Tampa Bay Estuary Mrs. Stahl Special information from Tampa Bay Estuary Program and FWC
Front Cover
Page 1
Page 1- The written portion 400 sq. miles, watershed is 6X’s that size 4 major rivers: Hillsborough, Manatee, Little Manatee, and Alafia Over creeks Phytoplankton is the primary producer in the food web More than fish species 5 counties: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, and Manatee 40,000 pairs of 25 different species of birds. Most diverse in N. America Average depth = 12 feet, largest shipping channel = 43 feet deep / 40 miles wide More than 4 billion gallons of oil, fertilizer components, and other hazardous materials pass though the bay each year.
Page 2- The Map
Page 3- The Estuary
Page 4
Page 5- Food Web
Page 6- Organisms that live in the bay: some examples
Page 7 and 8 Together
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 10 written out Red Mangroves, Rhizophora mangle Black Mangroves, Avicennia germinans White Mangroves, Laguncularia racemosa In the water / closest to the water Really high prop roots / stilt roots= prevent erosion / provides stability Thick leaves reduce water loss Seeds are long, pencil shaped seedlings called propagules. More like a bush Between the red and white mangroves Fingerlike projections that stick up out of the sediment are called pneumatophores. They serve as a ventilation system. Salt glands on the surface of the leaf that secrete salt. The leaves glisten. Seed = fruit embryo Looks more like a tree Grows higher in elevation by land No visible root system Two visible salt glands at the base of the leaf Yellowish / green leaf Seeds look like a sunflower seed.
Page 11
Page 11 written out Have to be exposed to air Experience high salinity levels due to the intertidal exposure Biological filters for terrestrial run-off Grow in anoxic sediment (low oxygen) and have to tolerate higher levels of salinity due to evaporation Facultative Halophytes= tolerate SW and FW conditions. Importance: – 1. Refuge, feeding ground, hiding spot – 2. Nursery – 3. Detrital food chains – 4. Stabilize sediments to prevent erosion – 5. Recycle phosphorus, filter run-off (remove toxic organic pollutants)
Page 12
Page 12- Spartina alterniflora Physical Structures: - Grow in tufts of vertical stems connected by rhizomes. - Vertical stem= culm, which produces additional stems called tillers (format the base making it look bushy) - Roots are at the culm - Rhizomes-> connected root system - Leaves have a thick cuticle to slow water loss - Highly developed vascular system for efficient transport of water - Leaves- have salt glands= secrete salt to the outside, which prevents salt toxicity
Page 13- Oyster Beds
Page 14- Manatees
Page 15 (the back of the book)
Page 15- More about Manatees Spend about 8 hours a day eating They eat FW and SW plants During the cold winter months they migrate to warm waters (ex- power plants and springs) Use its flippers and tail to steer itself through the water and moves its tail up and down to move forward (FWC, 2014). They can do somersaults, rolls, and swim upside down Surface to breathe every 5 minutes. Can hold their breath for 20 minutes (during resting) 13 month gestation period Six cervical vertebrate, most mammals have seven. They can’t turn their heads sideways, instead they must turn their entire body. Information from TBEP.org and myfwc.com