CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF SOIL PROPERTIES IN WATER CONSERVATION AREA 2A, EVERGLADES, FLORIDA Rosanna G. Rivero 1,2 , Sabine Grunwald 1,2 , Todd Z. Osborne 3 , K. Ramesh Reddy 2,3 , and Sue Newman 3 Wetland soils are heterogenous in nature, and biogeochemical proper- ties show different spatial autocorrelation structures that translate into fine- and coarse-scale spatial patterns. Understanding these patterns and how they relate to other ecosystem properties (e.g., vegetation) is critical to restore wetlands impacted by nutrient influx. Our goal was to investigate Water Conservation Area 2A, a wetland in the Florida Everglades, that has been impacted by nutrient influx and incursions of cattail as well as biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, hydrologic manipulation, and natural events (fire, hurricanes, and tropical storms). The objective of this study was to characterize the spatial patterns of soil and floc/detritus total phosphorus (TP), total inorganic phosphorus (TPi), bulk density (BD), total nitrogen (TN), total calcium (TCa), total carbon (TC), and floc depth in Water Conservation Area 2A. A total of 111 sites were sampled at three different depths (floc, 0- to 10-cm, and 10- to 20-cm depth). Geostatistical techniques were used to estimate and map soil properties across the wetland. Observed TP ranged from 155 to 1702 mg kg j1 (0–10 cm) with a mean of 551 mg kg j1 and showed strong spatial autocorrelation extending over long distances of 6864 m (10–20 cm) and 9669 m (floc). The nugget-to-sill ratio was less than 25% for all observed properties except for TN, indicating strong spatial dependence. This spatially explicit study provided insight into the variability of soil properties generated by external and internal factors and establishes a baseline framework for future management decisions involving the restoration of this wetland. (Soil Science 2007;172:149–166) Key words: Total phosphorus, spatial patterns, soil properties, kriging, Everglades, Water Conservation Area 2A. I N the Greater Everglades ecosystem in south Florida, soil quality indicators and predictors are subjects of particular interest, as performance measures for the restoration planning efforts occurring in this wetland area (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District, 2005). Anthropogenic impact (e.g., nutrient inputs, controlled water management) have had major influence on soils in this area, along with other natural forcing factors such as severe tropical storms and fires. Phosphorus (P) in surface water, soils, and vegetation has been identified as one of the key factors affecting the recovery of the Ever- glades wetland ecosystem (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Manage- ment District, 2005). It has been linked to vege- tation growth and species composition (McCormick et al., 1999), periphyton dynamics and composition 149 0038-075X/07/17202-149–166 February 2007 Soil Science Vol. 172, No. 2 Copyright * 2007 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. 1 GIS Research Laboratory, Soil and Water Science Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 2169 McCarty Hall, P.O. Box 110290, Gainesville, FL 32611. 2 School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 103 Black Hall, P.O. Box 116455, Gainesville, FL 32611. Prof. Grunwald is corresponding author. E-mail: sgrunwald@ifas.ufl.edu 3 Wetland Biogeochemistry Laboratory, Soil and Water Science Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 106 Newell Hall, P.O. Box 110510, Gainesville, FL 32611. 4 Everglades Department, South Florida Water Management District, P.O. Box 24680, West Palm Beach, FL 33416. Received Feb. 10, 2006; accepted Sept. 12, 2006. DOI: 10.1097/01.ss.0000240550.52175.35 Copyr ight © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthor iz ed reproduction of this article is prohibited.