Hydrophyte Volume 25 Issue 4 - October 2021

The South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

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Highlights And the Oscar Goes to... Florida Does Peeing or Flushing Drugs into Waterways Matter to Aquatic Life?

Equipment Calibration Urban Planning and Water Bodies: Florida’s Aquatic Land Cover Stay on Target Florida Lake Regions

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President’s Message

Over the past few weeks, I have been to the Aquatic Plant Management Society meeting and the University of Florida short course. It was amazing to see many of my colleagues for the first time since the pandemic started. What struck me the most is how our industry is really one big family. We may work for different private or public entities, but we all fight the same battles with one common goal, making the environment better using best management practices. Each of us represents the entire industry and this is crucial now more than ever with the public keeping such a close eye on us.

So, whether you are an applicator, manufacturer, distributor, professor or business owner, do the right thing and always remember your actions affect everyone. Knowledge is power, so always strive to learn more.

We hope to help increase your expertise with an excellent lineup of speakers at our live general meeting on September 30th at the Lee County Hyacinth Control District facility. We can’t wait to see everyone there!

Andy Fuhrman - President South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

Board Members - 2021 Officers 2021 Andy Fuhrman, President (954) 382-9766 afuhrman@allstatemanagement.com Dail Laughinghouse, Ph.D., Vice President (954) 577-6382 hlaughinghouse@ufl.edu Colleen Sullivan, Secretary/Treasurer (954) 382-9766 csullivan@allstatemanagement.com Hughie Cucurullo, Immediate Past President (561) 845-5525 hcucurullo@avcaquatic.com Board Members 2021 Keith Andreu (239) 694-2174

andreu@lchcd.org

Rose Bechard-Butman (954) 519-0317 rbechardbutman@broward.org James Boggs (352) 521-3538

boggsj@helenachemical.com

Norma Cassinari (334) 741-9393

ngcassinari@alligare.com

Lyn Gettys, Ph.D. (954) 577-6331

lgettys@ufl.edu

Scott Jackson (561) 402-0682 Rory Roten, Ph.D. (321) 890-4367 Dharmen Setaram (407) 670-4094

scott.jackson@syngenta.com roryr@sepro.com dsetaram@landolakes.com

Steven Weinsier (954) 382-9766 sweinsier@allstatemanagement.com

The Francis E. “Chil” Rossbach Scholarship Fund

Cover Photo by Allstate Resource Management

Funds from the scholarship are used to help defray costs for students taking classes related to the study of aquatic environmental sciences or related areas. The scholarship is open to anyone, and all are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted throughout the year and the scholarship awarded when a suitable candidate is found. Money raised by the Society during the year partially goes to fund this scholarship, the intent of which is to promote the study of aquatics.

For an application, please go to www.sfapms.org.

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AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

FLORIDA Southern Florida's aquatic invasive species are likely here to stay

By Chris Hunt - Hatch Magazine Sometime in the late 1950s, an aquarium fish farm in southeast Florida — apparently dissatisfied with just selling exotic fare to enthusiasts around the U.S. — decided to deliberately introduce a small South American fish into the canals of suburban Miami.

What once swam quietly in fish tanks, navigating miniature sunken treasure chests and tiny deep-sea divers alongside those adorable neon tetras and the surly betta that just hung out in the upper corner, scowling at its neighbors, the oscar suddenly swam

freely in the near-tropical freshwater canal system on the eastern edge of the Everglades.

Today, it might be the most abundant invasive fish in what has become perhaps the most manipulated plumbing system for both urban and agricultural support in the United States.

The oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is native to Amazonia, and swims abundantly in its home rivers, like the Amazon, the Oronoco and the Rio Negro.

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AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

FLORIDA But, according to a 2018 revised report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the oscar in its various hybridized forms makes up a big portion of the recreational fishery in South Florida. Not only is it established in the Everglades, but its largest representatives come from Lake Okeechobee and points farther north.

According to the report, the oscar remains beloved by aquarium enthusiasts, but it’s also a serious piscavore that grows quickly.

When a little kid wakes up in the morning to feed the fish only to find that the guppies have mysteriously disappeared, it doesn’t take much deductive reasoning to know that the only fish still in the tank likely ate them.

Indeed, the oscar is also established in Hawaii and in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, where it was introduced both intentionally to provide recreational fishing opportunities, and by those who didn’t like the fact that it wasn’t happy simply gulping fish-food flakes.

