Determination of Organic Carbon In the EAA Canal Sediments: Wet and Dry Methods.

The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) basin, comprising approximately 250,000 ha of farms and several small communities south and east of Lake Okeechobee, is located in the geographic center of the south Florida watershed. The EAA has highly productive agricultural land comprised of rich organic soils. These organic soils are drained by a network of canals which can result in the deposition of sediments over time. The role of organic carbon in P cycling in very important, however, the determination of organic carbon possesses challenges. This study was carried to develop a method to determine the organic carbon in EAA canal sediments. Both dry and wet methods were compared and relationships were devolved. Pre-treatment with diluted acids resulted in an under-estimation of organic carbon, whereas the dry combustion resulted in an over-estimation of organic carbon.