The Habitats of Georgia Created By: Gail Lutowski Warnell Forest Education Center Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources The University of Georgia

What is a HABITAT? A HABITAT is a place where living things, or organisms, live. Habitats provide organisms with: FOOD WATER SHELTER SPACE

Are All Habitats the Same? No Way! There are many different kinds of habitats all over the world. Can YOU think of some different types of habitats? DESERT SAVANNAH FOREST OCEAN

What Makes Habitats Different? All kinds of NON-LIVING things make each habitat unique. Some examples are: TEMPERATURE AMOUNT of SUNLIGHT WEATHER SOIL TYPE

What Types of Habitats Are in Georgia? Georgia Has: Mountain Habitats Piedmont Habitats Coastal Plain Habitats Marsh Habitats Swamp Habitats Atlantic Ocean Habitat Do you know WHERE in Georgia these different habitats are?

Mountains Piedmont Costal Plain Marshes Swamps Atlantic Ocean (along rivers and the Okefenokee) Marshes Atlantic Ocean

Georgia’s MOUNTAIN Habitat

What Do You Think It Is Like In the Mountains? LAND: Steep and Rocky WEATHER: Nice in Summer Cold in winter SOIL: Shallow and Rocky WATER: Streams and Rivers

Living in the Mountains Organisms that live in the mountains have to be able to survive during long, cold winters. What are some ADAPTATIONS that animals and plants have for surviving cold winters? Adaptations: Hibernation, Thick Winter Fur Coats, Eating Food to Store Fat, Having Big Feet to Walk on Snow (example: snowshoe hare)

Georgia’s PIEDMONT Habitat

What Do You Think It Is Like In the Piedmont? LAND: Gently Rolling Hills Rock Outcrops WEATHER: Hot in Summer Cold in winter SOIL: Red Georgia Clay Granite Outcrops WATER: Rivers and Streams The Piedmont is the part of Georgia between the Mountains and the Costal Plains. The weather is similar to that of the mountains- it will often snow and ice in the winter. The soil can be rocky but this is also where you will find sticky red Georgia clay. The land is made up of rolling hills and valleys.

Living in the Piedmont Organisms that live in the Piedmont have to be able to survive changing weather. What are some ADAPTATIONS that animals and plants have for surviving changing weather? ADAPTATIONS: Animals: Summer and Winter Fur Coats, camouflage Plants: Going dormant in the winter (trees), only living for part of the year (perennials)

Georgia’s COASTAL PLAIN Habitat

What Do You Think It Is Like in the Coastal Plain ? LAND: Very Flat WEATHER: Hot and Humid SOIL: Deep Sands WATER: Rivers, Creeks, Swamps The Coast, as we all know, is hot and muggy for most of the year. It rarely snows but it does get ice in the winter on occasion. The soil is mostly made up of deep sand and the land is very flat. This is because the Georgia Coast used to be underwater thousands of years ago.

Living in the Coastal Plain Organisms that live in the Costal Plain have to be able to survive hot summers and dry, sandy soil. What are some ADAPTATIONS that plants and animals have for surviving in hot temperatures and dry, sandy soil? ADAPTATIONS: Animals: Sleeping during the hot days, burrowing underground, drinking lots of water when it is available, rolling in water or mud to stay cool. Plants: Long taproots, thick, waxy leaves.

Georgia’s SWAMP Habitat

What Do You Think It Is Like In the Swamp? LAND: Flat and Usually Flooded WEATHER: Hot and Humid SOIL: Dark, Mucky Clays WATER: Flooded Freshwater Georgia swamps are usually, hot, muggy and buggy! The soil tends to be black, sticky muck made of clay and organic matter. The land is flat and often (but not always!) flooded.

Living in the Swamp Organisms that live in the swamp have to be able to survive in wet, flooded areas. What are some ADAPTATIONS that plants and animals have for surviving in wet, flooded areas? ADAPTATIONS: Animals: Waterproof skin (amphibians), ability to breathe underwater (fish, macro invertebrates), ability to hold breath a long time (alligator) Plants: Cypress trees have cypress knees to help them breathe and fat tree bases (called butt swells) for stability, some plants float on top of the water

Georgia’s MARSH Habitat

What Do You Think It Is Like In the Marsh? LAND: Flat and Tidally Flooded WEATHER: Hot and Humid Windy SOIL: Dark, Sticky Mud WATER: Where Rivers meet the Ocean Brackish water The marsh can be hot and muggy but it usually has a nice breeze. The soil is black, sticky mud that smells funny. The land is flat, flat, flat! The marsh is where salt water from the ocean meets freshwater from the rivers. This is a very important and unique habitat.

Living in the Marsh Organisms that live in the marsh have to be able to survive in brackish water. What are some ADAPTATIONS that animals and plants have for surviving in brackish water? ADAPTATIONS: Animals: Some animals only spend part of their life cycle in the marsh (shrimp), some hide in burrows in the mud, some only come out when the tide is high or low Plants: Some plants secrete excess salt (Spartina), some absorb oxygen through their leaves (cordgrass)

Georgia’s ATLANTIC OCEAN Habitat

What Do You Think It Is Like In the Atlantic Ocean? The ocean habitat is very different from the land habitats! The ocean is very, very wet! : ) The weather changes all the time. Sometimes there are storms like hurricanes! The bottom of the ocean is sand. The ocean weather is variable…it can be hot or cold or clear or stormy. Of course, the bottom of the ocean is sand and there is no land!

Living in the Ocean Organisms that live in the ocean have to be able to survive underwater. What are some ADAPTATIONS that animals and plants have for surviving underwater? ADAPTATIONS: Animals: Ability to breathe underwater or through a blowhole, camouflage, fins or flippers