Miccosukee, FIU team up to examine phosphorus in Big Cypress

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and Florida International University (FIU) are launching an initiative to examine phosphorus in Big Cypress National Preserve. 

Big Cypress is a protected area encompassing 729,000 acres northwest of Everglades National Park and a central piece of the Everglades ecosystem. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but excess phosphorus, mostly coming from agricultural and urban sources, can lead to ecosystem changes that negatively impact species and ecosystem functions.

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida will contribute $600,000 over the next three years to help fund FIU water quality research in the western Everglades region. Evelyn Gaiser, aquatic ecologist and George M. Barley Jr. Endowed Scholars Chair, and researcher Kelsey Solomon will conduct controlled experiments to evaluate how different levels of phosphorus impact the local ecosystem. 

“This historic gift marks a major victory for the tribe, FIU, and most importantly, the greater Everglades environment,” Gaiser said. “It builds upon the long-standing relationship between FIU and the Miccosukee Tribe to ensure that water quality and wilderness are protected while water flow to the region is being restored.” 

For years, FIU and the tribe have worked together to protect the iconic and imperiled Florida Everglades as part of the largest ecosystem restoration project on the planet. Researchers in FIU’s Institute of Environment have been leading the science behind Everglades research and restoration for decades. Gaiser was part of the FIU team and helped lead the research that led to the establishment of a water-quality standard to protect Everglades National Park from excess phosphorus sources. The standard was incorporated into the federal Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and is still in place today. The tribe seeks to partner with FIU in supporting the next generation of scientists working toward a sustainable future for the Everglades.

Gaiser and Solomon, who is FIU’s George M. Barley Jr. Post Doctoral Fellow, are leveraging that experience in this new partnership for Big Cypress. The project’s goal is to ensure healthy wetlands that can continue to support wildlife and cultural traditions.

“Water quality is crucial to maintaining the health of the Everglades, and this collaboration with FIU is an important step toward safeguarding the wetlands that the tribe and countless species depend on,” said Talbert Cypress, chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe. “We are proud to be part of a partnership that not only protects the tribe’s cultural heritage but also serves as a model of sustainable environmental stewardship.”

The research is kicking off as preparations are under way for the start of the Western Everglades Restoration Project, which is tentatively scheduled to begin next year. Gaiser said the data collected as part of this collaborative research project could aid water quality management decisions. In addition to FIU and the tribe, other partners include Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades Foundation and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

“This is a prime example of how combining Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge – the beliefs about the relationships between living beings and their environment – with science could achieve truly transformative results for environmental conservation,” Solomon said.