YOU, ME & THE

SEA

Human Impact and the Coastal Everglades

Introduction to “You, Me and the Sea: Human Impact and the Coastal Everglades”

Chapters

Seagrasses of Biscayne & Florida Bays

Mangroves of South Florida

Red Mangrove Life Cycle

Citizen Science

Coral Reefs of South Florida

Artificial Reefs

Introduction

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SC.K.N.1.5 Recognize that learning can come from careful observation. SC.1.N.1.1: Raise questions about the natural world, investigate them in teams through free exploration, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations. SC.1.L.14.3 Differentiate between living and nonliving things. SC.1.L.17.1 Through observation, recognize that all plants and animals, including humans, need the basic necessities of air, water, food, and space. SC.2.L.17.1 Compare and contrast the basic needs that all living things, including humans, have for survival. SC.2.L.17.2: Recognize and explain that living things are found all over the Earth, but each is only able to live in habitats that meet its basic needs. SC.7.N.1.3 Distinguish between an experiment (which must involve the identification and control of variables) and other forms of scientific investigation and explain that not all scientific knowledge is derived from experimentation. SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based. SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. SC.7.E.6.6 Identify the impact that humans have had on Earth, such as deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, air and water quality, changing the flow of water. SC.8.N.4.1 Explain that science is one of the processes that can be used to inform decision making at the community, state, national, and international levels. SC.8.N.4.2 Explain how political, social, and economic concerns can affect science, and vice versa. SC.912.N.1.1 Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge, for example: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science, and do the following: pose questions about the natural world, conduct systematic observations, examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known, review what is known in light of empirical evidence, plan investigations, use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data, pose answers, explanations, or descriptions of events, generate explanationsthat explicate or describe natural phenomena (inferences), Use appropriate evidence and reasoning to justify these explanations to others, communicate results of scientific investigations, and evaluate the merits of the explanations produced by others. SC.912.N.1.6: Describe how scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observations and provide examples from the content being studied. SC.912.L.17.8 Recognize the consequences of the losses of biodiversity due to catastrophic events, climate changes, human activity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native species. SC.912.L.17.11 Evaluate the costs and benefits of renewable and nonrenewable resources, such as water, energy, fossil fuels, wildlife, and forests. SC.912.L.17.12 Discuss the political, social, and environmental consequences of sustainable use of land. SC.912.L.17.13 Discuss the need for adequate monitoring of environmental parameters when making policy decisions. SC.912.L.17.16 Discuss the large-scale environmental impacts resulting from human activity, including waste spills, oil spills, runoff, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, and surface and groundwater pollution. SC.912.L.17.18 Describe how human population size and resource use relate to environmental quality. SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability.

Anyone living in South Florida should be aware of the unique but fragile condition of its natural environment.

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Land here has been deposited by ancient sea life laid down when waters covered much of the peninsula in past geological ages. This calcium-carbonate rock and soil is porous.

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Fresh water from rain is either held in this rock or it flows toward the ocean, providing along the way: water for drinking, agriculture and recreation as well as for sustaining the world renowned Everglades habitat.

Anything that enters, redirects or siphons off this water causes repercussions throughout the whole ecosystem.

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In “You, Me and the Sea” the interconnections between South Florida’s three most critical bodies of water (Everglades, Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay) will be explored.

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Also, and perhaps more importantly, man’s impact, both good and bad, will be highlighted with the hope that becoming more aware of the issues and possibilities will enable students to make a difference.

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Hydrology & Climate

South Florida lies in the Subtropics. The weather is moderate and mostly dry during the months of November through April. This is considered the dry season.

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But from May through October, the rainy season is hot, and torrents of almost daily rain penetrate the shallow soils and are stored in a layer of rock called an aquifer.

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Some of the surface water, however, covers the Everglades sawgrass prairies and fills up the deep Everglades sloughs. Then it drifts very slowly south until it flows into Florida Bay or southwest into the Gulf of Mexico.

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Also, some of the Everglades water flows east into Biscayne Bay by way of the Miami River, various other natural creeks, and some man-made canals.

