas within one and five months after the burn. Four years after the initial fire, field data were collected in a large scale survey to analyze how the 1999 fire affected cattail distribution in the altered landscape of high soil TP and cattail habitats. Existing GIS maps were utilized to select field sampling locations and to provide additional information for the analysis.

Episodic disturbances drive nutrient dynamics along freshwater‐to‐estuary gradients in a subtropical wetland

“…Following fire, soil nutrient levels can increase (Wu et al. , Liao et al. ) or decrease over time through volatilization and subsequent leaching or export of ash particles by fire updrafts and wind (Qian et al.…”

“…These soils are relatively low in organic C, ranging between 2.3% and 21.0%, with soil TP values ranging between 100 and 358 lg/g (Sah et al, 2007). Following fire, soil nutrient levels can increase (Wu et al 2012, Liao et al 2013 or decrease over time through volatilization and subsequent leaching or export of ash particles by fire updrafts and wind (Qian et al 2009, Hogue andInglett 2012). In low-P calcareous wetlands, soil N and P availability may increase immediately after fire (Liao et al 2013).…”

“…The combination of peat fire and marsh re‐hydration is also effective at mineralizing and mobilizing nutrients (Wu et al. ).…”

“…Based on observations of historic surface water quality data, sequestered nutrients in Everglades wetlands are vulnerable to episodic disturbance events such as tropical storms and frontal passages (Sutula et al 2003, Abtew andIricanin 2008), seasonal hydrology , Sutula et al 2003), short duration, high-volume precipitation (Williams et al 2008), and shallow water levels (Zapata-Rios et al 2012). The combination of peat fire and marsh re-hydration is also effective at mineralizing and mobilizing nutrients (Wu et al 2012).…”

Potential influence of nutrient availability along a hillslope: Peatland gradient on aspen recovery following fire

“…Much of the current understanding of biogeochemical processes following fire in Boreal forests has been developed in upland forest soils, and fewer studies have been undertaken in peatland systems, which are found adjacent to forests in the BP. Fire has been shown to increase both N and P supply in temperate marsh systems and ombrotrophic bogs, although the magnitude of heightened availability is dependent on the time of burn and its severity (Wang et al, ; Wilbur & Christensen, ; Wu et al, ). Consistently, mineralization has been linked to zones having high organic N and P (Wang et al, ; Wilbur & Christensen, ; Wu et al, ), which suggests that if inorganic N and P supplies are greater in wetlands and riparian areas than in forests, these low‐lying areas may be a significant source of nutrients postfire.…”