Bridging Monitoring Design and Ecological Theory: Lessons from Two Decades of Wetland Data

November 10, 2025 in Seminar

Renee Price, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, UF

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ABSTRACT

This presentation synthesizes findings from two integrated studies on wetland ecohydrology in Central Florida, emphasizing the role of hydrologic variability and monitoring design in ecological assessment. Using 19 years of high-resolution water level and vegetation data from reference marshes, we evaluated the statistical implications of monitoring frequency and duration on the accuracy of hydrologic metrics and species richness. Results demonstrate that metrics related to magnitude stabilize with shorter records, while timing, duration, and frequency require extended datasets, often exceeding 15 years, to achieve representative conditions. Additionally, comparisons across wetland types reveal significant ecohydrologic divergence that is driven by geomorphology, underscoring the need to look beyond wetland type-specific reference frameworks. These findings inform best practices for wetland monitoring programs, restoration performance standards, and long-term ecological modeling under variable climatic regimes.

BIO
Renee Price, PWS, CE is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida. With over 13 years of experience in ecological consulting, she specializes in wetland hydrology, quantitative ecology, and long-term environmental monitoring. Renee leads large-scale data analysis efforts using R and SAS, with expertise in statistical modeling, ecohydrologic metric development, and vegetation trend analysis. Her work supports regulatory compliance, restoration design, and adaptive management across Florida’s aquatic systems.
 
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