189
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
S. J. Culver (ed.), Troubled Waters, Springer Climate,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52383-1_12
Chapter 12
Climate, Sea Level, and People – Changing
South Florida’s Mangrove Coast
G. Lynn Wingard
Abstract South Florida’s coast is a land of contrasts that appeals to almost everyone, whether they seek out quiet natural environments along the mangrove waterways and in the wilderness of the Everglades or vibrant international culture in
Miami. Yet this paradise is threatened by a number of forces – changing climate,
rising sea level, and too many people, to name a few. Florida’s past is filled with
stories of dramatic change and resiliency, if we look at the geologic record. It also
hints at the role of climate alone, in the absence of significant sea level change, in
shaping the mangrove coast. Using our knowledge of present-day processes, such as
impacts of storms on the mangroves, combined with our interpretation of the past
geologic record, is the best way to anticipate future changes. The question is, have
humans altered this landscape so much that the species and habitats have lost their
natural resiliency, and if they have, what will happen to the people and the unique
environments of south Florida?
Keywords South Florida · Everglades · Mangroves · Carbonate platform ·
Sea-level rise · Hurricanes · Coastline migration · Restoration · Water management
· Climate change
The Lure of Florida
Florida, USA – the Sunshine State. What about calling it the Mangrove State? That
might not draw as many tourists, but sunshine isn’t unique to Florida. The state
does, however, have the largest and most continuous mangrove ecosystem in the
United States. Over ninety percent of all U.S. mangroves are found in Florida.
G. L. Wingard (*)
Frances Bascom Geoscience Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA
e-mail: lwingard@usgs.gov
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
S. J. Culver (ed.), Troubled Waters, Springer Climate,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52383-1_12
Chapter 12
Climate, Sea Level, and People – Changing
South Florida’s Mangrove Coast
G. Lynn Wingard
Abstract South Florida’s coast is a land of contrasts that appeals to almost everyone, whether they seek out quiet natural environments along the mangrove waterways and in the wilderness of the Everglades or vibrant international culture in
Miami. Yet this paradise is threatened by a number of forces – changing climate,
rising sea level, and too many people, to name a few. Florida’s past is filled with
stories of dramatic change and resiliency, if we look at the geologic record. It also
hints at the role of climate alone, in the absence of significant sea level change, in
shaping the mangrove coast. Using our knowledge of present-day processes, such as
impacts of storms on the mangroves, combined with our interpretation of the past
geologic record, is the best way to anticipate future changes. The question is, have
humans altered this landscape so much that the species and habitats have lost their
natural resiliency, and if they have, what will happen to the people and the unique
environments of south Florida?
Keywords South Florida · Everglades · Mangroves · Carbonate platform ·
Sea-level rise · Hurricanes · Coastline migration · Restoration · Water management
· Climate change
The Lure of Florida
Florida, USA – the Sunshine State. What about calling it the Mangrove State? That
might not draw as many tourists, but sunshine isn’t unique to Florida. The state
does, however, have the largest and most continuous mangrove ecosystem in the
United States. Over ninety percent of all U.S. mangroves are found in Florida.
G. L. Wingard (*)
Frances Bascom Geoscience Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA
e-mail: lwingard@usgs.gov