Florida Coastal Ecosystems

1. Florida Coastal Ecosystems Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

2. Florida Geography • Florida spans 6.5 degrees of latitude with subtropical to temperate climate zones • over 1350 miles of coastline, • 1700 rivers, and 7800 lakes. • Diversity of habitats results in a great diversity of communities and species Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

3. 44% of the 668 vertebrate species that occur are declining; 146 are classified as endangered, threatened, or of special concern Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

4. Nearly 1/2 our wetlands, • 1/4 our forests, & most of our tropical hardwood hammocks, • scrub, dry prairie & natural coastal habitat have been lost. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

5. Coastal Systems • Beaches, Dunes, & Barrier Islands • Nearly 750 miles of FL coastline is sand. • Barrier islands consist of beaches & dunes on the ocean side • & tidal marshes on landward side with lagoons & estuaries separating them from the mainland. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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7. Many beach plants have adaptations similar to desert plants to reduce water loss. • Railroad vine & sea beans with sea oats growing up the angle of the dune. • Prickly zone contains prickly pear cacti & Spanish bayonets with sea grape near the top of the dune. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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10. The zone on high ground back from the beach varies depending on the climate area from tropical hardwood hammocks in Palm Beach County • to live oak hammocks on Amelia Island in Northeast Florida; • to cabbage palm savanna in Ft. Myers. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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12. Animals dependent on beaches: • sea turtles • green, loggerhead, & leatherback nest on FL); • shore birds (13 species including terns, skimmers, & gulls nest on FL beaches); • rodents (mice & rats); forested areas host black bear, panther, gray fox & land crabs. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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16. Salt Marshes • Thrive in low, intertidal areas with minimal wave action few or no mangroves. • salt marshes best developed inland from mangroves, south of Homestead. • Hosts low diversity of organisms since conditions are rigorous (fluctuating water, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen), but large populations since food & cover is abundant). Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

17. Marsh dwellers include crabs, mink, marsh rabbit, rats, mice, & 500 species of insects, shrimp, oysters, fish, and birds including osprey & bald eagle Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

18. Mangrove Swamps • Found in FL fringing low energy coastlines (little wave action) primarily in southern half of state. • Includes (from shore to inland) red, black, white mangrove & buttonwood Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

19. Red mangrove • prop roots Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

20. Black mangrove • fingerlike projections roots Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

21. White mangrove • excrete salt which collects on leaves. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

22. Buttonwood – dry land Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

23. Other animals associated with Mangroves • sponges, sea anemones, oysters, barnacles & other organisms attach to the roots of mangroves & help recycle nutrients in the water • the branches provide homes for birds, crabs, etc. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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25. Bays & Estuaries • Occur where fertile silt & fresh water from rivers enter marine waters to form brackish water. • Rimmed by salt water marshes or mangrove swamps • May have areas of hard bottom, soft bottom, & sea grass beds (stabilize soil, trap sediments) Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

26. provide camouflage for immature marine animals & food for organisms such as manatees; • serve as nursery & breeding areas for many marine species Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

27. Coral Reefs • Only living tropical coral reefs in continental U.S. found in FL Keys • coral animal has a tube-shaped body with one end opened to form a mouth surrounded by tentacles. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

28. Corals in the reef are interconnected -hard corals are colonial organisms that build limestone skeletons that form the reef; • soft corals, sponges, calcareous algae compete for space on the reef. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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30. photosynthetic algae live inside the reef building coral polyps in a mutualistic relationship • many other organisms, especially certain calcareous algae, add limestone to the building reef. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

31. Types of Reefs • fringing reef - close to land mass with little or no lagoon • barrier reef - parallel to shore with wide, deep lagoon Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

32. Atoll • reefs that encircle a lagoon with no island patch Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

33. reefs - small groups of coral in lagoon Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

34. Coral Reefs • Habitats within fringing & barrier reefs, & atolls: • 1. grooves, caves, crevices, channels & deep, cup-shaped holes (blue holes) • a. provide homes and hunting grounds for many species • b. great biodiversity even though the system exists in nutrient poor waters; Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

35. this is possible because nutrients within the system are recycled with extremely efficiently; • over 300 common species of reef fish are found in Caribbean reefs along with a great diversity of invertebrates & algae. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

36. Coral: Global Concern • Coral reefs are declining globally, especially those near shallow and highly populated areas. • About 10% of the earth's coral reefs have been seriously damage and a higher percentage is threatened. • At this rate is likely lose most of the world's coral reef during the next century. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

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38. Threats to Corals • Natural events such as storms, • infestations by virus and predators, and • changes in temperature have some impact on the reef, • human activity the primary agent of degradation. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

39. Other factors include: • Coral extraction and over harvesting, • boating activities (anchoring), • as well as eutrophication, changes in sediment load, and pollution Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

40. Lack of planning and management of coastal areas, including inland activities; • Climatic changes, including changes in temperature and sea-level, • tropical storms and hurricanes, and oceanic circulation. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

41. Significance of Coral Reef Ecosystems • Some of the benefits of coral reef ecosystems are: • 1. food production • 2. tourism • 3. recreation Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

42. 4. aesthetics • 5. shoreline protection • 6. Coral reef ecosystems are among the most biologically productive and diverse in the world; • 7. they also serve as indicators of environment health. Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez

43. Why are reefs worth protecting? • 1. support a great diversity of organisms • 2. protect coastlines from erosion (reduce energy of incoming waves) • 3. remove CO2 from water to produce skeletons (of limestone = calcium carbonate) • 4. source of food (fish, shellfish harvested from reef) Prepared by: Prof. Rodriguez