Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Summary and Synthesis of the Available Literature on
the Effects of Nutrients on Spring Organisms and
Systems
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Mark T. Brown & Kelly Chinners Reiss
Center for Environmental Policy
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences
Matthew Cohen
Forest Water Resources Laboratory
School of Forest Resources and Conservation
K. Ramesh Reddy, Patrick W.Inglett, and Kanika Sharma Inglett
Department of Soil and Water Science
Thomas K. Frazer, Charles A. Jacoby & Edward J. Phlips
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Robert L. Knight
Wetland Solutions, Inc.
Wendy D. Graham & Kathleen McKee
University of Florida Water Institute
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Overall Project Objective:
Develop a literature review of available literature that integrates and
interprets the effects of nutrients on spring organisms and systems
… with particular emphasis on effects and alterations of algal and
macrophyte communities.
…and including trophic dynamics and ecological processes.
The review is to include published, peer reviewed documents and gray
literature reports.
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Project Goal:
To develop a synthetic literature review that presents what is known about
nutrient effects…
• as guidance for public policy,
• elucidate information gaps that inject substantial uncertainty, and
• suggested research to address these gaps.
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Project Tasks:
• Collect Available Literature
Within Florida and across the USA in karst regions….
• Develop a Springs Literature Data Base
Bibliographic information and short abstracts…searchable
• Synthesis Report
Addresses the current state of knowledge and provide guidance for public
policy strategies
•
Seminar - workshops
Input and comment from agency personnel, scientists, and others
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Literature Review:
• Transformations and Sinks of nutrients
• Biogeochemical processes
• Macrophytes and Algae
• Macroinvertebrates and Fish
• Invasive Species and Management
• Ecosystem Processes
• Synthesis: Springs management and Research needs
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Purpose of Workshop:
To quote Donald Rumsfeld
"…as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are
some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the
ones we don't know we don't know."
Our main objective is to elucidate the unknown unknowns
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Purpose of Workshop…continued:
What we want to attain by end of the workshop….
Further insights into the following 4 questions:
• What are the most important unknowns about nutrient effects on
spring biota?
• What are the most important management issues related to
nutrients & springs?
• How might these management issues be addressed?
• What are the most important springs research initiatives?
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Purpose of Workshop…continued:
Why are YOU important….
Three things::
• You are experts, all interested in spring systems
• You are the intended users of the report
• Hopefully new collaborations will be born here.
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Agenda:
8:40 Coffee & morning snacks (in lobby)
9:00 convene the crowd, welcome, introduce Mark (Kathleen McKee, 3 minutes)
9:05 Introduction (Mark Brown, 15 min)
9:10 Presentations of what will be in chapter + known unknowns (80 min)
Matt Cohen - Transformations and Sinks of nutrients (10 min)
Patrick Inglett - Biogeochemical processes (10 min)
Tom Frazer - Macrophytes and Algae (10 min)
Chuck Jacoby – Macroinvertebrates and Fish (10 min)
Jason Evans - Invasive Species and Management (10 min)
Bob Knight - Ecosystem Processes (20 min)
Mark Brown - Synthesis: Springs Management and Research needs (10
min)
10:30 Break (15 min)
10:45 Breakout discussion setup (K. McKee 10 min)
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Agenda…2:
11:00 Breakout discussion sessions (1.5 hr)



Macrophytes, Algae (and related invasives) – T. Frazer, Room 2025
Vertebrates, Invertebrates (and related invasives) – C. Jacoby, Room 2025
Nutrient Transformations, Biogeochemistry – M. Cohen, Room 2165
Questions:
What are the most important unknowns?
What are the most important management issues related to nutrients &
springs?
How might these management issues be addressed?
What are the most important springs research initiatives? (Rank them)
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Agenda…3:
12:30 Lunch at Reitz Union (45 min)
1:15 Breakout reports (45 min)
2:00 Whole group discussion: Synthesis, Ecosystem Processes and Management (45
min)
2:45 Break (15 min)
3:00 Whole group discussion - continued (1 hr) - this could become a half-hour
breakout session with half-hour report session on
Question: What are the next steps when considering ecosystem level processes
and management?
4:00 Wrap up, Next Steps (Mark Brown, 15 min)
4:15 End
Nutrient Effects on Springs Biota
Next…Presentations by the Co-PIs:
Matt Cohen - Transformations and Sinks of nutrients (10 min)
Patrick Inglett - Biogeochemical processes (10 min)
Tom Frazer - Macrophytes and Algae (10 min)
Chuck Jacoby – Macroinvertebrates and Fish (10 min)
Jason Evans - Invasive Species and Management (10 min)
Bob Knight - Ecosystem Processes (20 min)
Mark Brown - Synthesis: Springs Management and Research needs (10
min)