Sea urchins are found in all of Florida’s coastal waters, including the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Sea urchins are echinoderms, and are part of the class Echinoidea. Habitat and Behavior Sea urchins are very versatile, and can be found in all of the world’s oceans. Sea urchins typically live on…
Florida Bay is one of the most important waters in Florida. It’s located south of the Florida Everglades and Everglades National Park. On the west, Florida Bay is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico. To the East and south, it is bordered by Islamorada, Key Largo and the Florida Keys. Florida Bay covers more than…
Seagrass is extremely important for the health of Florida’s marine ecosystems. Seagrass are actually flowering plants which live underwater in marine and estuary waters. Seagrasses are found throughout Florida, and are most abundant in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, the Everglades and in Florida Bay. Seagrasses also thrive throughout the Florida Keys, and in the…
Boaters can have serious, negative impacts on Florida’s waterways! As the population of south Florida and the Florida Keys grows, boater’s impact on the marine environment will become an increasingly serious problem to manage. Many boaters run aground every year and damage the fragile seagrass in Florida Bay and throughout Florida. Damage is especially intense…
Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) are one of the most beloved birds in Florida, and are an iconic symbol of Florida Bay! Birders and researchers from around the world visit Florida for the chance to see Roseate Spoonbills. Overview Roseate Spoonbills are members of the Ibis family. They hunt, forage and socialize together and often live…
Mangroves are an essential part of Florida’s natural environment. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida has an estimated 469,000 acres of mangrove forests throughout the state. This is a very good thing because mangroves are essential to Florida’s environmental health, and to the survival of the state. Where are mangroves located in…
Alligators in Florida represent the best of our beautiful natural environment. Alligators are essential to Florida’s ecosystem. They are apex predators and are usually at the top of their food chains and food webs. Alligators shape their environments both literally and metaphorically. Alligators are also important parts of Florida’s ecotourism economy. Visitors from around the…
Some visitors on some Florida beaches notice a bad smell, especially in the Florida Keys. It smells like sulfur, sewage, rotten eggs or natural gas. The smell can be overwhelming. The worst time tends to be in hot weather during hot summer months. Visitors often worry that there is sewer leak, or some other contaminate…
What are the Florida Everglades? The Everglades is a large region of subtropical wetland in Florida. The Everglades form an incredibly complex and fragile ecosystem. The Everglades ecosystem is very large, and covers more than two million acres. The Everglades begin in central Florida and descend to the southernmost parts of the Florida Peninsula. Millions…