1. Fire in Florida’s Ecosystems A program of the Florida Division of Forestry Implemented by Pandion Systems For more information: www.fireinflorida.org Welcome to Presentation #2: Fire in Florida’s Ecosystems

2. Fire in Florida’s Ecosystems

3. Fire in Florida’s Ecosystems Today’s Lesson: Fire in Florida’s Ecosystems Fire in the United States Adaptations to Fire Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems

4. Fire in the United States

5. Fire is a natural part of U.S. ecosystems

6. Adaptations to Fire

7. Florida’s Ecosystems are maintained by fire. The plants and animals that live in them are adapted to fire. What is an adaptation? Can you think of some general adaptations plants and animals in Florida have? Adaptations to Fire

8. Florida’s Ecosystems are maintained by fire. The plants and animals that live in them are adapted to fire. Now can you think of some special adaptations that Florida plants and animals have for living with fire? Adaptations to Fire

9. What adaptations does the longleaf pine have that help it survive fire?

10. What adaptations does the gopher tortoise have to survive fire?

11. Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems

12. What determines the type of ecosystem that exists in a certain area? Soils Water Fire Topography Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems

13. Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems: Pine Flatwoods

14. Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems: Wet Prairie

15. Animals of the Flatwoods Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Flatwoods salamander White tailed deer Eastern wild turkey Bald eagle Raccoon

16. Overgrown flatwoods

17. Fire in the Flatwoods

18. Flatwoods after Fire These areas were burned only a year ago.

19. Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems: Sandhill

20. Overgrown sandhill

21. Animals of the Sandhill Southern hognose snake Gopher tortoise Red-headed woodpecker Sherman’s fox squirrel Pocket gopher

22. Fire in the Sandhill

23. Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems: Scrub

24. Animals of the Florida Scrub Florida Scrub-Jay © Cindy Karp Floridata.com L.C. Florida Scrub jay Golden orb spider Scarlet king snake Scrub lizard

25. Fire in the Florida Scrub

26. Florida’s Fire-Adapted Ecosystems: Freshwater Marsh

27. Animals of the Freshwater Marsh White ibis American alligator Great blue heron

28. Fire in the Freshwater Marsh

29. Fire in Florida’s Ecosystems: Summary Discussion What role does fire play in ecosystems throughout the United States and the world? What is an adaptation? What are some adaptations plants and animals have to live with fire? What factors determine the ecosystem on a given site? What are some characteristics of Flatwoods, Sandhill, Scrub, and Marsh systems?