Of course, the Everglades canal system — particularly on the east side of the complex where fresh water dominates — is home to dozens of invasive fish species from tropical climes the world over. The oscar is joined by predatory snakeheads, prized peacock bass, various other cichlids and tilapia subspecies, walking catfish, knife fish, surgeon fish and even freshwater jellyfish.

“Oscars are very common in the aquarium trade. Because they grow

large in aquaria and are piscivorous, individuals are likely to be released into natural waters by aquarists loath to kill their pets,” the report reads. “This likely accounts for the numerous instances of single specimen records from both temperate and subtropical states.”

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AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

FLORIDA I caught my first oscar in the canals and froggy waters along the Tamiami Trail recently — a palm-sized black oscar that hit a Clouser and put up an impressive battle for a fish that was otherwise average. It swam in the same water as native bream and long-nose gar, both of which also hit the same Clouser pattern (the gar, thanks to its toothy snout, didn’t stay hooked). Judging by the fight, I could see why the canals were lined with anglers the closer we got to the The oscar’s kryptonite, it seems, is cold outskirts of Miami. weather and cold water. In the Everglades, after a prolonged period of warm weather, Farther west, as the glades get a larger the South American fish becomes even more influx of salty water from the Gulf of Mexico numerous — it does well when there are no and Florida Bay, the canals host fewer of the freezes or bouts with cold that, while South American invaders and become a uncommon, occasionally do happen. When a fishery that’s more tuned in to traditional wintry blast settles over the Everglades, fare, like snook, speckled trout, redfish and oscars are generally among the early baby tarpon. casualties, which isn’t surprising considering its tropical origins.

The oscar, like the peacock bass, seems to be a preferred non-native, and there were efforts to stock it in other states — even states like Wisconsin and Alaska. These efforts were generally unsuccessful, even in warm-weather states like Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. In its native range, it’s prized for its table fare, and anglers in south Florida don’t seem shy about harvesting these fish, either.

Florida Avocado Deviled Eggs with Gator Sausage Recipe from Fresh From Florida

Ingredients 1 link Florida alligator sausage, sliced thin

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

½ cup Florida avocado, mashed

2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning (your favorite)

¼ Florida bell pepper, diced small 6 boiled eggs

Several dashes hot sauce (optional) Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation Brown gator sausage in small skillet, remove from heat and set aside. Slice eggs in half.

Remove yolks and place into medium bowl. Add mashed avocado, mustard, bell peppers, all-purpose seasoning, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and smooth. Fill each egg half with mixture and place 1 piece of gator sausage on top. Serve room temperature or chilled.

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AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

FLORIDA From an optimist’s standpoint, the canals on the eastern edge of the glades are just fine like they are, oscars, peacocks, snakeheads, et al. It does, indeed, function, albeit from a human-induced baseline. Fish still eat other fish. Predatory birds still eat fish. Alligators still eat fish. And, perhaps most noticeably, people still chase the fish (maybe more now than ever).

And, not surprisingly, there are fewer roadside anglers (the trail is a solid on-foot foot fishery, even with the occasional encounters people have with alligators that are conditioned to seeing and not fleeing from humans) on the “salty side” of the Everglades that’s accessible by foot and vehicle.

If it’s done anything good for the Everglades — and that’s absolutely debatable — the oscar has given anglers in a largely urban area a source of both recreation and food.

It’s a burrower and an ambush predator, so it’s certainly had an impact on the freshwater system of the Everglades. In fact, its presence in the canals (along with presence of tilapia) is the reason fisheries officials in Florida introduced peacock bass — the oscars were doing too well before the 1980s introduction of peacocks. In South America, the oscar is a prime source of food for the more coveted peacocks. In the Everglades canals, in a system that barely resembles its native state, the South American invaders have reprised their roles of predator and prey that originated in Amazonia.

From the pessimist’s perspective, there’s no saving the Everglades where native fish are concerned. It’s just not doable, both from an economic perspective and from a practical viewpoint.

There’s hope for the hydrological function of the Everglades as efforts are ramping up to increase the freshwater flow through the River of Grass to Florida Bay. And that may be where conservationists need to hang their hats.

But the oscar is part of a system today that serves a purpose of its own. For many of the non-purists out there, what matters most is that it serves a purpose beneficial to people by providing a recreational fishing outlet and, in some cases, a source of readily available food. It also provides a dependable prey base for trophy largemouth bass (native fish, by the way) and the ever-popular peacock bass fishery that extends from the Tamiami canals well into the urban Miami area.

