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Monthly monitoring fluorescence data for Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, and Whitewater Bay, in southwest coast of Everglades National Park (FCE) for February 2001 to December 2002


At a Glance


Authors: Rudolf Jaffe
Time period: 2001-02-20 to 2002-12-17
Package id: knb-lter-fce.1101.5
Dataset id: LT_ND_Jaffe_003

How to cite:
Jaffe, R.. 2024. Monthly monitoring fluorescence data for Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, and Whitewater Bay, in southwest coast of Everglades National Park (FCE) for February 2001 to December 2002. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/3dd491d35a795e2deb1354cdb113edb2. Dataset accessed 2024-12-04.

Geographic Coverage


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Detailed Metadata


  • Dataset Abstract
    Dissolved organic matter plays an important role in biogeochemical processes in aquatic environments such as elemental cycling, microbial loop energetics, and the transport of materials across landscapes. Since most of N (Greater than 90%) and P (around 90%) is in the organic form in the oligotrophic subtropical Florida Coastal Estuaries (FCES), study of the source and dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the ecosystem is crucial for the better understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients. FCES are composed of estuaries with distinct regions with different biogeochemical processes. Florida Bay (FB) is a wedge-shaped shallow oligotrophic estuary which lays south of the Everglades, the bottom of which is covered with a dense biomass of seagrass. Whitewater bay (WWB) is a semi-enclosed mangrove estuary with a relatively long residence time, which receives overland freshwater input from the Everglades marshes. Ten thousand Islands (TTI) covers the southwest margin of the Florida Coastal Everglades, which are highly compartmentalized by local geomorphology. The sources of both freshwater and nutrients in FCES are difficult to quantify, owing to the non-point source nature of runoff from the Everglades and the dendritic cross channels in the mangroves. Furthermore, the combination of multiple DOM sources (freshwater marsh vegetation, mangroves, phytoplankton, seagrass, etc.), and the potential seasonal variability of their relative contribution, along with the history of (photo)chemical and microbial diagenetic processing, and complex advective circulation, makes the study of DOM dynamics in FCES particularly difficult using standard schemes of estuarine ecology. Quantitative information of DOM is very useful to investigate the biogeochemical cycling of DOM to a certain degree, however, qualitative information is necessary to better understand the source and dynamics of DOM. Since fluorescence spectroscopic techniques are very sensitive, quick and simple, they have been applied to investigate the fate of DOM in estuaries.
  • Geographic Coverage
    Study Extent Description
    The Study Extent of this dataset includes the southwest FCE and Florida Bay research sites within Everglades National Park, South Florida

    Bounding Coordinates
    Card Sound Bridge
    N: 25.274, S: 25.274, E: -80.375, W: -80.375

