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

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

3. 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

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

5. 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?

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

7. Georgia’s MOUNTAIN Habitat

8. 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

9. 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)

10. Georgia’s PIEDMONT Habitat

11. 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.

12. 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)

13. Georgia’s COASTAL PLAIN Habitat

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Georgia’s SWAMP Habitat

17. 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.

18. 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

19. Georgia’s MARSH Habitat

20. 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.

21. 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)

22. Georgia’s ATLANTIC OCEAN Habitat

23. 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!

24. 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