Periphyton Everglades

Sharma, K., P. W. Inglett, K. R. Reddy, and A. V. Ogram. 2005. Microscopic examination of photoautotro-phic and phosphatase-producing bacteria in phosphorus-limited Everglades periphyton mats. Limnol. Oceanogr. 50 2057-2062. 

Cleckner LB, Gihnom CC, Krabbenhoft DP, Hmley JP. 1999. Mercury methylation in periphyton of the Florida Everglades. Limnol Oceanogr 44 1815-1825. 

Gleason, P.J., and Spackman, W., Jr. (1974) Calcareous periphyton and water chemistry in the Everglades. In Environments of South Florida Past and Present (Gleason, P.J., ed.), pp. 146-181, Miami Geological Society, Coral Gables, FL. 

Vymazal, J., and Richardson, C.J. (1995) Species composition, biomass, and nutrient content of periphyton in the Florida Everglades. J. Phycol. 31, 343-354. 

McCormick, P.V. and O Dell, M.B. (1996) Quantifying periphyton responses to phosphorus in the Florida Everglades a synoptic-experimental approach. Journal of the North American Ben-thological Society 1 5, 450-458. 

McCormick, P.V., Rawlik, P.S., Lurding, K., Smith, E.P. and Sklar, F.H. (1996) Periphyton-water quality relationships along a nutrient gradient in the northern Florida Everglades. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 15, 433-449. 

Because phosphatase activity is often a good indicator of phosphorus limitation, measurements of activity in field materials have been used for diverse purposes ranging from routine monitoring to attempts to understand the phosphorus dynamics of complex communities, such as periphyton in the Everglades (Newman et al., 2003). Possible substrates for assays using spectrophotometry or fluorimetry have been mentioned above. A detailed account of the procedure for using ELFP and subsequent quantification of fluorescence associated with individual cells was given by Nedoma et al. (2003). 

McCormick, P.V. and Stevenson, R.J. (1998) Periphyton as a tool for ecological assessment and management in the Florida Everglades. Journal of Phycology 34, 726-733. 

FIGURE 8.50 Biological nitrogen fixation in periphyton mats along eutrophic gradient in northern Everglades wetland. (From Inglett et al., 2004.)... 

FIGURE 9.49 Influence of phosphorus loading on alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) in periphyton mats in the northern Everglades. (Newman, S., South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, Florida.)... 

FIGURE 9.62 Biotic and abiotic uptake of added by periphyton mats obtained from northern Everglades. (From Scinto and Reddy, 2003.)... 

Periphyton is abundant in oligotrophic areas of the Everglades and is responsible for significant primary production and phosphorus storage. In these systems, periphyton productivity and tissue phosphorus concentration are strongly related to phosphorus concentration of the water column. 

FIGURE 17.17 Dissolved oxygen gradients in benthic periphyton mats in Taylor Slough of the Everglades. (Hagerthey, S., SFWMD.)... 

The phosphorus limitation of periphyton mats is also evidenced by biomass N P ratios >200 (McCormick and O Dell, 1996) and increased activity of phosphatase in non-P-impacted areas (Newman et al 2003 Sharma et al 2005). As both algae and bacteria are known to produce phosphatases, it is uncertain which groups are dominantly responsible for the observed patterns of phosphatase. Recent work with floating mats from P-limited regions of the Everglades has shown... 

Discuss how hydrology, vegetation, periphyton, and microbial communities, and associated biogeochemical processes regulate long-term retention of phosphorus in the Everglades wetlands. 

Gaiser, E. E., J. H. Richards, J. C. Trexler, R. D. Jones, and D. L. Childers. 2006. Periphyton responses to eutrophication in the Elorida Everglades cross-system patterns of structural and compositional change. Limnol. Oceanogr. 51 617-630. 

Inglett, P. W, K. R. Reddy, and P. V. McCormick. 2004. Periphyton tissue chemistry and nitrogenase activity in a nutrient impacted Everglades ecosystem. Biogeochemistry 67 213-233. 

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