The impacts of citrus agriculture on soil microbial and nutrient quality
Supported by the David S. Maehr Florida Wildlife Corridor Applied Science Fellowship and in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, I am investigating the effects of citrus agricultural management on soil microbial community composition and nutrient quality. The Lake Wales Ridge in central Florida is an upland region which was targeted by the state's early citrus industry for its sandy soils. This development converted a native hotspot of plant and animal diversity to citrus monocultures through intensive mechanical and chemical management. Recent climate change and introduced diseases have led to the decline of the citrus industry, leaving many formerly productive acres untended. This fallow land presents an opportunity to restore native habitat, however we know little about how this agricultural management has impacted the biotic and abiotic conditions of the soils needed to support native plants. By quantifying these differences, we will build a framework for future remediation and restoration, and through demographic analyses of the niche requirements of native plants, provide support for land managers decisions to target land for acquisition and restoration.