Field Biology of FloridaChapters 1 and 2

Jennifer FewsterSpring 2012

Ecosystems and Species

Ecosystem (community): a distinct assemblage of populations of living things that inhabits a natural area of land or water

- occurs naturally on the landscape wherever certain physical conditions occur

- “natural” is a relative term

Sand pine scrub

Seagrass

Pine flatwoods

Ecosystems and Species

Species: A distinct group of organisms that can reproduce its own kind

- don’t have to look alike- must be able to produce fertile offspring

Ecosystems and Species

Levels of Classification:

KingdomPhylum

ClassOrder

FamilyGenus

Species

Ecosystems and Species

How to write a species name:

Genus name (capitalized) + specific epithet (never capitalized)

- if typed, it should be in italics; if written, it should be underlined

For instance: Homo sapiens Felis domesticus

Ecosystems and Species

Native: a species that has existed in a place for a long period of time and is adapted to local conditions

- often has complex interrelationships with other native species

Exotics: species that have been introduced from some other part of the world

Exotics

Ecosystems and Species

Weeds: plants that move into an area rapidly and spread quickly

- weeds can be native or non-native; native weeds are usually somewhat controlled by their predators

Invasives: species that spread out of control (this is more likely to happen if the species is exotic)

Ecosystems and Species

A natural ecosystem will be made up of a particular assemblage of species occupying a particular landscape feature

- sandhill- saltwater marsh- sinkhole pond- cave, etc.

The species in an ecosystem are genetically adapted to thrive there

Ecosystems and Species

Usually natural ecosystems tend to persist, as long as things don’t change from what they are adapted to

- some ecosystems are adapted to a high level of disturbance (e.g. Carribean coastlines)- some don’t tolerate disturbance well (e.g. tropical rainforests)

Ecosystems and Species

A natural ecosystem often provides services to other ecosystems and to humans:• regulating climate• purifying air and water• moderating floods• producing foods• much more

Florida’s Species

This class will focus on species from three kingdoms:1. plants2. animals3. fungi (to a lesser extent)

We won’t look at microscopic species (but there’s plenty!)

Florida’s Species1. Plants

- We will focus mainly on vascular plants: ferns, flowering plants, and conifers

2. Animals- We will focus mainly on vertebrates: birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish- We will identify insects where we can (they are the most abundant group on earth!)

3. Fungi- mushrooms, mainly

Florida’s SpeciesFlorida native species number in the tens of thousands

Some exist only in Florida (endemic species)

Species that only live in a limited area are more likely to go extinct

- compared to the rest of the country, Florida has a larger than average

percentage of species at risk for extinction

Florida’s Physical Environment

It’s the physical features of the environment that shape the species that live there (through natural selection)

- climate- topography- soils- waters

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentClimate

- the long-term features and events of the atmosphere- weather is a part of climate but it

describes short-term events

- temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, types of storms

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentClimate

- because Florida is a long state from north to south, climate conditions vary• mostly temperate• subtropical in south FL• tropical in the Keys

- overall, temperature variations are moderate

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentClimate

- as a peninsula, FL is protected against temperature extremes and is exposed to high humidity

• warm Gulf water plays a big role• most other lands at this latitude are desert

• rainfall is abundant during the rainy season (on average 53 inches per year)

The Gulf Stream

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentClimate

- all of FL has alternating wet and dry seasons, although the timing varies between north and south

• wet summers (June, July, August)• dry fall/winter (Oct., Nov., Dec.)• wet late winter in North (Jan. – April)

- plants and animals must be adapted to go weeks without rain

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentClimate

- hydroperiod (timing of wet and dry periods) is of great importance for some species

- e.g. plants, amphibians

- dry periods with lightning may lead to fires- some species are not only adapted to fire, but depend on it

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentClimate

- tropical storms and hurricanes- high winds, flooding rain, storm surges

- coastal species tend to be very resilient – they come back quickly from storm damage

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentSediments/ Soils

- FL is part of the southeastern U.S. coastal plain

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentSediments/ Soils

- the southeastern U.S. coastal plain has three main kinds of sediments:

1. marine sediments (laid down when FL was at the bottom of the ocean – limestone and dolomite)

2. clastic sediments (clay, silt, sand, gravel), from the Appalachian mts.

3. organic sediment from the decomposition of living things

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentSediments/ Soils

- FL’s soils are made of some mixture of the three types of sediments

- the more organic sediment, the more water the soil can hold

- but, too much water in the soil means not enough oxygen

Plants can be classified by what kind of soil they prefer: xeric (dry), mesic (moist), or hydric (wet)

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentTopography

- because of past changes in sea level, FL has been both wider and narrower than it is today- high areas in the interior often have the remains of dunes that were once along the shore

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentTopography

- the three topographical zones of FL:

1. highlands/ridges/upland plains- distinguished by the clay to soil ratio

2. lowlands- low and flat, sometimes wet

3. coastal- salty, or a mix of salt and fresh water

Florida’s Physical EnvironmentTopography

- limestone/ karst topography- jagged, porous limestone that may be exposed or may lay under other sediment types

- Floridan Aquifer – the reserve of water-saturated limestone that lies under a large portion of the state

Plant ID

• Need to “talk the talk”

• Need to know the habitat – wet/dry, sun/shade, soil type, etc.

Plant ID

• Leaves

Leaf Characteristics

Leaf Characteristics

Flower Parts

Flower Arrangements

• Sometimes flowers are arranged in groups called inflorescences

Flower Forms

Fruit Forms