Responses of twelve tree species common in Everglades tree islands to simulated hydrologic regimes

Twelve tree species common in Everglades tree islands were subjected to three hydrologic regimes under controlled conditions for 25 weeks and assessed for growth and physiological responses. Treatments representing high, low, and no flood were maintained in pools of water to mimic seasonal variation in water depths at different positions in tree islands. Soil inundation under the high flood treatment resulted in reduced tree growth (height, basal diameter, crown volume) that was more pronounced and occurred earlier in mesic forest species than in swamp forest species. Physiological responses differed less among species, although stomatal conductance was a better predictor of the effects of flood stress on growth than either relative water content or chlorophyll fluorescence (Fᵥ/Fₘ). Some swamp species appeared to be better adapted to rising water levels than others; Annona glabra, Morella cerifera, and Salix caroliniana responded more positively to flooding, while Magnolia virginiana, Persea borbonia, Chrysobalanus icaco, and Ilex cassine were less flood-tolerant. The highest mortalities and lowest growth were observed in the five upland species: Bursera simaruba, Coccoloba diversifolia, Eugenia axillaris, Sideroxylon foetidissimum, and Simarouba glauca. Of these, Sideroxylon and Simarouba did not survive to the end of the study under the high flood treatment. The moist soil conditions simulated by the low flood treatment resulted in greater growth in all species compared to soil inundation under high flood, except for the most flood-tolerant (Annona, Morella, Salix). The arrangement of species according to their responses to experimental flooding roughly paralleled their spatial distribution in the tree islands. The gradient in species responses demonstrated in this experiment may help guide responsible water management and tree island restoration in the Everglades.