The challenge for conservationists? Define “function” and the work to achieve. It very likely has nothing to do with oscars and other introduced fish that do, indeed, function together. Accepting that a contrived fishery made up of introduced fish from the world over is a simple reality while working to heal the Everglades and Florida Bay by increasing water flow and water quality is probably the best possible outcome. And maybe put oscars on the menu more often.

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We pee or flush drugs into waterways.

Does that matter to aquatic life?

Many of the drugs we flush could change aquatic animal behavior—theoretically.

BY DOUG JOHNSON | ARS TECHNICA When people flush their old prescription (or off-prescription) drugs, the compounds invariably make their way into the waters nearby. The same is true even when people using these chemicals urinate them into the sewage system.

Once there, these compounds—from prozac to cocaine—can end up in the bodies of aquatic creatures.

And, research suggests, the chemicals can impact them: birth control, for instance, affects frog breeding after it enters the water.

We metabolize many of the drugs we take, and water treatment plants remove some of the rest. But some concentration can still remain as the water is released to the surrounding lakes and streams.

So far, there has not been much research into how, if at all, other drugs like cocaine and various opioids affect aquatic life—but scientists say negative effects are not wholly impossible. And there is now some evidence that at least some classification of drugs do cause trouble. New research suggests that a common antidepressant, citalopram, can change the behavior of crayfish, making them bolder than they would be otherwise.

The data comes from A.J. Reisinger—assistant professor in the Soil and Water Sciences Department at the University of Florida—and his team, which traveled to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in 2017.

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We pee or flush drugs into waterways.

Does that matter to aquatic life?

The facility has several artificial streams that mimic natural conditions but allow researchers to control different aspects of the environment. Reisinger's team went out into the field and collected rocks, bugs, leaves, and crayfish and put them into the artificial streams. Crayfish were chosen because they can reach high biomasses in aquatic ecosystems and will "eat anything they can get their claws on. They'll eat bugs, they'll eat algae, they'll eat leaves, they'll eat juvenile fish, even," Reisinger told Ars. Crayfish therapy The researchers brought their subjects to the Cary Institute and began their experiment after setting up each stream as close to reality as possible using the rocks and other material from the crayfish's normal environment.

They set up a quarter of the streams to have neither citalopram — a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant — nor crayfish as a control.

In a second quarter of the streams, they added crayfish but no citalopram. In a third quarter, they had only the SSRI—in concentrations that have been found in nature—and in the fourth, they added both.

From there, the researchers let the experiment run for two weeks before removing individual crayfish and putting them in new tanks. These tanks had mazes in the middle, and Reisinger's team initially introduced the crayfish to them via a small shelter at one end. At the opposite side of the maze, the team placed either a substance that smelled like food (sardine gelatin, in this case) or another crayfish.

The researchers wanted to see how their subjects would react.

The crayfish that were exposed to citalopram left their shelters faster, and they spent more time moving toward the food, compared to their peers who didn't get the SSRI. They didn't show any more interest in moving toward the other crayfish, however.

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We pee or flush drugs into waterways.

Does that matter to aquatic life?

"That tells us they're more bold. They're more likely to leave their shelter in their real environment," Reisinger said.

He said, "Theoretically, yes. Not just with cocaine, but with the whole suite of drugs out there—the illegal ones."

That boldness could potentially have a broader impact on the environment. The team found that the streams containing crayfish saw an increase in algal biomass and organic matter. However, this wasn't dependent on the crustaceans being exposed to the antidepressant.

Ford noted that, in the past, he and various colleagues studied if low amounts of cocaine would affect shrimp behavior, but it did not appear to. However, they simply looked at swimming speed among shrimp, and it's possible that other behaviors would've changed. The concentration of the drugs—which usually appears in water in low but continuous levels—is also a factor.

According to Reisinger, the bolder crayfish that had been exposed to citalopram might have had a different effect on the streams if the researchers had run the experiments for longer than two weeks. There were likely lags between the addition of the drug and the crayfish's altered behavior as well as between that and the crayfish having a different impact on their environment. "We think that, if we had run the study for a little bit longer, we might have seen a difference," he said.

Other drugs?

Alex Ford, a professor of biology at Portsmouth University in the UK, ran one of the earliest studies on the effects of prozac, another antidepressant, on shrimp.

