ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 423
Background................................................................................................................................... 425 Methods.................................................................................................................................................. 425
Data Collection/Field Methods .................................................................................................... 426 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................ 426
Results .................................................................................................................................................... 427 Mantel Tests ................................................................................................................................. 427 CARTs ......................................................................................................................................... 429
Discussion .............................................................................................................................................. 431 Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................................. 433 References .............................................................................................................................................. 433
Florida Bay, which lies at the southern tip of the Florida peninsula (Figure 27.1), is the terminus of the largest ecosystem restoration project ever attempted in the United States. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP), with the ambitious goal to improve the quality, quantity, and timing of freshwater inputs into the South Florida ecosystem, covers over 29,000 km2 (18,000 square miles) and will require 30 years to complete (1999-2029). Quantifying the spatial and temporal changes in species distributions, abundance, and diversity in Florida Bay is essential to gauge the success of this ambitious restoration project. This task will require developing tangible quantitative metrics to assess the abiotic and biotic changes taking place in response to the CERP management.