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Pollution

Both Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay have been impacted by pollutants coming in from the Everglades as well as urban areas. Farms north of the Everglades have released too much nutrient into the waters.

In recent years algae blooms nourished by these pollutants have reduced water clarity. In Florida Bay this has caused massive seagrass die-offs.

It, also, has changed the acidity of the water. It is believed that this acidification has been one of the biggest causes of coral bleaching on the coral reefs.

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Challenges & Solutions

Along with the issues of major pollution and the more than 1,400 miles of canals which drained off Everglades waters over the last century, there continues to remain the huge questions of who gets what water, who gets to make those decisions, and how do we make things better not worse.

Government officials, scientists and other community leaders are engaging in dialogue and debate, but everyday citizens can make their voices heard as well.

Students can make a difference by continuing to learn the complexities of this unique South Florida habitat. Facts properly pieced together into the balanced whole and courageously applied will be the hope of our South Florida environment .

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Seagrasses

of Biscayne & Florida

Bays

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SC.K.N.1.2 Make observations of the natural world and know that they are descriptors collected using the five senses. SC.K.N.1.5 Recognize that learning can come from careful observation. SC.1.L.14.1Make observations of living things and their environment using the five senses. SC.1.L.14.3 Differentiate between living and nonliving things. SC.1.L.17.1 Through observation, recognize that all plants and animals, including humans, need the basic necessities of air, water, food, and space. SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical character SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web. SC.7.L.17.2 Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism. SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. SC.912.L.17.4 Describe changes in ecosystems resulting from seasonal variations, climate change and succession. SC.912.L.17.7 Characterize the biotic and abiotic components that define freshwater systems, marine systems and terrestrial systems. SC.912.L.17.9 Use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers. Explain the pathway of energy transfer through trophic levels and the reduction of available energy at successive trophic levels.

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What Are Seagrasses?

• Seagrasses are grass-like flowering plants that live completely submerged in shallow ocean or estuarine waters.

• Need for sunlight limits the depth of water in which seagrasses can grow. They grow only where sunlight can reach the sea floor.

• Seagrasses grow off the coasts of every continent except for Antarctica.

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Seagrasses in Florida

• Florida has 2.2 milion acres of seagrasses.

• There are 52 species of seagrasses worldwide.

• The three species that are most prominent in Florida & Biscayne Bays are:

• Turtle grass

• Shoal grass

• Manatee grass

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Turtle grass

Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) is the most abundant of the seagrass species in Florida and Biscayne Bays.

Turtle grass grows from the low tide line to a depth of as much as 30 feet.

Its broad, flat leaves can grow to 14 inches in length.

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Shoal grass

Shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) is the 2nd most abundant seagrass in Florida waters. Like turtle grass it has flat blades, but they are very narrow (1/10th of an inch) and it grows to only 4-6 inches long.

Shoal grass tolerates water with lower salinity, so it can occur further up into the estuaries than other seagrasses, as well as growing in the saltier locations.

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Manatee grass

Manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) is the 3rd most abundant sea grass in Florida waters. It often grows among turtle grass beds, but it is very narrow and cylindrical, thus, easily identified.

Manatee grass grows up to 20 inches long.

It is the favorite food of the manatee, which explains its name.

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Importance to the Ecosystem

• Seagrass root systems stabilize bottom soils.

• Seagrasses help maintain water clarity by trapping sediments.

• Seagrasses provide food & shelter for many young fish & crustaceans, as well as for larger marine animals and water birds.

• Seagrasses act as substrates for other organisms, such as algae, to grow on.

• One of the most crucial benefits to the environment that seagrass communities provide is carbon sequestration , which is the removal (and storing) of carbon from the atmosphere. Seagrass beds can store more carbon per acre than rainforests. This helps in preventing global warming.

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Video Expedition

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Quiz

1. Which seagrass species is most abundant in South Florida waters?

A. Manatee grass

B. Turtle grass

C. Shoal grass

2. Which seagrass species is cylindrical in shape?

A. Manatee grass

B. Turtle grass

C. Shoal grass

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true about seagrasses.

