Rainbow Springs Baseline Ecosystem Assessment September 2016 Prepared by The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute Rainbow Springs Baseline Ecosystem Assessment September 2016 Prepared by The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute Rainbow Springs Baseline Assessment Table of Contents Figures ....................................................................................................................................................iii Tables ...................................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements .................................................................................. 6 Section 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................... 7 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 7 Section 2.0 Methods ............................................................................... 9 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 9 2.2 Physical Environment ............................................................................................................. 11 2.2.1 Underwater Light Transmission .................................................................................... 11 2.2.2 Stream Discharge and Current Velocity ....................................................................... 12 2.2.3 Stream Segment Morphometry ...................................................................................... 12 2.2.4 Horizontal Secchi Disk Visibility ................................................................................... 12 2.2.5 Weather Station ................................................................................................................ 13 2.2.6 Water Quality ................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Biology ....................................................................................................................................... 14 2.3.1 Plant Community Characterization ............................................................................... 14 2.3.2 General Faunal Observations ......................................................................................... 16 2.3.3 Adult Aquatic Insects ...................................................................................................... 16 2.3.4 Snails .................................................................................................................................. 16 2.3.5 Fish ..................................................................................................................................... 16 2.3.6 Turtles ................................................................................................................................ 17 2.3.7 Human Use ....................................................................................................................... 18 2.4 Ecosystem Level Monitoring .................................................................................................. 19 2.4.1 Ecosystem Metabolism .................................................................................................... 19 2.4.2 Nutrient Assimilation ...................................................................................................... 21 2.4.3 Community Export .......................................................................................................... 22 Section 3.0 Results ............................................................................... 23 3.1 Physical Environment ............................................................................................................. 23 3.1.1 Underwater Light Transmission .................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Stream Discharge and Current Velocity ....................................................................... 23 i Rainbow Springs Baseline Assessment 3.1.3 Stream Segment Morphometry ...................................................................................... 27 3.1.4 Secchi Disk Visibility ....................................................................................................... 30 3.1.5 Weather Station ................................................................................................................ 32 3.1.6 Water Quality ................................................................................................................... 33 3.2 Biology ....................................................................................................................................... 39 3.2.1 Plant Community Characterization ............................................................................... 39 3.2.2 General Faunal Observations ......................................................................................... 41 3.2.3 Adult Aquatic Insects ...................................................................................................... 41 3.2.4 Snails .................................................................................................................................. 43 3.2.5 Fish ..................................................................................................................................... 44 3.2.6 Turtles ................................................................................................................................ 48 3.2.7 Human Use ....................................................................................................................... 48 3.3 Ecosystem Level Monitoring .................................................................................................. 50 3.3.1 Ecosystem Metabolism .................................................................................................... 50 3.3.2 Nutrient Assimilation ...................................................................................................... 53 3.3.3 Community Export .......................................................................................................... 56 Section 4.0 Discussion ......................................................................... 58 4.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 58 4.2 Rainbow Springs Updated Report Card ............................................................................... 59 Section 5.0 References ......................................................................... 61 ii Rainbow Springs Baseline Assessment Table of Exhibits Figures Figure 1. Rainbow River ecological baseline project location .............................................................. 8 Figure 2. Rainbow River Ecosystem Baseline Assessment segment station locations ................... 10 Figure 3. Underwater LI COR sensor used to measure PAR ............................................................. 11 Figure 4. Stream discharge measurement collected along a cross-section of the Rainbow River. ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Figure 5. Image of data sonde housing with holes that allow free movement of water, while the locking cap and cable provide security. ................................................................ 15 Figure 6. Trap used to collect adult aquatic insects as they emerge from the water ...................... 17 Figure 7. Apple snail egg clutch example ............................................................................................. 18 Figure 8. Example determination of ecosystem metabolism based on upstream- downstream dissolved oxygen data (from WSI 2007). ......................................................... 21 Figure 9. Image of plankton net capturing suspended material with flow meter upstream ........ 22 Figure 10. PAR percent transmittance (@ 1m) and diffuse attenuation coefficient estimates by station ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 11. Average PAR percent transmittance (@ 1m) and diffuse attenuation coefficient estimates by monitoring date ................................................................................................... 25 Figure 12. Average PAR percent transmittance (@ 1m) for Florida spring runs ............................ 26 Figure 13. USGS 02313098 Rainbow River near Dunnellon, FL (@ RSR-5) – daily average discharge ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 14. USGS 02313100 Rainbow River at Dunnellon, FL (Hwy 484) – daily average discharge ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 15. Rainbow River bathymetry – August 2015 ........................................................................ 29 Figure 16. Rainbow River Study Segment stage area / volume curves – August 2015 ................. 30 Figure 17. Horizontal Secchi
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