Wetland restoration that occurs in watersheds with existing mercury concerns has the potential to increase mercury accumulation in aquatic food webs and exacerbate the problem.  Large-scale restoration efforts in two parts of the U.S. – the Florida Everglades and San Francisco Bay - particularly highlight the potential significance of this problem. Adaptive management, a process of taking management actions of limited scope commensurate with available information while continuously improving understanding through study of the actions taken, will be key to minimizing the adverse impacts of wetland restoration on mercury cycling.  Mercury studies in support of restoration in the Everglades have been conducted for many years.  In San Francisco Bay, the restoration of tens of thousands of acres of wetlands and associated mercury studies are just beginning.  This session will provide an overview of lessons learned from mercury studies in the Everglades and new approaches being taken in studies in San Francisco Bay.  Presentations by researchers performing similar studies in other regions will also be welcomed. 

Jay Davis
San Francisco Estuary Institute Oakland, CA, 94621
jay@sfei.org

Thomas Atkeson
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000
thomas.atkeson@dep.state.fl.us