Estuaries – Florida Mangroves Materials in this PowerPoint adapted from the Everglades Foundation lesson “Living on the Edge” (http://www.evergladesfoundation.org/curriculum) NSF Grant DRL-1316782

Florida’s Mangrove Estuaries Mangrove estuaries make up much of Florida’s coastline Estuary is a special place where fresh (river) water and marine water mix slowly. Must protected from the open ocean by something like a barrier island or a bay Estuary – Partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water Brackish Water – Where fresh water and saltwater meet

What are Mangroves? Mangroves – term usually refers to more than just a species of tree (a.k.a. Mangrove Forest, Mangrove Swamp, Mangrove Biome) Mangroves – Variety of trees and habitat associated with brackish water

Common Plants Black Mangroves Red Mangroves White Mangroves Mangroves have special adaptations to excrete excess salt Buttonwood and String Lily can’t excrete excess salt, but are more resistant to salty soil at the edges of the mangroves White Mangroves Buttonwood (FCIT)

Common Animals West Indian Manatee Blue Crab Grey Snapper Mangrove tree crab Horseshoe crab Mangrove water snake Loggerhead sea turtle Raccoon Bald Eagle Roseate Spoonbill Wood Stork Brown Pelican Many animals (many more than listed) depend on mangroves for at least part of their lifecycle

Red Mangroves Normally live just below the water line (roots always underwater) Propagules float standing straight up and down in the water; will take root where the base gets caught on a sandbar Roots are the home for many small fish and crustaceans Top Left: Prop roots – spider-like roots buffer against wind & waves Bottom Left: Lenticles, small pores in the roots, secrete salt Top Right: Larger leaves retain water Bottom Right: Cigar shaped propagules, or seedlings

Black Mangroves Black mangroves live in the intertidal zone (somewhere between high and low tide lines) Top Left: Pneumatophores, or aerial roots, extend up from main roots Bottom Left: Cable roots radiate outward near the surface (FCIT) Top Right: Leaves excrete salt, note silvery underside of leaf Bottom Right: Lima bean-shaped propagules

White Mangroves Left: No significant surface root system Normally grow above the high tide line Roots filter salt out of the nutrients they take in. Left: No significant surface root system Top Right: Petioles, or leaf stems, have glands that excrete salt Bottom Right: Triangular propagules resemble more common seeds

Mangroves and Tidal Zones Mangroves protect the estuary from erosion and provide habitats for many endangered species

Ecosystem Services Ecosystem services are benefits that people get from healthy ecosystems. Things like clean drinking water, clean air, and the plants used for many medicines are all examples of ecosystem services. The health and well-being of people depend on these services. Natural ecosystems of south Florida and the plants and animals within them provide people with benefits that would be very difficult to duplicate. Many of these benefits are performed for ‘free’, but are worth trillions of dollars. Roots prevent erosion by trapping sediments while providing a nursery for 30% of commercial and recreational fish Mangroves sequester carbon while slowly extending the coastline Ecosystem Services – benefits that people get from healthy ecosystems like clean water and air

Effects of Climate Change Temperature CO2 Concentrations Changing Salinity Sea Level Rise Severe Weather North America Changing rain patterns have changed the salinity of the ocean in past 50 years Red: increased 0.5% Blue: decreased 0.5% (Durack, Wijffels, Matear) Temperature – Warmer water means more frequent red tides that decimate the habitat CO2 Concentrations – Ocean acidification will cause the loss of crustaceans, base level animals in the food web Changes in salinity – Increased salinity will cause the black and white mangroves to retreat away from the ocean Sea Level Rise – Two meter sea level rise could happen in students’ grandchildren’s lifetime Severe Weather – Hurricanes/Storm Surge will destroy black/red mangroves because their roots are exposed Sea level rise of 2 meters will redefine coastal U.S. states (NOAA)

Summary What are Mangroves? Common Plants Common Animals Types of Mangroves Mangroves and Tidal Zones Ecosystem Services Effects of Climate Change