Salt Marshes in Florida

Ashlie ManziMackenzie Black

2nd HourEcology11/3/08

The OrganismsThe salt marshes in Florida are home to many different animals and organisms. Some of these organisms include

Black Needle RushSaltmeadow Cord GrassSmooth Cord GrassSaw GrassCalico ScallopShrimpBlue CrabSwordfishMulletSaltwortCattailPalmetto

How the Cycles Impact the Marshes

• With the different cycles in the marshes, there are also different ways that the plants and animals are able to survive in the salt marshes.

• With the nitrogen flowing through the soil, it somewhat is able to give nutrients to the plants. The carbon also brings life to the plants and the animals.

Urls

• http://stone.web.brevard.k12.fl.us/html/salt.marsh.html • http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/habitats/saltmarshes.htm • http://pelotes.jea.com/TeacherInfo/pdfs/Salt%20Marsh.pdf • http://www.uwf.edu/rsnyder/ffnwf/salmars/sltmars.html • http://kywater.org/ww/ramp/rmnox.htm• http://kywater.org/ww/ramp/rmpo4.htm• http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/306carbon.html

Nitrogen

• Nitrogen affects the salt water marshes in man ways, the nitrogen contains compounds that act as nutrients for the marsh.

• The major routes of entry of nitrogen into bodies of water are industrial wastewater, septic tanks, animal wastes,runoff from fertilized field and lawns and discharge from car exhaust.

• Bacteria converts while its in the water, and it uses up oxygen, which takes away life from the Salt Water Marsh.

Phosphorus

• Rainfall can cause large amounts of phosphate to wash from farm soils into nearby waterways.

• Phosphate will stimulate the growth of plankton and aquatic plants; which provides food for fish. This can cause an increase in the fish population and improve the water quality overall.

• However, if an excess amount of phosphate enters the waterway, algae and aquatic plants will grow wildly, choke up the waterway, and use up large amounts of oxygen.

Carbon Cycle