FIU CED-GIS Center

Vegetation Mapping of Biscayne Bay Coastal Communities

Climate Change Ecosystems

Along Biscayne Bay coastline, freshwater marsh and mangrove forests meet in a landscape shaped by changing water flow, saltwater intrusion, storms, canals, and invasive plants. Our team mapped this coastal mosaic at 1 m resolution to reveal ecological patterns that disappear from coarser maps—from small marsh openings and low mangrove scrub to tall forests and pockets of invasive trees. Completed in two phases, the project spans the L-31E Flow Way, North Canal Freshwater Wetland, and Cutler Wetlands. Together, these maps create a detailed ecological baseline for tracking how the coast responds as freshwater flow is restored: where mangroves grow taller, where marsh openings persist, and where invasive trees retreat or expand.

Dates
Nov 2024 – Nov 2026
Funding Amount
$512,362 (Phase I, $87,343; Phase II, $425,019)
Funding
South Florida Water Management District
Vegetation Mapping of Biscayne Bay Coastal Communities

Phase I: Following Freshwater Inputs to the Bay

Phase I produced the first vegetation maps of the L-31E Flow Way and North Canal Freshwater Wetland. These areas form an important connection between inland freshwater and Biscayne Bay, but their vegetation reflects very different histories of water management and disturbance.

The maps reveal a striking transition from short red mangrove scrub inland to tall forest near the coast. They also show ribbons of taller mangroves tracing creeks, canals, and historic mosquito ditches. Nearby, the North Canal Freshwater Wetland bears a stronger human imprint, with extensive Australian pine and other woody vegetation surrounding remnant marsh. These contrasts provide a natural laboratory for understanding how freshwater pathways and past disturbance shape coastal wetlands.

Figure 1. L-31E Flow Way vegetation classification map

Phase II: Capturing the Cutler Wetlands Before Restoration

Phase II expanded the work north to the Cutler Wetlands as a new spreader canal prepared to deliver freshwater across the landscape. Mapping was part of a broader ecological monitoring effort that also examined vegetation, periphyton, water conditions, and soils, creating a richer picture of wetland health before restoration takes effect.

The Cutler Wetlands map distinguishes red-mangrove-dominated and mixed forests, separates low scrub from shrub and tree canopies, and identifies Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, open red mangrove, and small graminoid marshes. This detail captures both the ecological diversity of the wetland and the legacy of human disturbance. Future maps can show whether renewed freshwater flow reshapes that pattern—supporting marsh communities, changing mangrove structure, and limiting invasive trees.

Figure 2. Cutler Wetlands vegetation classification map
Figure 3. Field data collection in the Cutler Wetlands

Why These Maps Matter

Coastal restoration unfolds unevenly across space. A change that benefits one part of a wetland may be absent only a few hundred meters away. By mapping the full landscape in fine detail, this project gives scientists and water managers a way to see where restoration is working, identify communities that remain vulnerable, and guide future monitoring and management along Biscayne Bay.

Team

Phase I

Following Freshwater Inputs to the Bay

Funding Amount
$87,343
Funding
South Florida Water Management District
  • Brittany Harris — Principal investigator
  • Daniel Gann — Principal investigator
  • Michael Ross — Co-principal investigator
  • Himadri Biswas — Postdoctoral researcher
  • Lesdiel Mesa — Research analyst

Phase II

Capturing the Cutler Wetlands Before Restoration

Funding Amount
$425,019
Funding
South Florida Water Management District
  • Evelyn Gaiser — Principal investigator
  • Brittany Harris — Co-principal investigator and mapping lead
  • Michael Ross — Co-principal investigator
  • Himadri Biswas — Postdoctoral researcher
  • Rosario Vidales — Postdoctoral researcher
  • Katherine Johnson — Research Specialist I and PhD student

← All projects