Prairies

Plants such as grasses, sedges, and rushes dominate Florida’s prairies. Fire is an important limiting factor on prairies. Fires keep trees from growing. Fires also cause new growth in grasses. Herbivores, which are animals that eat plants, can limit plant populations on prairies.

What are the limiting factors here?

Forests

Longleaf pines, mangroves, cypress, and cabbage palms can be found in Florida’s forests. Light, space, and nutrients limit tree and plant populations. Many animals live in forests. Predators such as Florida panthers limit the populations of animals such as deer. Fire is also a limiting factor in forests. Although some species are harmed by fire, other species rely on it. Fire returns nutrients to the soil. A few species, such as sand pines, release seeds only after a fire.

What lives here?

Forests

Longleaf pines, mangroves, cypress, and cabbage palms can be found in Florida’s forests. Light, space, and nutrients limit tree and plant populations. Many animals live in forests. Predators such as Florida panthers limit the populations of animals such as deer. Fire is also a limiting factor in forests. Although some species are harmed by fire, other species rely on it. Fire returns nutrients to the soil. A few species, such as sand pines, release seeds only after a fire.

What are the limiting factors here?

Beaches

Beaches are found where land meets water. Most beaches in Florida are sandy. Animals, such as clams and crabs, live under the sand. Birds eat these animals and organisms that wash up on the beach. So, birds can limit populations of some animals. Beaches are nesting sites for sea turtles and birds. Development can decrease the space available for nests.

What lives here?

Dunes

Blowing sand forms dunes along beaches. Low-growing plants that can survive being sprayed with salt water grow here. They hold sand in place, allowing other plants to grow. Steep slopes limit plant growth.

Big trees can’t grow on dunes. Sand doesn’t provide enough support for roots. Dunes are important for nesting birds. Development can limit the space and resources available to organisms. It also damages the plants that hold sand in place.

What lives here?

Beaches

Beaches are found where land meets water. Most beaches in Florida are sandy. Animals, such as clams and crabs, live under the sand. Birds eat these animals and organisms that wash up on the beach. So, birds can limit populations of some animals. Beaches are nesting sites for sea turtles and birds. Development can decrease the space available for nests.

What are the limiting factors here?

Dunes

Blowing sand forms dunes along beaches. Low-growing plants that can survive being sprayed with salt water grow here. They hold sand in place, allowing other plants to grow. Steep slopes limit plant growth.

Big trees can’t grow on dunes. Sand doesn’t provide enough support for roots. Dunes are important for nesting birds. Development can limit the space and resources available to organisms. It also damages the plants that hold sand in place.

What are the limiting factors here?

Disorientation from __________ ____________ causes thousands of hatchling deaths each year in Florida and is a significant marine turtle conservation problem.

Marine/Salt Water Ecosystems: Estuaries

Many streams and rivers flow into the ocean, forming estuaries. An estuary is an area where fresh water mixes with salt water. Both grasses and seagrasses grow in estuaries. Many fish lay eggs here, and plants provide shelter for young fish. Birds, turtles, alligators, and many other animals live in estuaries.

Many organisms rely on the nutrients provided by estuaries. So, nutrients are a limiting factor. Populations also are limited by water movement and salt levels in the water. Some species need high salt levels whereas other species, such as alligators, need lower levels.

What are the limiting factors here? Select 3 that apply

Marine/Salt Water Ecosystems: Salt Marshes

Salt marshes are found along the coast. Grasses and other plants, such as sedges and rushes, live in these areas. Salt marshes are occasionally flooded by tides. This flooding can limit plant populations. Plants do not grow where water is too deep or the ground is wet for too long. Salt levels and nutrients can also limit plants and animals in salt marshes. If oxygen levels in water get too low, they limit the populations of fish and other species.

What are the limiting factors here? Select the 3 that apply

Marine/Salt Water Ecosystems: Mangrove Swamps

Mangrove swamps are found in areas that are flooded by tides and also receive freshwater runoff. They are dominated by mangrove trees. Mangroves need nutrients to survive. Mangroves cannot survive low temperatures. So, temperature also limits mangrove populations.

Mangrove roots often reach below the water. They shelter small fish from predators. For organisms that live in mangrove swamps, the amount of time the area is wet or dry is a limiting factor. Salt levels also limit populations in mangrove swamps.

What are the limiting factors here? Select the 4 that apply

Marine/Salt Water Ecosystems: Coral Reefs

One of the most diverse marine ecosystems is the coral reef. A coral reef grows in waters that are warm, shallow, and clear. Coral reefs are made up of the skeletons of tiny animals called corals. Tiny protists live inside coral bodies and give coral reefs their color. These protists use light to produce food, which corals can use. Because they need light to grow, water depth and sunlight limit the growth of the protists and coral in reefs.

Reefs are home to many kinds of fish, sea turtles, and other animals such as crabs, shrimps, anemones, urchins, and starfish. A reef may be home to thousands of species. So, space is often a limiting factor. High temperatures and polluted water from land can also limit populations of corals and other reef animals.

What are the limiting factors here? Select the 3 that apply

Freshwater Ecosystems: Lakes & Ponds

Lakes and ponds are standing bodies of water. So, water flows very little if at all. Some plants float on top of the water. Other plants grow in shallow areas, where they can get light and air. If the amount of oxygen in lakes and ponds is low, it can limit populations. When there is enough oxygen, ponds and lakes support many kinds of fish. Introduced fish, such as walking catfish, and introduced plants, such as water hyacinth, can be found in many lakes and ponds in Florida.

What are the limiting factors here? Select the 3 that apply

Freshwater Ecosystems: Rivers & Streams

Rivers and streams have flowing water. They carry nutrients that are important to the ecosystems that they flow into. Rivers and streams are home to many organisms, including the endangered manatee. Shelter is often a limiting factor in rivers and streams. Rocks provide hiding places from predators. Rocks also shelter organisms from currents that would sweep them away.

What is the main limiting factor here? Select only 1

Freshwater Ecosystems: Wetlands

The Florida Everglades are wetlands. A wetland is an area where land is covered by water for at least part of the year. Water flows slowly in wetlands. Many birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals live in wetlands. Wetland plants help remove wastes and pollution from water. Nutrients limit plant populations. Low oxygen levels and drying up of wetlands can limit fish. Animals and trees rely on hammocks, which are areas that are dry most of the year.

What are the limiting factors here? Select the 3 that apply

Marine/Salt Water Ecosystems: Coral Reefs

Based on limiting factors, make a claim about this coral reef ecosystem? Select the 2 that apply

A(an) ______________ is a species that naturally lives in an ecosystem.

A(an) ______________ is a species that has been brought in an ecosystem by humans.

What are introduced species?

Species that naturally live in an ecosystem are called native species. On the other hand, introduced species are species that have been brought to an ecosystem by human actions. Some introduced species were brought to new places on purpose. Others traveled in vehicles or on other animals. Escaped or released pets can also start new populations in the wild.

Many introduced species are successful because they do not have predators, parasites, or diseases in the new habitat. Some introduced species may be better competitors for resources than native species. Introduced species may eat native species. As a result, introduced species often considered a limiting factor on an ecosystem.

Many species have been introduced to Florida. For example, Burmese pythons from Asia are now found in the Everglades.

Many of these pythons were pets. In the wild, they eat many native animals, such as wading birds, deer, and even alligators! By eating these animals, pythons compete with native predators for food.

because Burmese pythons were introduced into the everglades, there was and is an adverse effect to the ecosystem

Select the 3 that apply.