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 OCEAN SAVANNAH FOREST

What Makes Habitats Different? All kinds of NON-LIVING things make each habitat unique. Some examples are: AMOUNT of SUNLIGHT TEMPERATURE 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 Marshes Atlantic Ocean Swamps (along rivers and the Okefenokee) Costal Plain

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?

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

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?

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

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?

Reptiles Gopher Tortoise Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Eastern Indigo Snake

Birds Red Cockaded Woodpecker Northern Bobwhite Quail

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

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?

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

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?

Mammals River Otter Raccoon Mink

Reptiles Diamondback Terrapin

Shellfish Blue Crabs Oysters Shrimp

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.

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?