Hydrology and Physiography of Groundwater and Wetland Habitats - Freshwater Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications - page 67

precipitation patterns throughout the
world and the recharge of groundwater
aquifers?
4. Do you know of any local wetlands
that are endangered or have been
drained in your lifetime?
5. How can temporary wetlands in arid
habitats be extremely important to
wildlife?
6. Why do extensive wetlands exist in the
high Arctic, even though annual
precipitation is similar to that in many
temperate or tropical deserts?

ations in climate that need to be considered in
this management include dry and wet seasons
and extreme weather such as hurricanes
(Duever et al., 1994). To further complicate mat-
ters, agricultural runoff has had detrimental ef-
fects on the native sawgrass, the input of
nutrient-enriched water to sensitive areas
must be managed (see Chapter 17), and animal
communities respond variably to different man-
agement approaches (Rader, 1999).
Plans and actions to mitigate problems as-
sociated with altered hydrology and pollution
in the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades are
varied. The largest restoration project (up to
the 1990s in North America) involves reversing
the effects of channelization in the Kissimmee
River. Biological effects of this restoration are
discussed in Chapter 20. In other parts of the
watershed, land is being purchased and water
running off of agricultural areas is being
treated to assist with nutrient removal. Nutri-
ent pollution problems and solutions are de-
scribed in Chapter 17.
The tremendous economic stakes (billions
of dollars) conflict with preservation of what is
left of the natural environment. Given the large
tax base of the region, this has led to a situa-
tion in which numerous hydrologists, model-
ers, and aquatic ecologists, among others, are
paid by local governments to make decisions
that minimize the human impact on the Ever-
glades while attempting to maximize the hu-
man benefits. The problems are complex, but if
they are not solved in the near future, the Ever-
glades may be lost forever (Harwell, 1998). Al-
though much important scientific information
has been generated, still more is needed to
provide the basis for rational management de-
cisions about this important system.