    Middle Bay
    N: 25.285, S: 25.285, E: -80.395, W: -80.395

    Manatee Bay
    N: 25.251, S: 25.251, E: -80.415, W: -80.415

    Barnes Sound
    N: 25.222, S: 25.222, E: -80.388, W: -80.388

    Blackwater Sound
    N: 25.174, S: 25.174, E: -80.423, W: -80.423

    L. Blackwater Sound
    N: 25.207, S: 25.207, E: -80.440, W: -80.440

    Highway Creek
    N: 25.254, S: 25.254, E: -80.444, W: -80.444

    Long Sound
    N: 25.227, S: 25.227, E: -80.462, W: -80.462

    Duck Key
    N: 25.177, S: 25.177, E: -80.492, W: -80.492

    Joe Bay
    N: 25.224, S: 25.224, E: -80.537, W: -80.537

    L. Madeira Bay
    N: 25.175, S: 25.175, E: -80.627, W: -80.627

    Terrapin Bay
    N: 25.140, S: 25.140, E: -80.716, W: -80.716

    Whipray Basin
    N: 25.091, S: 25.091, E: -80.755, W: -80.755

    Garfield Bight
    N: 25.150, S: 25.150, E: -80.809, W: -80.809

    Rankin Lake
    N: 25.121, S: 25.121, E: -80.803, W: -80.803

    Murray Key
    N: 25.118, S: 25.118, E: -80.940, W: -80.940

    Johnson Key Basin
    N: 25.042, S: 25.042, E: -80.915, W: -80.915

    Rabbit Key Basin
    N: 25.002, S: 25.002, E: -80.900, W: -80.900

    Twin Key Basin
    N: 24.978, S: 24.978, E: -80.954, W: -80.954

    Peterson Key
    N: 24.930, S: 24.930, E: -80.750, W: -80.750

    Porpoise Lake
    N: 25.007, S: 25.007, E: -80.681, W: -80.681

    Captain's Key
    N: 25.040, S: 25.040, E: -80.614, W: -80.614

    Park Key
    N: 25.118, S: 25.118, E: -80.600, W: -80.600

    Butternut Key
    N: 25.102, S: 25.102, E: -80.531, W: -80.531

    East Cape
    N: 25.084, S: 25.084, E: -81.081, W: -81.081

    Oxfoot Bank
    N: 24.981, S: 24.981, E: -81.002, W: -81.002

    Sprigger Bank
    N: 24.919, S: 24.919, E: -80.935, W: -80.935

    Old Dan Bank
    N: 24.867, S: 24.867, E: -80.807, W: -80.807

    First Bay
    N: 25.555, S: 25.555, E: -81.184, W: -81.184

    Third Bay
    N: 25.580, S: 25.580, E: -81.121, W: -81.121

    Big Lostman's Bay
    N: 25.568, S: 25.568, E: -81.071, W: -81.071

    Cabbage Island
    N: 25.529, S: 25.529, E: -81.043, W: -81.043

    Broad River Bay
    N: 25.500, S: 25.500, E: -81.049, W: -81.049

    Middle Broad River
    N: 25.486, S: 25.486, E: -81.111, W: -81.111

    Mouth Broad River
    N: 25.475, S: 25.475, E: -81.153, W: -81.153

    S.Mouth Harney River
    N: 25.412, S: 25.412, E: -81.141, W: -81.141

    Harney River Junction
    N: 25.432, S: 25.432, E: -81.082, W: -81.082

    Tarpon Bay
    N: 25.417, S: 25.417, E: -80.998, W: -80.998

    Gunboat Island
    N: 25.379, S: 25.379, E: -81.031, W: -81.031

    Ponce de Leon Bay
    N: 25.350, S: 25.350, E: -81.125, W: -81.125

    Oyster Bay
    N: 25.331, S: 25.331, E: -81.073, W: -81.073

    N.of Marker 36
    N: 25.326, S: 25.326, E: -81.015, W: -81.015

    W.of Marker 34
    N: 25.286, S: 25.286, E: -81.024, W: -81.024

    Watson R.Chickee
    N: 25.332, S: 25.332, E: -80.984, W: -80.984

    Mouth North River
    N: 25.301, S: 25.301, E: -80.960, W: -80.960

    Midway Keys
    N: 25.285, S: 25.285, E: -80.976, W: -80.976

    Mouth of Roberts R.
    N: 25.280, S: 25.280, E: -80.931, W: -80.931

    W.of Marker 18
    N: 25.241, S: 25.241, E: -80.958, W: -80.958

    SE of Marker 12
    N: 25.228, S: 25.228, E: -80.933, W: -80.933

    Coot Bay
    N: 25.191, S: 25.191, E: -80.914, W: -80.914

    Chokoloskee
    N: 25.808, S: 25.808, E: -81.350, W: -81.350

    Rabbit Key Pass
    N: 25.770, S: 25.770, E: -81.383, W: -81.383

    Lopez Bay
    N: 25.784, S: 25.784, E: -81.332, W: -81.332

    Lopez River
    N: 25.785, S: 25.785, E: -81.309, W: -81.309

    Sunday Bay
    N: 25.796, S: 25.796, E: -81.280, W: -81.280

