There is extensive recognition of the growing role of field stations
as biological observatories, examining the processes and dynamics
underlying biodiversity, particularly within the context of
environmental variation and anthropogenic change. This biennial review
of Archbold’s research contributions in the past 2 years confirms our
important role in the global network of biological observatories. In
1999 and 2000 staff and visiting investigators at Archbold have
continued to explore, document, and monitor biodiversity. Further
recognition of our biological observatory role came in January 2000 when
we hosted a National Science Foundation sponsored workshop, an assembly
of 30 eminent ecologists to discuss a proposed National Ecological
Observatory Network or NEON <http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/neon/index.html>
(see Conferences and
Workshops, page 41).
Archbold properly fulfills the role of biological observatory –
with our significant focus on measuring the status and trends in
biodiversity in the Florida scrub and surrounding environs, especially
the unique and endangered biota. Our research examines the integrity of
this ecosystem and its ability to support and enrich human life. Six
components of research at Archbold address biodiversity discovery and
elucidation.
The composition of biodiversity. Archbold’s growing
biodiversity inventory <www. http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/data/lists/biodiver.htm>
confirms we are teeming with life. Our flora and fauna includes, to
use the words in Dave Wilcove’s 1999 essay on the Lake Wales
Ridge, "a Dr. Seuss-like collection of delightful oddities."
We survey many taxonomic groups, facilitating analysis of patterns and
relationships among and between taxa. Rapidly expanding our inventory
are many non-indigenous species – such as the 27 non-indigenous ants
known for Archbold, and catalogued recently by Mark Deyrup in a
paper describing exotic ants, which now represent 25% of both Archbold’s
and Florida’s total ant species. Having access to sufficient taxonomic
expertise for many groups of organisms, particularly invertebrates, and
the necessary infrastructure to house biological collections, enhances
the success of our biodiversity inventory. Although we recognize our
greatest biodiversity collection is that living extant in the field,
on-site reference collections help place Archbold’s biological
diversity into a global context.
Analysis of spatial patterns of biodiversity. Examination of
species distribution among the ancient sand ridges of Florida (see page
29, map [b]) leads to analyses at larger spatial scales. Recent
biogeographic studies include Sam Marshall’s work on the
evolutionary relationships among Florida’s nine burrowing wolf spiders in
the genus Geolycosa (see Spider
Research, page 20), suggesting
the evolutionary processes that generated this observed pattern of
divergence occurred from west to east, not north to south as previously
proposed. Furthermore, spatially explicit studies have focused on other
mechanisms generating biodiversity patterns, such as the structure of
biota in relation to abiotic variables. For example, Eric Menges
and the plant lab have conducted regional studies to examine plant
distribution in relation to environmental gradients along the Lake Wales
Ridge (see page 7, map [a]).
Temporal patterns in biodiversity. Changes in patterns of
biodiversity over time are best analyzed by comparing baseline
information with repeated measures taken over the long-term, such as Jim
Layne’s repeated measures of birds on roadside surveys (see
Vertebrate Research, page 21). One of the Station’s most valuable
datasets for the analysis of the trends in biodiversity, are the
38,000-60,000 year-long sedimentary paleontology records at lakes Annie,
Tulane, and Buck by visiting investigators Eric Grimm and Bill
Watts which continue to reveal long-term trends in relation to
natural variation (see Vegetation and Climate
History, page 22).
The processes of biodiversity. The observations of Mark Deyrup,
in collaboration with visiting investigators including recent Fullbright
Fellow Jayanthi Edirisinghe from Sri Lanka, are helping to build
a complex database of insect-plant interactions and contribute to our
understanding of the dynamic patterns of biodiversity, and how this is
influenced by phylogenetic and ecological dynamics. Their studies of 115
species of bees and the 136 species of flowering plants they visit (see
Entomological Research, pages 17-18) provide insight into the
complexities involved in the maintenance and functioning of
biodiversity.
The function of biodiversity. Studies such as those by
graduate student Christine Hawkes (see Student
Research, page 37)
at the Station have examined the relationships between biodiversity and
the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Christine found soil crusts
in Florida scrub were composed of approximately 35 morphotypes of
cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, with more species isolated from
crusts in sites < 8 years post-fire compared to older sites. Addition
of 15N as a tracer indicated these crusts fix nitrogen,
compete with plants for nitrogen in rainfall, and retain nitrogen in the
system that would otherwise be lost so that it becomes available to
plants at a later time. Her conclusions are that crusts are an important
component of scrub biodiversity and may be in part responsible for the
landscape we observe.
The human dimensions of biodiversity. Human activities
encroach upon and respond to aspects of biodiversity. Examples here
include Reed Bowman’s (see Avian
Ecology, pages 12-13) studies
of how demographic rates in Florida scrub-jays are significantly
diminished in relation to human settlement density. At the Ranch, Patrick
Bohlen and many collaborators from the University of Florida, are
monitoring watershed function with detailed interdisciplinary sampling
of biogeochemical processes to determine the effects of socio-economic,
ecological, and physical factors on ecosystem processes (see MAERC,
pages 23-26).
Facilities. To accomplish research programs at the Station and
the Ranch we have continued to expand state-of-the-art facilities
including environmental, analytical, and computational laboratories (see
Appendix K). We now have two Trimble GPS units in use full-time. GIS
capabilities and digital coverages (such as vegetation and boundary maps
for many sites on the Lake Wales Ridge; see page
29) have expanded,
increasing our ability to identify research sites and process and
analyze data. The Station works constantly to upgrade and maintain
informatics and communications capabilities to link researchers at the
Station and the Ranch with each other, and with colleagues at other
field stations and research sites. Chris Brand is developing a
new informatics WWW-based research catalogue to track all ongoing
research projects at the Station and the Ranch. Reference collections
continue to improve; Walter Meshaka completed extensive curation
in the herpetological and fishes wet collection, and the herbarium is
now managed in the collections-management software Biota®.
Climatic instrumentation has been added to provide critical resolution
for spatial and temporal patterns of precipitation and temperature,
especially for Ranch research with 4 fully-instrumented weather sites
and 19 automated and manual rain gauges installed over the 10,300 acres.
Patrick Bohlen, with financial support from a series of USDA and other
grants, has further developed on-site instrumentation at the Ranch for
examining soil C, P, and N.
Archbold’s research program continues to have an impact on the
biological sciences by providing a research platform for biodiversity
scientists trained in systematics, ecology, conservation biology,
population biology, informatics, agro-ecology, and geospatial sciences.
Over the past 2 years we provided research programs with the requisite
long-term security and continuity to observe and study the nature,
scope, and changing patterns of biodiversity. Our work is leading to an
improved understanding of the evolutionary history of Florida’s biota.
Archbold discoveries continue to act as early warnings of changes in
biodiversity in Florida’s scrub and working cattle ranch landscapes.
At the same time, our inventories provide a baseline against which to
measure and document future environmental change. This biennial review
of our research activities supports the widespread appreciation that
Archbold continues to be a strategic location to measure the nature and
pace of biological change.
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