Coastal Areas
Narrower Topics
Aquatic Ecosystems
Interaction of living organisms with the physical or chemical environment in a body of water.
Related Topics: Coastal Areas, Water Resources
Related Topics: Coastal Areas, Wildlife
Mangroves
Tropical trees, or deciduous conifers, or shrubs which produce many prop roots and grow in swamps, coastal saline or brackish water.
Related Topics: Coastal Areas, UF/IFAS Extension Initiative 4: Sustainable Communities
Publications
Climate Change: Effects on Salinity in Florida’s Estuaries and Responses of Oysters, Seagrass, and Other Animal and Plant Life
SG138/SGEF-218 by Ashley R. Smyth, H. Dail Laughinghouse, Laura K. Reynolds, Edward V. Camp, and Karl HavensApril 15, 2024Florida’s economically important estuaries could be heavily impacted by sea-level rise and altered river flow, both caused by climate change. The resulting higher salinity, or saltiness of the water, could harm plants and animals, alter fish, and bird habitat, and reduce the capacity of estuaries to provide such important services as seafood production and the protection of shorelines from erosion. This publication contains information for stakeholders, students, scientists, and environmental agencies interested in understanding how changes in salinity impact Florida’s estuaries.
Related IFAS Blog Posts
Xeniid soft corals: the latest news
Ana ZangronizApril 15th, 2024What has happened: There have been new developments with the Xeniid soft coral invasion in the Caribbean. The inspiration for my February 2023 original blog post was the confirmation of Unomia stolonifera in northern Cuba, which is quite close in proximity to Florida. Prior to being found in Cuba, Unomia had been confined to Venezuela, […]
Spinning, swirling sawfish—oh my. But why?
Ana ZangronizMarch 29th, 2024Spinning, swirling sawfish—oh my. But why? Since last fall, reports of stranded, whirling, “spinning” and even dead sawfish have been making headlines in the lower Florida Keys. These events have been observed by community members and local fishermen. 28 sawfish mortalities have been confirmed, with more than 100 affected. More than 40 species of other […]
STEM TO STERN
cgoodingMarch 27th, 2024Organized and sponsored by Florida Sea Grant, the “Stem to Stern” workshop in November 2023 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center marked a significant gathering in marine conservation and management. This event drew together legal experts, representatives from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), local marine resource coordinators, law enforcement, and industry stakeholders […]