    Huston Bay
    N: 25.753, S: 25.753, E: -81.255, W: -81.255

    Upper Chatham R.
    N: 25.718, S: 25.718, E: -81.231, W: -81.231

    Middle Chatham R.
    N: 25.708, S: 25.708, E: -81.252, W: -81.252

    Gun Rock Pt.
    N: 25.692, S: 25.692, E: -81.299, W: -81.299

    Oyster Bay
    N: 25.731, S: 25.731, E: -81.285, W: -81.285

    Chevelier Bay
    N: 25.712, S: 25.712, E: -81.207, W: -81.207

    Alligator Bay
    N: 25.670, S: 25.670, E: -81.169, W: -81.169

    Lostman's Five Bay
    N: 25.633, S: 25.633, E: -81.145, W: -81.145

    Barron River
    N: 25.853, S: 25.853, E: -81.393, W: -81.393

    Indian Key Pass
    N: 25.827, S: 25.827, E: -81.441, W: -81.441

    Indian Key
    N: 25.805, S: 25.805, E: -81.463, W: -81.463

    West Pass
    N: 25.830, S: 25.830, E: -81.503, W: -81.503

    Panther Key
    N: 25.849, S: 25.849, E: -81.542, W: -81.542

    Faka Union Pass
    N: 25.874, S: 25.874, E: -81.516, W: -81.516

    Faka Union River
    N: 25.900, S: 25.900, E: -81.516, W: -81.516

    White Horse Key
    N: 25.867, S: 25.867, E: -81.575, W: -81.575

    Dismal Key
    N: 25.894, S: 25.894, E: -81.559, W: -81.559

    Gullivan Bay
    N: 25.882, S: 25.882, E: -81.606, W: -81.606

    Shell Key
    N: 25.911, S: 25.911, E: -81.615, W: -81.615

    Blackwater River
    N: 25.930, S: 25.930, E: -81.600, W: -81.600

    FCE LTER Sites
    SRS4,SRS5,TS/Ph9 and TS/Ph11

  • Attributes
    • Data Table:   Monthly monitoring fluorescence data for Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, and Whitewater Bay, in southwest coast of Everglades National Park for February 2001-December 2002.
      Attribute Name:
      SITENAME
      Attribute Label:
      sitename
      Attribute Definition:
      Name of LTER site
      Storage Type:
      text
      Measurement Scale:
      text
      Missing Value Code:
       

      Attribute Name:
      Date
      Attribute Label:
      date
      Attribute Definition:
      Collection date
      Storage Type:
      datetime
      Measurement Scale:
      Missing Value Code:
       

      Attribute Name:
      Max_WL
      Attribute Label:
      Maximum Wavelength
      Attribute Definition:
      Emission wavelength that gives maximum emission intensity at a fixed excitation wavelength of 313nm.
      Storage Type:
      data
      Measurement Scale:
      Units: nanometer
      Precision: 1
      Number Type: real
      Missing Value Code:
      -9999 (Value will never be recorded)

      Attribute Name:
      Max_I
      Attribute Label:
      Maximum Intensity
      Attribute Definition:
      Maximum emission intensity at a fixed excitation wavelength of 313nm.
      Storage Type:
      data
      Measurement Scale:
      Units: QSU
      Precision: 0.1
      Number Type: real
      Missing Value Code:
      -9999.0 (Value will never be recorded)

      Attribute Name:
      FI
      Attribute Label:
      Fluorescence Index
      Attribute Definition:
      Ratio of emission intensities at 450 and 500 nm obtained at a fixed excitation of 370 nm.
      Storage Type:
      data
      Measurement Scale:
      Units: dimensionless
      Precision: 0.001
      Number Type: real
      Missing Value Code:
      -9999.000 (Value will never be recorded)

      Attribute Name:
      %Peak_1
      Attribute Label:
      Percent Peak 1
      Attribute Definition:
      Percentage of the maximum emission intensity of the first peak of the sychronous scan.
      Storage Type:
      data
      Measurement Scale:
      Units: percent
      Precision: 1
      Number Type: real
      Missing Value Code:
      -9999 (Value will never be recorded)


