Biological Criteria for Inland Freshwater Wetlands in Florida: A Review of Technical & Scientific Literature (1990-1999) Biological Criteria for Inland Freshwater Wetlands in Florida: A Review of Technical & Scientific Literature (1990-1999) By Steven Doherty With Matt Cohen, Chuck Lane, Laura Line and Jim Surdick A Report to: United States Environmental Protection Agency Biological Assessment of Wetlands Workgroup Mark Brown, Principal Investigator Steven Doherty, Co-Principal Investigator Center for Wetlands PO Box 116350 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611 December 2000 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Support for this project came from a USEPA Wetlands Division grant to the University of Florida Center for Wetlands (project 4510363-12), Mark T. Brown and Steven J. Doherty, Principal Investigators. This report is an outcome of author participation in the USEPA Biological Assessment of Wetlands Workgroup (BAWWG). The authors wish to acknowledge the supportive interests of the FDEP Non-Point Source Bioassessment Program (Ellen McCarron and Russ Frydenborg), BAWWG (Tom Danielson), Florida Water Management Districts and the ACOE Waterways Experiment Station Florida HGM Program. Peer review by agency personnel expected to use and benefit from the document will insure thoroughness and accuracy of information presented here. This project and the preparation of this report were funded in part by a Section 104(b)(3) Water Quality Improvement grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a contract with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... ii List of Tables and Figures ................................................................................................ vi Chapter 1: Introduction..................................................................................................... 1 Description of Report.................................................................................................... 1 Background................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2: Procedures....................................................................................................... 5 Literature Search........................................................................................................... 5 Database Development ................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 3: Algae ............................................................................................................... 9 Use As Indicators.......................................................................................................... 9 Enrichment / Eutrophication / Reduced Dissolved Oxygen ......................................... 9 Contaminant Toxicity ...................................................................................................21 Acidification .................................................................................................................23 Salinization ..................................................................................................................25 Sedimentation / Burial ..................................................................................................25 Turbidity / Shading ......................................................................................................25 Vegetation Removal......................................................................................................26 Thermal Alteration........................................................................................................26 Dehydration / Inundation..............................................................................................26 Habitat Fragmentation / Disturbance............................................................................27 Chapter 4: Vascular Plants................................................................................................28 Use As Indicators..........................................................................................................28 Enrichment / Eutrophication / Reduced Dissolved Oxygen .........................................32 Contaminant Toxicity ...................................................................................................37 Acidification .................................................................................................................38 Salinization ..................................................................................................................39 Sedimentation / Burial ..................................................................................................39 Turbidity / Shading ......................................................................................................40 Vegetation Removal......................................................................................................40 Thermal Alteration........................................................................................................42 Dehydration / Inundation..............................................................................................42 Habitat Fragmentation / Disturbance............................................................................46 iii Chapter 5: Macroinvertebrates..........................................................................................49 Use As Indicators..........................................................................................................49 Enrichment / Eutrophication / Reduced Dissolved Oxygen .........................................53 Contaminant Toxicity ...................................................................................................54 Acidification .................................................................................................................55 Salinization ..................................................................................................................55 Sedimentation / Burial ..................................................................................................56 Turbidity / Shading ......................................................................................................56 Vegetation Removal......................................................................................................56 Thermal Alteration........................................................................................................56 Dehydration / Inundation..............................................................................................57 Habitat Fragmentation / Disturbance............................................................................58 Chapter 6: Fish..................................................................................................................60 Use As Indicators..........................................................................................................60 Enrichment / Eutrophication / Reduced Dissolved Oxygen .........................................62 Contaminant Toxicity ...................................................................................................63 Acidification .................................................................................................................64 Salinization ..................................................................................................................64 Sedimentation / Burial ..................................................................................................65 Turbidity / Shading ......................................................................................................65 Vegetation Removal......................................................................................................65 Thermal Alteration........................................................................................................65 Dehydration / Inundation..............................................................................................66 Habitat Fragmentation / Disturbance............................................................................67 Chapter 7: Amphibians and Reptiles ................................................................................68 Use As Indicators..........................................................................................................68 Enrichment / Eutrophication / Reduced Dissolved Oxygen .........................................70 Contaminant Toxicity ...................................................................................................70 Acidification .................................................................................................................71 Salinization ..................................................................................................................71 Sedimentation / Burial ..................................................................................................71 Turbidity / Shading ......................................................................................................72 Vegetation Removal......................................................................................................72 Thermal Alteration........................................................................................................73