Modeling freshwater prairie and marsh vegetation communities under everglades restoration scenarios programming supports a comprehensive network of cooperative study units to facilitate cooperative…

Modeling freshwater prairie and marsh vegetation communities under everglades restoration scenarios programming supports a comprehensive network of cooperative study units to facilitate cooperative research, technical assistance, education, and training to inform science-based management of the national park system. The study units facilitate multi-disciplinary science and integrated information products across multiple geographic regions of the national park system. The purpose of this project is to develop fine-scale resolution models of vegetation change within marl prairies and slough vegetation brought about everglades restoration efforts. This project will allow everglades national park and national park scientist to better understand how hydrologic changes, resulting from restoration efforts will impact plant communities, species assemblages, and critically threatened species in everglades national park through modeling different hydrologic restoration scenarios. The results of this project will increase public understanding of the effects hydrologic restoration efforts will have on the plant communities of everglades national park and how this will impact critically endangered species, both plants and animals, as communities transition in response to increased freshwater delivery associated with restoration efforts. University staff and students will gain experience and knowledge in the use of statistical predictive models to predict hydrologic driven vegetation change. .