A. They need to grow where sunlight can reach the sea floor.

B. They store carbon which helps prevent global warming.

C. Water clarity is usually poor where seagrasses grow.

Image of Shoal grass: Thanks to Hans Hillewaert

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Mangroves

of

South Florida

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SC.K.N.1.2 Make observations of the natural world and know that they are descriptors collected using the five senses. SC.K.N.1.5 Recognize that learning can come from careful observation. SC.1.L.14.1Make observations of living things and their environment using the five senses. SC.1.L.14.3 Differentiate between living and nonliving things. SC.1.L.17.1 Through observation, recognize that all plants and animals, including humans, need the basic necessities of air, water, food, and space. SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics. SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web. SC.7.L.17.2 Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism. SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. SC.912.L.17.4 Describe changes in ecosystems resulting from seasonal variations, climate change and succession. SC.912.L.17.7 Characterize the biotic and abiotic components that define freshwater systems, marine systems and terrestrial systems. SC.912.L.17.9 Use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers. Explain the pathway of energy transfer through trophic levels and the reduction of available energy at successive trophic levels. SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability.

What is a Mangrove?

A mangrove is one of 70 or so (depending on who you ask) species of trees and shrubs that can grow in tropical or subtropical, salty soils.

“Mangroves” (plural) can refer to mangrove forest communities (also, called mangals.) These occur on coastlines all around the globe between latitudes: 25 degrees North and 25 degrees South.

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Plants are considered “mangroves” not on the basis of their taxonomy, but rather on the basis of their ecological function. In other words, all plants considered “mangroves” have characteristics that enable them to exist in a certain specific environment: warm, shallow, coastal waters.

To exist in (or close to) these waters, plants must overcome three serious challenges to survive:

1. How to support themselves when rooted in the fine, loose soil that

exists in these areas

2. How to get oxygen to their roots since they are waterlogged

3. How to survive the high salt concentrations in the soil and water

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(1) Support

Red mangrove trees grow aerial roots or prop roots which provide extra support as they extend out from the trunk of each tree and reach down into the soil.

Some aerial roots grow from branches and drop directly downward into the soil.

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(2) Oxygen

Some trees like the Black mangrove have a specialized root structure called a pneumatophore.

Pneumatophores grow upwards from underground lateral roots, so that they are mostly above water. This way they can absorb oxygen from the air and carry it to the rest of the root.

Pneumatophores, also, provide stabilizing support to the tree.

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Special pores called lenticels grow on the mangrove trunks, prop roots and pneumatophores. These openings allow oxygen to absorb into the plant.

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(3) Salt Issues

Mangrove trees engage in either salt exclusion or salt excretion to keep from dehydrating in the hyper saline conditions.

Red mangroves are salt excluders. Specialized root membranes prevent salt from entering the plant but allow water to pass through.

Black and white mangroves are salt excreters. Glands located in their leaves remove salt from the trees.

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• The three species on the right make up South Florida’s most prominent mangrove species.

• Red and black mangroves typically grow closest to the shore in the tidal zone where wave action regularly washes over the roots.

• White mangrove trees typically grow farthest from the water’s edge but in soil that is highest in salt concentration.

• Red Mangrove

• Black Mangrove

• White Mangrove

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Why Mangroves are Important

Buffer Zone

The specialized roots of mangroves serve as wonderful buffer zones against soil erosion.

The severe storms of the tropics would continually erode away beaches without the presence of mangroves.

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Fish Nursery

Juvenile fish of many species find protection from larger predators swimming in and around the tangle of red mangrove roots.

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Red Mangrove Leaves

Leaves from the red mangrove become an important base of the food web.

Microorganisms that feed on the decaying leaves are food source for many small fish and crustaceans as well.

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Habitat

Mangroves support a wide diversity of birds and land animals for nesting habitat as well as mere dwelling habitat.

Here is a reddish egret nesting in a red mangrove.

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Global Warming

Since mangrove trees take in Carbon Dioxide during photosynthesis, they remove Carbon from the atmosphere which helps prevent global warming.

