title: Wading bird guano enrichment of soil nutrients in tree islands of the Florida Everglades.
abstract: Differential distribution of nutrients within an ecosystem can offer insight of ecological and physical processes that are otherwise unclear. This study was conducted to determine if enrichment of phosphorus (P) in tree island soils of the Florida Everglades can be explained by bird guano deposition. Concentrations of total carbon, nitrogen (N), and P, and N stable isotope ratio (δ(15)N) were determined on soil samples from 46 tree islands. Total elemental concentrations and δ(15)N were determined on wading bird guano. Sequential chemical extraction of P pools was also performed on guano. Guano contained between 53.1 and 123.7 g-N kg(-1) and 20.7 and 56.7 g-P kg(-1). Most of the P present in guano was extractable by HCl, which ranged from 82 to 97% of the total P. Total P of tree islands classified as having low or high P soils averaged 0.71 and 40.6 g kg(-1), respectively. Tree island soil with high total P concentration was found to have a similar δ(15)N signature and total P concentration as bird guano. Phosphorus concentrations and δ(15)N were positively correlated in tree island soils (r = 0.83, p< 0.0001). Potential input of guano with elevated concentrations of N and P, and (15)N enriched N, relative to other sources suggests that guano deposition in tree island soils is a mechanism contributing to this pattern.
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Soil and Water Science Department, Tropical Research and Education Center, 18905 SW 280th St., Homestead, FL 33031, United States.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Irick
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Soil and Water Science Department, 2181 McCarty Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
authors.forename: Binhe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Soil and Water Science Department, Tropical Research and Education Center, 18905 SW 280th St., Homestead, FL 33031, United States. Electronic address: yunli@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Yuncong C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Soil and Water Science Department, 2181 McCarty Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Inglett
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, PO Box 110430, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, Department of Earth and Environment, Southeast Environmental Research Center, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, United States.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Soil and Water Science Department, Everglades Research and Education Center, 3200 E. Palm Beach Rd., Belle Glade, FL 33430, United States.
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Ecology and Environment, Inc., 12300 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, FL 33414, United States.
authors.forename: Sharon M L
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ewe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005243:Feces; D005431:Florida; D062312:Islands; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Bird guano; Nutrient transport; Phosphorus fractionation; Tree island soil; δ(15)N