Florida Field Workshop

Workshop Achievements 

Working Groups

• The Biological, Chemical and Physical Processes Working Group is developing plans for legacy data synthesis in two topical areas, one of which relates to carbon and energy flows through the carbonate critical zone and the other to data compilations in Hydroshare related to nutrient cycling within the carbonate critical zone. Goals of these data syntheses include evaluations of energy gradients, both thermal and chemical, across sites with distinct carbonate critical zone characteristics and to evaluate relative exports of carbonate from across the gradient of silicate and carbonate mineral dominated critical zone.
• The Rates and Times Working Group will aggregate legacy data in Hydroshare to evaluate how carbonate systems can be used as a bellwether of climate and land use change. The group has developed hypotheses that could be tested with available data.  One is that the relative contributions of matrix and conduit flow are influenced by the type of karst: younger systems and systems on the silicate-carbonate continuum will have more matrix contributions.  This hypothesis will drive research on comparisons across many sites in contrast with the current common practice of research on a single site. A second hypothesis is that when carbonate systems respond to land use and climate change, a threshold exists where transport, weathering, and related processes are faster in carbonate relative to silicate-dominated systems.  A third hypothesis is that carbonate systems experience more rapid and severe salinization due to anthropogenic activities.  Various members of the working group will lead efforts for data synthesis and initiate writing of synthesis papers that will test these hypotheses.
• The Boundaries and Scales Working Group is developing legacy data collection protocols to evaluate how the silicate-carbonate mineralogy spectrum in the critical zone affects subsurface hydrologic connectivity and its ability to transport weathering products. The legacy data will also be used to evaluate if surface topography and density of closed surface drainage basins can be used as a proxy for the magnitude of subsurface flow.  The group will start with a US wide evaluation of data, but will synthesize specific regions depending on data availability.  The goal of these activities will be development of a review paper describing differences in subsurface connectivity.
• The Critical Zone and Society working group has initiated writing a synthesis paper relating karst features to human activities since the Last Glacial Maximum around the world, with specific sites in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Central America, eastern continental US and southwestern continental US. Each area will include descriptions of site characteristics including rock age, composition, cave characteristics, as well place based and indigenous knowledge of the karst features.  An outline of the paper has been drafted with co-authors assigned to writing various sections of the paper.

DEI discucssion

Methods and best practices for increasing diversity within the RCN, as well as geosciences generally were discussed with an emphasis on mentorship opportunities, building strong partnerships with minority serving institutions, promoting networking events and conference invitations, and speaking roles.

Activity Groups

Based on the Working Groups and DEI discussions a series of Activities Groups were suggested.  Workshop participants indicated the group they would be interested in supporting.  A list of the groups and participants can be found here.  These groups along with the Working Groups will be the foundation of the next steps for the RCN