Research was conducted at the Smithsonian Institution's model of the Florida Everglades in Washington, DC between July 15, 1997 and October 3, 1998.
Initial research was conducted from 7/15/97 to 11/11/97. These surveys consisted of a simple population count and notation of relative distribution on an approximately twice weekly basis. During this period, the high count was 42 individuals on 7/15/97 and the low count was 24 individuals on 11/11/97. This trend of mortality was similar to that found during the second phase of research.
The second phase of research, a mark-recapture study, was conducted from 8/2/98 to 9/20/98. Individuals were marked and their height above the water and relative distribution noted for each of three surveys on 8/2/98, 8/17/98, and 9/7/98. On 9/20/98, all individuals in Tank #2 of the mesocosm were collected and weighed and measured, after noting their relative distribution.
The results are as follows:
Data will be used in a comparison study of wild populations in the Ten
Thousand Islands at Goodland to be conducted during late December 1998
and early January 1999.
