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| Figure 1. Satellite image of Tampa Bay indicating demonstration study sites near the Alafia River and Terra Ceia area. Colors are near natural; healthy plants are green, agricultural fields are pink or beige. |
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Introduction
Coastal bays and estuaries are well known for their intrinsic recreational and economic value, yet these ecosystems are also among our most troubled natural environments (Cloern, 2001).
Urban development, agriculture and shipping are just a few examples that can cause a wide range of deleterious change in the coastal zone. These human-induced alterations, however, occur simultaneously to cycles of natural variability (i.e., climate change). To effectively manage coastal ecosystems one needs to be able to distinguish between man-made and natural causes of change.
The U.S. Geological Survey in 2001 initiated a broad program of scientific study in Tampa Bay (Fig. 1) to address this theme (Robbins and Yates, 2001).
The Tampa Bay Estuary Project is based on a holistic integration of the fields of geology, biology, hydrology and geochemistry to examine natural and human-induced change. This report presents some initial geochemical and hydrological observations made during a prolonged period of drought in Tampa Bay.
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