Introduction
Did you know that the Everglades is the largest subtropical wetland in North America, the largest wilderness in
the Southeast and the largest mangrove ecosystem in the western hemisphere? In fact it was originally 11,000 square
miles but now it covers 1.5 million acres. The Florida Everglades consists of a combination of habitats with abiotic
and biotic factors that together make up and amazing and valuable ecosystem. The Everglades is home for many
endangered species but as many other ecosystems it is threaten by invasive species and human activities that will
altered the stability of such unique ecosystem.
Task
Today you will become an explorer so pack up your gear and be ready for this journey. You will be
visiting the Florida Everglades and you will explore the (8) habitats in this giant ecosystem. On each
habitat you will have a specific mission to complete. The missions consist on an investigation per habitat.
Once you have completed your five tasks, you will be reflect on what can you do to save the Everglades?
Process
Everybody grab your bag packs and let's go...
Your first expedition will be at the Hard Hammock habitat.
Mission #1
Click on the following link to watch the video “What are Hammocks?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Co29DNfou4&feature=player_embedded#t=44
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
Click on more picture and further description link to explore the Native Flora, Native Fauna, Threaten and Endangered Species.
1. Create a food web based on the living organisms located in this habitat. Identify the producers, herbivores, carnivores and omnivores within the food web. Click on Fire Impact to investigate the environmental impact.
2. How does burning of Hard Hammock threaten the stability of this food web?
Click on introduced species and answer the following:
3. List the invasive species in the Hard Hammock habitat. Why have they become a threat to the stability of this habitat?
Alright let’s continue to our next stop…
Mission #2
Click on the following link to watch the video “Pine Rocklands” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qiiXCT7zcY&feature=player_embedded#t=115
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
You are now at the Pine Rocklands Habitat
Click on more picture and further description link to explore the Native Flora and Native Fauna of the Pine Rocklands habitat.
Click on Fire Impact…
1.Why is fire necessary for the survival certain plants species in this habitat?
2. What type of ecological succession occurs after each fire?
3. How would this periodical ecological succession affect the fauna in this habitat?
Drink some water and let’s move on…
Mission #3
Click on the following link to watch the video “Mangroves” https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UcUwYZ9CI0A#t=26
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
You are now at the Mangrove Forests habitat
Click on the picture and further information link to find out about the human and natural impact on the mangroves and conservation efforts.
1. List the major human and natural impact on this mangrove habitat.
2. What conservation efforts are in effect to protect this habitat?
Ready for more?...
Mission #4
You have arrived to the Coastal Lowlands Habitat
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
Click on the picture and further information link.
1. List all limiting factors affecting the flora and fauna within this ecosystem.
2. Explain the impact of “lighting” in this habitat.
3. Now think about the nitrogen cycle….How do you think this affect the concentration of nitrogen (g) in soil?
Are we done yet? !!!
Mission #5
You are at the Slough Habitat
Clink on the link to watch the video “Everglades National Park Tour” https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Pz77mGchRrE#t=2
- Why alligators at the Everglades are called “keepers of the park”?
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
Click on the picture and further information link. Go to Alligator Holes.
- Explain the formation of alligator holes.
- How do gator holes become refuge for wildlife?
Now go to Freshwater Fishes…
- Identify the main limiting factor in this ecosystem.
- How would a decline on freshwater fish affect the food chain in this ecosystem? Explain
Let’s mix fresh and salty water…
Mission #6
Your expedition now is at the Freshwater Malr Prairie.
Click on the link to watch the video
“Marsh Friends-Species Diversity in a Salt Marsh: In the Grass, On the Reef”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htOwL70LKyw&feature=player_embedded#t=55
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
- What type of community relationship exists among members of different species?
- How do plants in a Salt Marsh benefits from other living organisms?
Mission #7
Welcome to the Florida Bay Habitat!
Click on the link to watch the video “Restore Florida Bay: Everglades Eco Lab”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7u01BpnTb-Y#t=11
Click on the link to investigate the importance of Estuaries
http://elements.nb.ca/theme/estuaries/janice/importance.htm
- What is an estuary?
- Why are they so important?
Click on the link to the Ichthyology Website
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/threats.html
- Identify the major threats to the Florida Bay Estuaries?