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Video Expeditions

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Quiz

1. Mangroves are plant communities that grow in which conditions?

A. Dry , windswept and cold

B. Warm, shallow and salty

C. Dark, humid and non salty

2. Pneumatophores do what?

A. Absorb oxygen

B. Secrete waste products

C. Remove nitrogen

3. Which part of the red mangrove can be the base of a food web?

A. Prop root

B. Leaf

C. Lenticel

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Red Mangrove

Life Cycle

“Propagule Power”

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Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) trees have a wonderfully effective manner of recreating more mangrove trees. They are said to “bear live young” which in the plant world means that a new plant starts growing on the parent plant before detaching. Viviparous is the word that means “bearing live young.”

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First, delicate yellow and white flowers bloom throughout the year, but mostly during spring

and summer months.

From each flower a tiny embryonic tree starts growing right from the parent tree’s fruit ……before the fruit even falls from the tree.

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This cigar-shaped young tree is called a propagule.

Before detaching from the parent tree, the propagule (which is already fully germinated) gets its water and nutrients from the parent tree on which it is growing.

When the propagule reaches at least 6 inches, it may drop into the water or mud below… (It may, however, grow to as long as 16 inches before dropping.)

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Sea Pencils

After dropping from the parent tree, the propagule must float for at least 40 days before its sharp end is waterlogged and heavy enough to sink to the sea floor and become rooted.

Some red mangrove propagules have been known to float for at least a year before rooting.

Red mangrove propagules have been nicknamed “Sea pencils.”

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The sea pencil may root very close to the base of its parent tree or it may travel by ocean waves and currents many miles from where it fell.

The new tree may even be the beginning of a new mangrove island.

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Video Expedition

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Quiz

1. The embryonic tree that starts growing from the fruit before falling off the red mangrove parent tree is called what?

A. Prop root

B. Propagule or Sea pencil

C. Seed pod

2. Viviparous means

A. Lively

B. Producing seeds

C. Bearing live young

3. The flower of the red mangrove tree is what color?

A. Yellow & white

B. White & pink

C. Purple & blue

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Citizen Science

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SC.K.N.1.5 Recognize that learning can come from careful observation. SC.2.L.17.1 Compare and contrast the basic needs that all living things, including humans, have for survival. SC.2.L.17.2 Recognize and explain that living things are found all over Earth, but each is only able to live in habitats that meet its basic needs. SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations. SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. SC.7.E.6.6 Identify the impact that humans have had on Earth, such as deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, air and water quality, changing the flow of water. SC.8.N.4.1 Explain that science is one of the processes that can be used to inform decision making at the community, state, national, and international levels. SC.8.N.4.2 Explain how political, social, and economic concerns can affect science, and vice versa. SC.912.L.17.11 Evaluate the costs and benefits of renewable and nonrenewable resources, such as water, energy, fossil fuels, wildlife, and forests. SC.912.L.17.12 Discuss the political, social, and environmental consequences of sustainable use of land. SC.912.L.17.13 Discuss the need for adequate monitoring of environmental parameters when making policy decisions. SC.912.L.17.16 Discuss the large-scale environmental impacts resulting from human activity, including waste spills, oil spills, runoff, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, and surface and groundwater pollution. SC.912.L.17.18 Describe how human population size and resource use relate to environmental quality. SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability. SC.912.L.17.8 Recognize the consequences of the losses of biodiversity due to catastrophic events, climate changes, human activity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native species.

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One exciting development in the area of field biology is “citizen science.”

When “non-scientists” who enjoy the outdoors work alongside scientists, a much larger body of information can be collected.

For instance, sports fishermen are ideal helpers in long-term data collection of important fisheries.

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Video Expedition

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Coral Reefs

of

South Florida

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SC.K.N.1.2 Make observations of the natural world and know that they are descriptors collected using the five senses.

SC.K.N.1.5 Recognize that learning can come from careful observation.

SC.1.L.14.1Make observations of living things and their environment using the five senses.

