W3 Seminar – Bridging monitoring design and ecological theory: Lessons from two decades of wetland data

Details

Speaker:
Renee Price, Senior Scientist III, AtkinsRéalis; Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, UF

Abstract:
This presentation synthesizes findings from two integrated studies on wetland ecohydrology in Central Florida, emphasizing the role of hydrologic variability and monitoring design in ecological assessment. Using 19 years of high-resolution water level and vegetation data from reference marshes, we evaluated the statistical implications of monitoring frequency and duration on the accuracy of hydrologic metrics and species richness. Results demonstrate that metrics related to magnitude stabilize with shorter records, while timing, duration, and frequency require extended datasets, often exceeding 15 years, to achieve representative conditions. Additionally, comparisons across wetland types reveal significant ecohydrologic divergence that is driven by geomorphology, underscoring the need to look beyond wetland type-specific reference frameworks. These findings inform best practices for wetland monitoring programs, restoration performance standards, and long-term ecological modeling under variable climatic regimes.