- How are these threats been managed to conserve this ecosystem?
We are about to complete our last expedition!
Mission #8
You are at the Cypress Trees Habitat.
Click on this link to watch the video “Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Yiy3B7wT7sc#t=6
Click on the link to the Friends of the Florida Everglades Website
http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
Click on the picture and further information link. Go to Flora and Fauna to explore this habitat.
- Describe the main characteristics of the two species of Cypress trees in this habitat.
- What abiotic factors and biotic factors in this habitat contribute to the biodiversity?
Evaluation
Conclusion
This was fun!!! You have visited the Florida Everglades and investigated various ecological aspects of this massive ecosystem. You had the opportunity to explore the Flora, Fauna as well as Endangered Species on each habitat and to see the relationship between abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem. However, as you investigated you identified various problems that are affecting the stability of the Everglades. There are various conservation efforts in place to preserve and restore it but there is a lot more we can do to save the Everglades.
To conclude click on this link to the National Wildlife Federation:
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wild-Places/Everglades.aspx
On the menu on left click on biodiversity the scroll down to see the list of Threats to Biodiversity. Select one threat and think about an action plan you would like to develop to reduce this particular threat. What would you do to reduce the environmental impact on the biodiversity in the Everglades?
Credits
References
Douglas M.S. (2011). Friends of the Everglades. [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.everglades.org/habitats/
Florida Museum of Natural History. (n.d.). Ichthyology: South Florida Aquatic Environments: Florida Bay Threats. Retrieved from http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/threats.html
Harvey, J., Coon, D. & Abouchar, J. (1998). The Importance of Estuaries. Habitat lost: Taking the Pulse of Estuaries in Canadian Gulf of Maine. New Brunswick Inc. Fredericton. Retrieved from http://elements.nb.ca/theme/estuaries/janice/importance.htm
Hewitt, M. (2014, Mar 2). Everglades Big Cypress Preserves. You Tube [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Yiy3B7wT7sc#t=6
Laray, J. (2007, Sep 18). Everglades National Park Swamp Tour. You Tube [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Pz77mGchRrE#t=2
Mangrove Forest Restoration & Conservation.(2013, Sept 6). Mangrove Action Plan Video. You Tube [Video File]. Retrieved https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UcUwYZ9CI0A#t…
National Audubon Society. (2011, October 20). Restore Florida Bay: Everglades Eco lab. You Tube [Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7u01BpnTb-Y#t…
National Wildlife Federation. (2015). Everglades. Retrieved from http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wild-Places/Everglades.aspx
Next Generation Science Standards. HS. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: NGSS-HS-LS2-4. Retrieved (2015, July 1) from http://www.nextgenscience.org/hsls-ire-interdependent-relationships-eco…
R Campus. (2015). iRubric: Virtual Field Trip. Retrieved from http://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=CAX6X3&sp=yes&
Tropical Audubon Society. (2013, May 13,).What are Hammocks? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Co29DNfou4&feature=player_embedded#t=44
Tropical Audubon Society. (2013, May 30). Pine Rocklands. You Tube [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qiiXCT7zcY&feature=player_embedded#t=1…
WFSU. (2013, Aug 1). Marsh Friends-Species Diversity in a Salt Marsh: In Grass, on the Reef. You Tube [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htOwL70LKyw&feature=player_embedded#t=55
Teacher Page
Florida Everglades Exploration
Lorraine Sanabria-Rebel
Concordia University Online-Portland
Grade Level: 9th grade
Subject: Biology
Objective: Students will take a virtual field trip to investigate (8) habitats in the Florida Everglades.
Next Generation Science Standards
HS-LS2 -4 Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.
HS-LS2-6 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Sunshine State Standards
SC.912.L.17.9 Use a food chain to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers. Explain the pathway of energy transfer through trophic levels and the reduction of available energy at successive trophic levels.
SC.912.L.17.4 Describe changes in ecosystems resulting from seasonal variations, climate change, and succession.
SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems, and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability
SC.912.L.17.5 Analyze how population size is determined by births, deaths, immigration, emigration, and limiting factors (biotic and abiotic) that determine carrying capacity.