SC.1.L.14.3 Differentiate between living and nonliving things.

SC.1.L.17.1 Through observation, recognize that all plants and animals, including humans, need the basic necessities of air, water, food, and space.

SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics.

SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web.

SC.7.L.17.2 Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism.

SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites.

SC.912.L.17.4 Describe changes in ecosystems resulting from seasonal variations, climate change and succession.

SC.912.L.17.7 Characterize the biotic and abiotic components that define freshwater systems, marine systems and terrestrial systems.

SC.912.L.17.9 Use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers. Explain the pathway of energy transfer through trophic levels and the reduction of available energy at successive trophic levels.

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What are Coral Reefs?

Coral reefs are communities of underwater plants and animals that live around or in structures formed from the hard calcareous* skeletons of coral polyps.

* Calcareous means containing calcium carbonate.

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Coral Polyps

A coral polyp is a tiny animal with a simple body cavity and a mouth- opening surrounded by tentacles. It secretes a calcareous skeleton if it is a hard, reef-building (stony) coral.

Hard corals have tentacles numbered in multiples of six.

Concentrated mainly in the tentacles are large numbers of stinging cells called nematocysts which corals use to paralyze and capture prey.

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Not all corals have hard skeletons. Octocorals (which are Gorgonians and other soft corals) exist in polyp form like hard corals, but they have eight tentacles which are branched not smooth.

They also lack calcareous skeletons, thus are more flexible.

Sea whips, sea rods and sea fans are examples of Gorgonians. Note this sea rod with its individual polyps extended.

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Below are more soft corals and gorgonians (sea whips, sea rods and sea fans)

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Below are examples of hard (stony) reef-building corals

Elkhorn coral Finger coral

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Coral Bleaching

Most hard corals and many soft corals have a type of algae called zooxanthellae living symbiotically within their cells.

Since zooxanthellae is a plant, it uses photosynthesis to provide oxygen and nutrients that are used by the corals.

When environmental conditions stress the coral reefs, corals can lose their zooxanthellae which causes the corals to also lose their color. This is called coral bleaching.

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Reef Biodiversity

Coral reefs are often compared to rain forests. Like the rainforest habitat the coral reef habitat is extremely rich in biodiversity. Fish, crustaceans, sponges, other invertebrates and species of many kinds find food and protection here.

And so, if coral reefs disappear, a large host of other species will come into serious risk of disappearing as well.

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Video Expedition

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Quiz

1. Which of the following statements is not true about corals?

A. They have tentacles with stinging cells.

B. They belong to the plant kingdom.

C. They have polyp shaped bodies.

2. Which of the following statements is true about Gorgonians?

A. They are Octocorals.

B. They have branched tentacles.

C. Sea fans would be one example.

3. The term “coral bleaching” refers to:

A. Corals that become covered with fish sperm.

B. Corals that have lost their color, having lost their zooxanthellae.

C. Corals that have recently died leaving only their skeletons.

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Artificial Reefs

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SC.K.N.1.2 Make observations of the natural world and know that they are descriptors collected using the five senses. SC.K.N.1.5 Recognize that learning can come from careful observation. SC.1.L.14.1 Make observations of living things and their environment using the five senses. SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web. SC.7.L.17.2 Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism. SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. SC.912.L.17.13 Discuss the need for adequate monitoring of environmental parameters when making policy decisions. SC.912.L.17.16 Discuss the large-scale environmental impacts resulting from human activity, including waste spills, oil spills, runoff, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, and surface and groundwater pollution. SC.912.L.17.18 Describe how human population size and resource use relate to environmental quality. SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability. SC.912.L.17.8 Recognize the consequences of the losses of biodiversity due to catastrophic events, climate changes, human activity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native species.

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Amazingly one of the successful attempts by man to reintroduce coral reef communities to areas where the actual communities of reef building stony corals have disappeared…..has been to sink man-made structures (like old ships) to these undersea areas.

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These artificial reefs seem to provide the same shelter and framework that the hard coral mounds provide for a great biodiversity of life.

Video Expedition

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