Much like Reisinger's work, Ford's suggested that the drug made them more reckless and active. Since then, his team has looked into a slew of other substances in aquatic organisms, including other SSRIs and benzodiazepines.

Ars asked Ford if it's possible for shrimp and other aquatic species to become intoxicated (or otherwise have their behaviors changed) as a result of recreational or medicinal psychoactive substances reaching the waterways.

Hypothetically, say there's a small village that used a lot of fentanyl, an incredibly potent opioid. This hypothetical village also doesn't have the best water treatment plant, and the river into which wastewater flows is tiny. Under these conditions there could, theoretically, be an effect.

Last month, Ford and 30 international authors penned a report suggesting that regulating bodies should consider potential changes to behavior in aquatic organisms before greenlighting a new chemical.

Currently, they are tested for their effects on growth and reproduction. "When we assess the impact of chemicals on the environment, we need to consider behavior, because at the moment, most chemicals only go through quite simple tests before they go on the market," he told Ars. So, don't flush your old prescriptions.

Research By: Alexander J. Reisinger, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Erinn K. Richmond, Emma J. Rosi First published: 15 June 2021 in Ecosphere Volume 12 Issue 6

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URBAN PLANNING AND WATER BODIES: FLORIDA’S AQUATIC LAND COVER

BY SUSANNA MOREIRA (ARCH DAILY)

The state of Florida, in the United States, is bordered to the south, east, and west by the Atlantic Ocean, with a coastline of over two thousand kilometers in length, and is characterized by extensive areas of lakes, rivers, and ponds. Land booms during the early and mid-20th century resulted in the development of new communities and the expansion of low-density suburbia across many parts of the state, which frequently incorporated the abundant water resources, sometimes failing in their efforts.

Land-use trends throughout the state’s history have been directly influenced by the natural resources, geomorphology, and climate that exist within the state. Since 1900, Florida has seen substantial changes in land-use patterns and land cover due to significant increases in population and tourism, coincident with new development, facilitated by new railroads and highways, and inspired by an aggressive marketing campaign for new residents and visitors to come to the state.

One of the first major land booms occurred after World War I. By this time, middle-class people had the time, money, and means to travel to Florida.

With cities developed to attract tourists but also to meet the needs of visitors that were interested in buying homes, developers built new communities, destinations, and attractions, causing significant changes to the natural landscape and resources

Venetian Islands, Miami Beach of the state, fragmenting and degrading the land, introducing invasive species, and exploiting natural resources.

Following World War II, development in Florida boomed again, with the state’s population growing from 2.8 million by 1950 to 6.7 million people by 1970. New home financing options and improved construction techniques that lowered costs made homeownership possible for more people. Developers set out to build large suburban communities that sometimes included shopping, schools, parks, and community centers, also creating new canals and lakes to maximize the amount of waterfront property.

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URBAN PLANNING AND WATER BODIES: FLORIDA’S AQUATIC LAND COVER urban layouts, lakes, and canals were developed and incorporated into the territorial planning of each city. Variables such as land use, the possibility of carrying out aquatic activities (such as fishing, swimming, and navigation), and the integration with other nearby navigable canals have shaped these water bodies alongside the land distribution, resulting in sinuous and winding patterns.

Island Walk, Naples, Florida The state's population growth encouraged urban planning based on the creation and incorporation of water bodies, which led to the rise of cities such as Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Naples, and Cape Coral - the first three located in Palm Beach County, in the southeast of the state, where 17.3% of the surface is covered with water.

Water has been strategically integrated into the layouts of these locations as a developmental resource to create compelling environments and to promote visual, acoustic, and recreational effects.

By observing aerial images of these locations, it is possible to notice the different ways in which the

However, water resource management has not always been successful. Before the development of the area where the city of Cape Coral is located, in the southwest of the state, water was widely distributed on the surface and in shallow aquifers.

According to Hubert Stroud, professor of geography at Arkansas State University, these resources degraded as soon as the Cape Coral developers began subdivision operations.

According to Stroud, the layout, design, and construction techniques were particularly devastating for the water resources. Instead of using phased development, the area was dredged, filled, and segmented long before it was occupied. The resulting gridiron pattern of roads is interrupted by occasional sinuous canals.

Before development, the peninsula that is now the location of Cape Coral was covered with

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URBAN PLANNING AND WATER BODIES: FLORIDA’S AQUATIC LAND COVER wetlands that were vital to groundwater recharge, storing and purifying large volumes of water that drained into them from higher elevations. The development of Cape Coral resulted in extensive environmental degradation of the water resources, caused by soil erosion, urban runoff, and sewage from septic tanks.

