Paleosalinity as a Key for Success Criteria in South Florida Restoration

The objectives of this project are to 1) test and develop the methodology for extracting water chemistry information from selected calcareous shelled animals that grow within the water; 2) develop an understanding of the biology of the selected organisms so that the water chemistry data extracted from the shells can be put in temporal context; and 3) to apply this information to shells found in soft sediment cores that span the last 100-300 years of South Florida history in order to determine the seasonal variation in salinity and water sources prior to significant human alteration of the environment.

The most critical issue in the Central Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is to restore more natural patterns of freshwater flow through the terrestrial ecosystem and into the estuaries and coastal areas. Restoring natural flow includes the timing, delivery, quantity and quality of the water; in other words, 'getting the water right'. In order to recreate natural freshwater flow patterns, it is essential to understand the natural patterns of variation prior to significant human alteration of the system and the natural sources of water.