  • Methods
    Sampling Description
    Water samples were collected monthly during February 2001 to December 2002 from a total of 73 sampling stations located in the coastal estuaries of the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula, USA. These stations were established for an on-going water quality monitoring program (http://www.serc.fiu.edu/wqmnetwork). Sampling stations can be largely grouped into 3 distinct districts based on the geomorphological features, that is, Florida Bay (FB, 27 sampling stations), Ten Thousands Islands (TTI, 39 sampling stations), and Whitewater Bay (WWB, 8 sampling stations). Surface water samples were taken from the southwest coast of Florida. The samples were collected using pre-washed, brown Nalgen polyethylene bottles (Nalge Nunc International). Salinity of the water samples was measured in the field using an Orion salinity meter. The samples were stored on ice and returned to the laboratory within 8 h for analysis. Subsamples for spectroscopic analysis were filtered through precombusted Whatman GF/F glass fiber filters once received in the laboratory and analyzed immediately.

    Method Step

    Description
    Total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations were analyzed by a high-temperature combustion method with a Shimadzu TOC_5000A TOC analyzer. In advance to the analysis, samples were acidified with 3M HCl and purged with N2 gas to remove inorganic C. Ancillary physical and chemical parameters were measured using standard methods as a part of on-going estuarine water quality monitoring program htt://www.serc.fiu.edu/wqmnetwork. Detailed methods will be found elsewhere. Fluorescence emission spectra were recorded at room temperature (20 degrees C) using a Perkin Elmer LS50B spectrofluorometer equipped with a 150-W Xenon arc lamp as the light source. Two fluorescence indices were obtained by single emission scan measurements at excitation wavelengths of 313 nm and 370 nm. For each scan, fluorescence intensity was measured at emission wavelengths ranging from 330 to 550 nm and from 385 to 550 nm, respectively with a 10nm bandpass for excitation and emission wavelengths. From the 313 nm scan the maximum intensity and maximum wavelength were determined (Donard, et al.,1989; De Souza Sierra et al., 1997). From the 370 nm scan a flurescence index (FI) was calculated (McKnight et al., 2001). Scan speed was set at 400 nm/min. Milli_Q water was used as a reference for all fluorescence analysis. Total maximum fluorescence intensity (Max I) and the fluorescence index, (FI) were determined at an excitation wavelength of 370 nm (Battin, 1998; McKnight et al., 2001). The maximum fluorescence emission wavelength (Max WL) was determined using an excitation wavelength of 313 nm (De Souza Sierra et al., 1997). In order to facilitate comparisons with other studies, the Max I was expressed in quinine sulfate units (QSU; 1 ng L-1 of quinine sulface monohydroxide). Synchronous excitation emission flurescence spectra of the water samples were obtained at constant offset value between excitation and emission wavelengths (delta lamda = lamda em - lamda ex). All spectra were recorded at an offset value of 30 nm with a slit width of 10 nm (Lu and Jaffe, 2001; Lu et al., 2003). The intensities of the four main peaks in the spectrum, namely at 275-286 nm (Peak I), 350nm (Peak II), 385 nm (Peak III) and 460 nm (Peak IV) were determined and the relative intensity of Peak I within this group was reported as %PeakI. All the fluorescence spectra were corrected for inner-filter effect according to McKnight et al. (2001) using UV-Vis absorption spectra. UV visible measurements of the water samples were carried out with 1 cm quartz UV visible cells at room temperature (20 degrees C), using a Shimadzu UV-visible double beam spectrophotometer. Milli-Q water was used as the reference. Instrument bias related to wavelength dependent efficiencies of the specific instrument's optical component was not corrected in this experiment, therefore, comparison of optical variables with other researcher's data was not conducted, instead limited the use to investigate our data set.

    References:
    Battin, T J 1998. Dissolved organic matter and its optical properties in a blackwater tributary of the upper Orinoco river, Venezuela. Organic Geochemistry, 28: 561-569.

    De Souza Sierra, M M 1997. Spectral identification and behavior of dissolved organic fluorescence material during estuarine mixing processes. Marine Chemistry, 58: 51-58.

