What happens when the environment changes... How do plants and animals impact the environment? How can changes in the environment affect a plant or animal’s ability to survive?

What are scientists doing? Click Here to NASA article on Glow in the Dark Plants Aboard the ISS and watch the video, or use the URL at the bottom. Click Here to NASA article on Glow in the Dark Plants Aboard the ISS and watch the video, or use the URL at the bottom. Photo from NASA.gov Go to:

How can plants change an environment? Non-native species: An animal or plant that did not live and grow in a habitat originally. It was brought into an area intentionally or by accident.

Nonnative Plants in Florida Aquatic plants attach to boat surfaces or get tangled in propeller blades, making their way to new lakes or waterways. The Everglades provides a habitat where invasive plants often flourish. Picture from NPS.gov

The Air Potato Originally from Asia, the air potato came to Florida from Africa in The plant grows into dense, lush canopies, limiting light to the trees below. As a result, the air potato reduces the ability for native trees to thrive and reproduce. In 1999, the Florida Department of Agriculture placed the air potato on the Noxious Weed List and is actively working to reduce its impact on local habitats.

Floating Water Hyacinth In 1880, floating water hyacinths were brought from South America to the St. Johns River. Researchers note that the plant first invaded near Palatka, Florida. The plant grew quickly and soon made traveling by steamboat “almost impossible.” ( Photo From the USDA

Melaleuca Tree Just like mosquitos bother humans, the melaleuca tree is a pest to the Everglades. The trees grow quickly and bunch together tightly. They take over the local habitat and eliminate almost all other vegetation – impacting the homes and food for other insects and animals.

Nonnative Animals - Burmese Python From Asia and the Indies, this large snake has been in Florida since the 1980s. Growing up to 26 feet in length, it constricts the life out of its prey and is quickly moving to the top of the Everglades food chain. Other native Florida animals find their food supply being eaten up, or become prey themselves to the python!

The Cuban Tree Frog This tree frog came to Florida in 1931 through packing materials. It has invaded the local habitats, preying on native tree frogs. They are now common throughout Florida.

How do animals and plants affect the environment of other living things? Can you give some examples? Are you ready to learn more?

Great places to start: Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants: Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission: START1: Preserving our coastal waters: The National Ocean Service (red tide): The red tide and Florida Manatees: tide-manatees.htmlhttp:// tide-manatees.html The Sea Turtle Conservancy: Save the Manatee Club: Protecting the Ocean by National Geographic: Protecting the Everglades by the Nature Conservancy: placesweprotect/everglades.xml placesweprotect/everglades.xml

More great places: Ocean conservation: Invasive species: Impact of artificial light: How to stop using plastic: The great pacific garbage patch: Cousteaus-Warning-to-the-Worldhttp:// Cousteaus-Warning-to-the-World Plastic Paradise Movie: TED Talk: The Great Pacific Plastic Trash Island: Parasites make caterpillar glow and other impacts to animal behavior: Glow-in-the-dark creatures: creatures-gallery/?pid=3490http:// creatures-gallery/?pid=3490 Glow shark:

Words to Know based on Native: naturally lives and grows in an area Invasive: tending to spread and invade Endangered: to bring into danger Extinct: no longer living Habitat: an area where an organism naturally or normally lives and grows Environment: the area and forces that surround and influence a plant or animal’s ability to survive

Permission to use photos... Air potato vine: Red glow: Water hyacinth: United States Department of AgricultureUnited States Department of Agriculture The melaleuca tree: The gator and python: The Cuban tree frog: