From sand and water to Mangrove island formation Rosa Whiting, MPH

Littoral zone - top zone, warmest, shallow and can absorb more of the Sun’s heat. Many algae (like diatoms), rooted and floating plants, snails, clams, insects, fishes, crustaceans, and amphibians, dragonflies, midges, the egg and larvae stages are found here. Turtles, snakes, and ducks find much food here! FRESH WATER ECOSYSTEM :

INTERTIDAL ZONE - submerged and exposed to waves and tides. Waves keep mud and sand constantly moving, thus very few algae and plants can establish themselves. The communities are constantly changing: - upper area: algae and small animals, such as herbivorous snails, crabs, sea stars, small fishes, worms, clams, crabs, shorebirds. - bottom: exposed during the lowest tides, many invertebrates, fishes, and seaweed; on sandier shores--not as stratified as in rocky areas. MARINE ECOSYSTEM:

Soil development in intertidal zones: Sand (particulates of shells and rocks) plus water Very little wave action Bacteria & protists that fill the water live, die, sink to bottom of seabed Algae such as Grasselaria take root in the new “soil” Sea grasses can start living in areas when more nutrients are available from organic material Eel/shoal grass (Syringonium) Manatee grass Turtle grass Mangroves begin to take root Red Black White Buttonbush

Primary marine coastal succession begins with bare sand covered by shallow water. Pioneer organisms begin to accumulate.

Microscopic PIONEER ORGANISMS: Bacteria Protists – diatoms and dinoflagellates

Phaeophyta The brown algae are almost exclusively marine and are very common in the coastal waters of Florida. Many are very large in size, as the kelps of the Pacific coast. Brown algae have walls containing cellulose and chloroplasts with chlorophylls a and c. They often store their sugars as laminarin. The most common brown alga in South Florida is Sargasso (Sargassum sp.), which is commonly left on our beaches after high tide. Sargasso is very similar to the related Fucus, which is common to New England coasts. Here is a diagram of Sargasso, showing the blades and flotation bladders. The life cycle of Fucus is very similar to ours in that the only haploid cells are the sexual gametes; it is almost identical to that of Sargasso. Sargasso (Sargassum filipendula) Here are some other brown algae, quite commonly seen on rock reefs and mangrove areas in south Florida. Ectocarpus Stypopodium Turbinaria Multicellular algae begins to take hold:

Sea Grasses begin to grab a foothold: Eel or Shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) Manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) grows in both fresh and salt water and is widely distributed throughout Florida's estuaries in less saline areas, particularly in inlets along the Florida east coast.

Mangroves arrive in succession: Red: has prop roots (drop roots) Black: has snorkel roots (pneumatospores); filter salt White: has 2 salt glands at base of leaf Buttonbush – we do not have around here

Red mangrove seeds float, already sprouted and ready to take root! Red Mangrove - Rhizophora mangle

Black Mangroves have snorkel roots or pneumatophores: Black Mangrove – Avicennia germinans

White mangrove: smallest seed, last to inhabit a new area Two salt glands at base of leaf Propagule or seed White Mangrove – Laguncularia racemosa

Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis