Ecological characterization of the lower Everglades, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6872146· OSTI ID:6872146

Schomer, N. S.; Drew, R. D.

A conceptual model of the study area identifies four major ecological zones: (1) terrestrial and freshwater wetlands, (2) estuarine and saltwater wetlands, (3) Florida Bay and mangrove islands, and (4) the Florida Keys. These zones are delineated by differences in basic physical-chemical background factors which in turn promote characteristic ecological communities. The terrestrial and freshwater wetlands support pinelands, sawgrass marshes, wet prairies, sloughs and occasional tree islands. The estuarine and saltwater wetlands support mangrove forests, salt marshes and oscillating salinity systems. Florida Bay exhibits oscillating meso- to hypersaline waters over grassbeds on marine lime mud sediments surrounding deeper lake areas. The exposed tips of the mud banks frequently support mangrove or salt prairie vegetation. The Florida Keys support almost all of the above communities to some small degree but are characterized by extensive offshore coral reefs. The productivity of these communities with regard to fish and wildlife reflects (1) the diversity and type of habitats available to species that are potentially capable of exploiting them, (2) the degree of alteration of these habitats by man and natural forces, and (3) historical, biogeographic and random factors that restrict organisms to specific environments or prohibit them from exploiting a potential habitat.

• Research Organization: Florida State Dept. of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6872146
• Report Number(s): FWS/OBS-82/58.1; ON: DE83900460
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510100 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
580100 -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CLIMATES
ECOLOGY
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY BUDGETS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ESTUARIES
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
GEOLOGY
HABITAT
HYDROLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
PUBLIC LANDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER QUALITY
WETLANDS
WILD ANIMALS