Dupuis State Park Florida Collection Data

DuPuis Wildlife Management Area in an unnamed campground pond.  It is a freshwater natural pond.

LAT: 27.00427
LONG: – 80.54443

Technical description:  Freshwater natural pond. The pond had superior clarity and no visible outlets to other bodies of water. The bottom of the pond was a silty mixture of sand and muck. The pond had a natural peninsula that went out into the middle of the lake. A perfect place to set camp. The banks were lined with Slash Pines, Water Oaks, and Sabal palmetto trees. Part of the lake was a rocky estuary loaded with Cattails, Sagittaria latifolia and various terrestrial Ludwigia species.

This data has given me a better understanding of the role of listed parameters in this specific ecosystem. It has also given me data to compare with other soil samples from other locations with the same plants. This information can also be used in the creation of Biotopes and to study the flora and fauna that live atop and in the soil.

Collection Area:  Shoreline area.  Unfortunately, this pond is a prime example of the invasive species problems that Florida is dealing with. The majority of the submerged plant life was Hydrilla verticillata. There were a few areas where Ludwigia repens managed to submerge, but the growth only went about 15 inches in before the Hydrilla started strangling it out.

Lighting: Partial sun

Filtration:  Water quality is very clear with minimal surface algae. Stagnant water with no visible outlets.

Conductivity 167

Hardscape:  Rocks, driftwood,
 leaf litter.

Substrate:  Sand, mud, oak and pine leaf litter.

Driftwood: 

Twigs: 

Leaf Litter: Oak and pine needles.

Water Parameters:  PH 8.60  GH 5  KH 5

Water Temperature: 73.6°F

Fish:  

Gambusia
Black Crappie

Plants:

Ammannia coccinea
Rotala ramosior
Ludwigia Repens
Ammannia Latifolia
Bacopa monnieri
Brazilian pennywort
Sagittaria latifolia
Ludwigia alata

Reptiles:

Yellow-bellied slider
American Alligator (2.5’) only one I saw
Florida Bullfrog
Cuban Treefrog

Substrate Parameters:  I also extracted the pore water from soil samples from 5 sites along the pond. I took approximately 6 cubic inches of soil for testing.  Each site has its readings below.
To extract the water I used a 300 micron filter bag to hold the sample while I rang out the water into a clean/dry container. I then tested the parameters KNo3, Po4, PH, and TDS.

Collection Points:

Site 1:  East Bank of the pond

Plant life:  Ludwigia Repens, Ludwigia alata, Hydrilla, Bacopa caroliniana, Sagittaria latifolia
Trees:  Sable palms, Water Oak small Slash Pine
Soil type: Dark and rich. Lots of decayed leaf litter
Sun exposure: full sun until sunset

Pore water parameters:
KNo3 5.0 – 10 ppm
Po4 . 05 ppm
TDS 103
PH 7.36

Site 2: West Bank of pond

Plant life- Hydrilla, Sagittaria latifolia, Bullrush
Trees – large Slash Pines
Soil type – really dark and rich. Had a thick layer of Pine needles on top of it.
Sun exposure: Moderate shade all day

Pore water parameters
Kno3 0-5 ppm
Po4 1-1.5 ppm
TDS 179
PH 7.36

Site 3: North Bank of pond

Plant life – Sagittaria latifolia, Bullrush, Ludwigia Ludwigia peruviana,
Trees: none
Soil type: dark and rich for the first 3 inches, then sand and clay mix
Sun exposure: Full sun

Pore water parameters
Kno3 0-5 ppm
Po4 0.5 ppm
TDS 176
PH 7.59

Site 4: SSW Bank of Peninsula

Plant life – Ludwigia repens, Ludwigia alata, Ammania coccinea, Bacopa caroliniana
Trees – Water Oak
Soil type – Sand and clay mix with decayed leaf litter. Very little dark topsoil.
Sun exposure: light shade, full sun until sunset.

Pore water parameters
Kno3 10-20 ppm
Po4 1 ppm
TDS 176
PH 7.77

Site 5: NNW Bank of Peninsula

Plant life – Rotala ramosior, Ammannia latifolia Ludwigia repens, Ludwigia alata, Ammania coccinea, Bacopa caroliniana
Trees: large Southern live Oak about 50 feet from the bank.
Soil Type – Sand and clay mix with decayed leaf litter. Very dark rich top soil for the first 3 inches.
Sun exposure: shaded, full sun at sunset.

Pore water parameters
Kno3 0-5 ppm
Po4 1 ppm
TDS 191
PH 7.86

Special thanks to Dupuis Wildlife Management Area for maintaining such a beautiful natural space. I also want to thank friends and colleagues in the hobby who have been supportive in the gathering of this information. This list includes, but is not exclusive to; Tommy Barr, Edward Johnson, Raj Mahakul, Justin Gililland, and Ron Greene.

by Chantz G. Cramer
Photos by Chantz G. Cramer