Enzyme Activities

 All of the enzyme assays, with the exception of PER, yielded detectable activities.

PER activity was not detectable in the majority of samples. Standard errors of hydrolytic

enzyme activity were generally lower than the oxidative enzymes, ranging from 4% to

46% of the mean. Laboratory replicate error was generally less than field replicate

variability.

 Benthic 1-glucosidase (BGL) activity did not vary significantly between habitats or

along the gradient (Table 3-2). Though not significant, the cattail and open water

communities generally exhibited higher activities in the enriched sites. Benthic BGL was

significantly correlated with PHO, CBH, and LEU, while soil layer BGL was only

weakly correlated with LEU (Tables 3-3 & 3-4). BGL activities were consistently higher

in the benthic layer, ranging from approximately 2 to 40 times the activity in the soil

layer, however, benthic and soil layer BGL activities were not significantly correlated to

one another. Soil layer BGL was significantly correlated with TN but did not exhibit

significant differences between habitats or along the gradient.

 Phosphatase activities were significantly lower than those reported in Everglades

periphyton mats (Newman et al., 2001). While soil PHO significantly (p<0.0001)

increased with distance from the inflow, there were no significant differences among

habitats. This increase in PHO with distance from the inflow has been documented in

other Everglades areas (Wright and Reddy, 2001b) as well as decreases in PHO with P

loading in periphyton (Newman et al., 2001). Benthic PHO was significantly correlated

with BGL, CBH, and LEU while soil layer PHO was negatively correlated with LEU and

PHE. Benthic PHO activities were greater than in the soil, ranging from approximately 2

to 100 times the activities of the soil layer with the only significant change occurring