A land replenished

We always will have worries over water.

For now, though, the last dry cycle seems to have come full circle.

Rains are refilling upland lakes. Ponds, rivers and streams are sweetening the Gulf of Mexico, and springs are gaining in magnitude. The only important source not filled is the Floridan Aquifer. It remains behind in water retention.

All this moisture will have pronounced affects on Florida's many diverse habitats and their residents. From the shimmering Gulf to the marshes to the upland forests, the ecosystems are experiencing a renewal. Green should be designated as the official color of this spring.

The woods are brimming with new growth, and the once arid prairies again have standing water in many places. It is wonderful to see cypress trees not on parched land.

During the height of the drought over the past several years, the sight of a cypress dome merely confirmed a low spot in the topography that once held water. The trees endured a stressed life, and the foliage that should have been green was pale yellow.

But the land and shallow subtropical lakes have been revived by the rainfall.

Excessive rain can alter the habits of marine and wild life. Many species rely on the moisture to replenish the habitat and provide new sources of food and shelter.

The same rains that affect the Plains send their bountiful waters to the coastal estuaries. Fresh water that flows to the areas often originates many miles away. The timing and volume of that water into the estuaries is a primary concern in managing their health.

Those infiltrating waters control the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the estuaries, all of which alter the bio-rhythm of nature. Some alterations are positive, some are negative, and all are necessary and cyclical. When weather patterns change from extreme low water cycles to the extreme high, freshwater anglers find good times.

"High water cycles bring accelerated growth, spawning and super-sized year classes of bass," said Phil Chapman, fisheries biologist and aquatic education coordinator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"Aquatic vegetative communities are enhanced, providing better shelter, spawning sites and more food in the form of aquatic insects," he said.

Bass populations experience a boom in size during those times.

On the negative side, not long ago there was a large fish kill in the Floral City pool in Citrus County. It was caused by a massive inflow of fresh water that began in the Green Swamp then made its way along the Withlacoochee River and into the pool. The rapid fill-up brought water too low in oxygen to support fish life, and caused the kill. It will be a number of years before fishing returns to normal, but it will return.

In the upland forests, animal behavior patterns may be altered by the newly reflooded areas. Species will look to higher ground for feeding, breeding and shelter.

Turkeys are an example.

"Spring turkey hunters should encounter good numbers of birds near higher ground and in areas of short grasses," FWC District Wildlife Biologist Victor Eschaves said. "There, the birds will find high levels of insects to feed on.

"We have very distinct hydrological cycles in Florida, and the animals are conditioned to exist through the stresses of those changing cycles. There have been animals that were spotted during the drought that were near emaciation. Many are now fattening up during this wet hydrological cycle."

Woodstorks are another species that adapts well through the cycles. When times are wet, Woodstorks build their nests in flooded areas to reduce predation by animals and reptiles, thereby enhancing their populations.

In the Gulf, fish populations see a change in their dietary habits this time of year. Most species are beginning to feed heavily in anticipation of the breeding season. Forage fish, such as scaled sardines and bay anchovies, become primary food sources for many gamefish.

When salinity levels are lowered by freshwater inflow, some bait-fish populations will resist coming to the estuaries or will find areas with less freshwater infiltration to populate.

"There is a correlation between altered movements and salinity levels, but they are often very subtle and temporary," said Frank Kennedy of the Florida Marine Research Institute.

The temporary nature of the changes is due to fresh and salt water mixing from winds, tide cycles and many forage species' wide tolerance of salinity levels.

After a heavy rain, bait-fish schools remain a foot or so beneath the surface. Even diving birds have to work harder for a meal. When a few tide cycles have gone by, things get back to normality.

"These necessary and elongated cycles exert a tremendous balancing affect on long-term ecology," Kennedy said.

"To sum it up simply," Chapman said, "Mother Nature knows best."

-- If you have a question or comment, call Capt. Mike Scarantino, (352) 683-4868.

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