    Donard, O F 1989. High-sensitivity fluorescence spectroscopy of Mediterranean waters using a conventional or a pulsed laser excitation source. Marine Chemistry, 27: 117-136.

    Lu, X Q 2003. Molecular characterization of dissolved organic matter in freshwater wetlands of the Florida Everglades. Water Research, 37: 2599-2606.

    McKnight, Donard M 2001. Spectrofluorometric characterization of dissolved organic matter for indication of precursor organic material and aromaticity. Limnology and Oceanography, 46: 38-48.

    Instrumentation
    Whatman 0.7um glass fiber filers, Shimadzu TOC-5000A Analyzer, Perkin Elmer LS50B Spectrofluorometer, Shimadzu UV-2101PC UV-VIS Spectrophotometer

    Quality Control
    Statistical analysis. Box plots were plotted using SigmaPlot 2001 software (SPSS Inc.). Graph data as a box representing statistical values. The center horizontal line within the box is the median of the data, the top and bottom of the box are the 25th and 75th percentiles (quartiles), and the ends of the whiskers are the 10th and 90th percentiles. Outliers (Less than 10th and greater than 90th percentiles) were excluded from the graphs to reduce visual compression. Some quantitative and qualitative TOC and DOC variables were grouped into dry (November-May) and wet (June-October) season, and their seasonal and geomophological variations were analyzed by Student's T-test using JMP 5.0.1 software (SAS Institute Inc.).
  • Distribution and Intellectual Rights
    Online distribution
    https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/data/eml/knb-lter-fce/1101/5/332486395ce04bfca6d5e11646fbe606
    Data Submission Date:  2005-09-29

    Intellectual Rights
    This information is released under the Creative Commons license - Attribution - CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The consumer of these data ("Data User" herein) is required to cite it appropriately in any publication that results from its use. The Data User should realize that these data may be actively used by others for ongoing research and that coordination may be necessary to prevent duplicate publication. The Data User is urged to contact the authors of these data if any questions about methodology or results occur. Where appropriate, the Data User is encouraged to consider collaboration or co-authorship with the authors. The Data User should realize that misinterpretation of data may occur if used out of context of the original study. While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of data and associated documentation, complete accuracy of data sets cannot be guaranteed. All data are made available "as is." The Data User should be aware, however, that data are updated periodically and it is the responsibility of the Data User to check for new versions of the data. The data authors and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for damages resulting from any use or misinterpretation of the data. Thank you.

  • Keywords
    organic matter, FCE, Florida Coastal Everglades LTER, ecological research, long-term monitoring, Everglades National Park, Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, Whitewater Bay, Dissolved organic matter, Florida Coastal Estuaries (FCES), biogeochemical processes, fluorescence, emissions, freshwater, mangroves, estuaries, organisms, water
  • Dataset Contact
    • Name: Rudolf Jaffe 
    • Position: Project Collaborator
    • Organization: Florida Coastal Everglades LTER Program
    • Address: Florida International University
      University Park
      OE 148
      Miami, Florida 33199 USA
    • Phone: 305-348-2456
    • Fax: 305-348-4096
    • Email: jaffer@fiu.edu
    • URL: http://serc.fiu.edu/sercindex/index.htm

    • Position: Information Manager
    • Organization: Florida Coastal Everglades LTER
    • Address: Florida International University
      11200 SW 8th Street, OE 148
      Miami, FL 33199 USA
    • Email: fcelter@fiu.edu
    • URL: https://fcelter.fiu.edu

  • Data Table and Format
    Data Table:  Monthly monitoring fluorescence data for Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, and Whitewater Bay, in southwest coast of Everglades National Park for February 2001-December 2002.

    Entity Name:
    LT_ND_Jaffe_003
    Entity Description:
    Monthly monitoring fluorescence data for Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands, and Whitewater Bay, in southwest coast of Everglades National Park for February 2001-December 2002.
    Object Name:
    LT_ND_Jaffe_003.csv
    Number of Header Lines:
    1
    Attribute Orientation:
    column
    Field Delimiter:
    ,
    Number of Records:
    1725