Florida is a state marked by a large number of water resources, whether on the coast or inland, on the surface or underground, and many cities and communities have considered them to be key elements in urban planning, exploring their most diverse potentials. The alliance between planned cities and water resources in Florida not only reveals the curious patterns of roads and canals, seen in aerial photographs, but also the complex relationship between water and land in the context of the city, showing that water is more than just a resource for landscaping or aesthetics, it is a fundamental element in urban infrastructure.

Cape Coral, Florida Reference List: STROUD, Hubert. Water resources at Cape Coral, Florida.

Problems created by poor planning and development. Land Use Policy, Vol. 4, No. 2. Apr. 1991.

VOLK, Michael et al. Florida Land Use and Land Cover Change in the Past 100 Years. In: Chassignet, Eric et al (Eds.). Florida’s Climate: Changes, Variations, & Impacts.

Gainesville: Florida Climate Institute, 2017.

Author: Susanna Moreira Source Imagery: Island Walk, Naples, Florida. Created by @dailyoverview, source imagery @digitalglobe Venetian Islands, Miami Beach, Florida. Created by @dailyoverview, source imagery @maxartechnologies Cape Coral, Florida. Created by @dailyoverview, source imagery: @maxartechnologies Delray Beach, Florida. Created by @dailyoverview, source imagery @maxartechnologies

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Credit: Montgomery | Allstate Resource Management DelrayStephen Beach, Florida

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Florida Lake Regions: A Classification System Where Does Your Lake Fit In? The Lake Region Classification System can be a useful tool for managing your lake.

By reading this article, you can learn: How and why the Florida Lake Regions project was developed; How to compare your lake with other lakes in its Lake Region; and How the Lake Region Classification System can be useful to you.

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You Can Use the Lake Regions Classification System to...

The Lake Region Classification System is just one way of grouping lakes.

For more information or to discuss this subject, call the toll free number: 1-800-LAKEWATCH (1-800-525-3928).

Questions, comments, and suggestions are always welcome.

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WEBSITES PRINT MARKETING Jodi Miller jodi@interactivedesignandmedia.com www.interactivedesignandmedia.com 561.843.1376

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Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place When planting, please consider where the tree will be located in relation to overhead and underground utility lines. (The location of these lines should determine the kind of tree to plant and site selection.) The mature tree must have enough space away from power lines and in an area large enough to accommodate the canopy and root system.

Planting tall growing trees under or near power lines will ultimately require pruning to maintain safe clearance from the wires. Trees toppling into overhead power lines can become a public safety hazard and disrupt your electric service. Therefore it is best not to plant tall growing trees under or near power lines.

You should not attempt to trim any vegetation growing near or on any overhead power lines. Only specially trained line clearing professionals should work around power lines.

Always Consider the Ultimate Mature Size when Planting

10 years 6 years

3 years

Large Trees

Large Palms

30' minimum setback

Medium Trees

plus 3 feet

20' minimum setback

maximum palm frond length

Small trees and shrubs may be planted adjacent to power lines

Trees Shown at Mature Height

Recommended Trees for South Florida: These trees would be suitable for planting adjacent to overhead distribution powerlines Geiger Tree

(Cordia sebestena) This slow growing tree has striking orange blossoms in the spring. Whether multistemmed or with a single trunk, this tree works well as a specimen or patio tree.

Growth Rate: Slow Maturity Height x Spread: 15-20' x 20' Foliage: Evergreen

Silver Buttonwood

Spanish Stopper

(Eugenia spp.)

Narrow canopy and the ability to grow in limited soil space makes this tree ideal for parking lot islands and small landscapes.

Drought-tolerant once established.

Growth Rate: Slow to moderate Maturity Height x Spread: 15-20' x 15' Foliage: Evergreen

Glaucous Cassia

(Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus) Silver to blue-green foliage provides accent as a small tree or buffer.

Multi-stemmed, tough tree adapts well to urban areas.

(Cassia surattensis) Beautiful yellow flowers on an outstanding small tree. Prune to maintain tree form. Ideal for small landscapes as an accent tree.

Growth Rate: Moderate Maturity Height x Spread: 15-20' x 20'-30' Foliage: Evergreen

Growth Rate: Moderate Maturity Height x Spread: 15-20’ x 15-20’ Foliage: Evergreen

www.FPL.com/trees

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