mangrove story final - school of forest resources ...4" " " "" ""...
TRANSCRIPT
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Crocodiles, Snakes, and Mangrove
Forests
Written by: Lara Colley, Grace Howell, Martha Monroe, and Eleanor Sommer
School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida 2009 (rev. 2012)
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This story was written for Junior 4-‐H youth in Florida to study the
Mangrove Forest ecosystem for the Annual Forest Ecology Contest.
This story may be re-‐printed and used for educational purposed but cannot be sold for profit. Please cite as: Colley, Lara; Howell, Grace and Sommer, Eleanor (2009) Crocodiles, snakes and mangrove forests. University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation.
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/extension/4h/contest_home.html
Contents The Trip Begins .......................................................................................................... 3 Danger on the White Boardwalk ........................................................................ 6 Breathing Trees .......................................................................................................... 9 Fascinating Forests ................................................................................................ 12 Don’t Dip the Canoe! ............................................................................................. 18 Places to see mangrove forests in Florida: .................................................. 23 Tree and Plant List ................................................................................................. 23 Links to learn more: .............................................................................................. 24
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The Trip Begins SAM SQUIRMED IN THE BACKSEAT of his grandmother’s mini-‐van. “Are we there yet?” he asked. Sam, his sister Sophie and their mom and grandmother were headed south to the Florida Everglades for a camping trip. For Sam, the drive seemed to go on forever as they passed one strip mall after another. It looked like Anywhere, Florida, and he was more than bored. “We’re getting closer,” Grandma Betty answered. “I think it will be worth the drive.” While Sam yawned and fidgeted, Sophie spent her time imagining the upcoming adventure. “So what exactly is a mangrove forest? Will we see animals? Can we walk on the beach?” she asked her mom, who was looking through a guidebook while Grandma drove. “Well, according to this brochure, the park has plenty of wildlife, including snakes and crocodiles,” her mother Jean said. That got Sam’s attention. “Mom, did you say snakes and CROCODILES? Maybe this vacation won’t be so lame after all!” “But that doesn’t mean you’ll see them. Some wild animals like to keep away from people. And I’m not exactly sure about the beach, Sophie” she admitted as she looked through more information. “Mom, I have to see a crocodile,” Sam said. My science report is on reptiles, and if I really, really see one, I can take a picture and it can be part of my report.” Sam had no idea what future had in store for him. This trip was going to be cooler than he could possibly imagine.
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This was the family’s second attempt at taking a vacation to Everglades National Park. The first time their plans were upset by a hurricane, but they were finally on their way, even though it was a long way. Sam and Sophie had never been on a camping trip, but their mom and grandmother were experienced campers, although it had been a long time since they had been camping. Preparations took several days and included airing out Grandma’s old tent and sleeping bags, borrowing some extra sleeping bags, and packing food in coolers and containers. Grandma even found her old lantern and cook stove in the attic. Sam and Sophie thought both looked like stuff from a junk shop. But Grandma was smiling. “We’re going to have some adventures for sure,” she said.
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“Wow this looks so different from home. It’s so, well . . . flat,” said Sophie who was used to the big live oaks bending over the road in the rolling hills of their hometown near Tallahassee. “Sure, it’s flat,” responded her mom. Having grown up in south Florida, Jean found the landscape comfortable. “There may not be many huge oaks down here, but aren’t those cabbage palms beautiful?” she asked. And soon we’ll start to see the gumbo-‐limbo trees as we get closer to the Everglades. Just a couple more hours to go!” Sam groaned. “This better be good,” he thought to himself as he shifted his position for about the twentieth time. Soon he dozed off and dreamed that he was swimming with a huge crocodile.
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Danger on the White Boardwalk HE WOKE UP SUDDENLY because Sophie was shaking him. “Hey! What are you doing?” he said as he brushed her away. “We’re driving into the entrance of the park. And besides you were flopping your arms around in your sleep and almost hit me.” “Sorry, Soph. So we’ve finally arrived. Good. I’m so tired of being in this car!” Grandma Betty had pulled off the entrance road and parked near the check-‐in kiosk. They got out to stretch their legs, while Jean walked over to talk with the ranger about camping arrangements. Sophie followed her mom over to the registration counter. “Hi! My name’s Sophie and we’re camping for three nights, and we came to see the mangrove forest and all the animals.” “Well, nice to meet you Sophie. My name is Henry, and you’ll probably want this map of the trails. Both of these trails take you through mangroves, and the park naturalist will be giving a guided hike at 10:30 tomorrow morning” he said. “Good, that will give us some time to explore on our own and then someone can answer all of our questions about the mangroves!” chimed in Grandma Betty, who had also wandered over to the counter. “Just let us know if you need anything. Otherwise enjoy your stay, and don’t forget about the hike in the morning,” Henry said as they drove off down the curving park road looking for their campsite. After Sophie and Sam had helped put up the tent, they asked if they could go exploring. “You all go ahead,” said Jean to Grandma and the twins. “I’ll get things organized for dinner.” “When we drove in, I saw a sign that read ‘boardwalk’ with an arrow pointing that way.” Sam pointed up ahead and to the left. “OK, then,” Grandma said, “Let’s go!” They headed down a short trail that took them to the boardwalk. The trail was shady with a dense canopy of strange trees with shiny, peeling, dark red bark.
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“I wonder what these trees are! Aren’t they cool?” exclaimed Sam. “Look over there,” said Grandma, “there’s a sign by that tree.” Sophie and Sam ran over to investigate. “Gumbo-‐limbo,” Sophie read. “Wow, these are the trees that mom was telling us about!” said Sam. “We’ll have to bring her down here later and show her.” The shady trail ended and they headed onto the boardwalk in the blazing afternoon sun. “Check out that sign,” Sam cried. “Snakes and crocodiles! Yes, this is way cool.” “Wait a minute,” Sophie said. “How can they live in salt water?” “The water here is brackish,” said Grandma Betty. “Do y’all know what that means?” “Yeah, sure. We learned that in school. It’s a mix of fresh and saltwater,” Sam said. “That’s right. The fresh water dilutes the salt water so it’s easier for the snakes to tolerate. Crocodiles live in the saltwater, anyway,” explained Grandma Betty. Despite Sam’s constant watchful eye, they did not see any crocodiles. There was a warm, salty breeze and the sounds of birds in the distance. For a while the trio walked along quietly listening and looking, and then suddenly Sophie broke the silence.
“Whoa, look at all the poop! It’s everywhere!” The boardwalk was covered with white poop. They had come upon the edge of the park’s rookery, where birds came to nest and raise their young.
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Before anyone could say a word, a brown pelican flapped its huge wings and took off right over their heads, which turned out badly for Sam.
“Ewww!” cried Sophie, “you got pooped on, Sam!!! Gross, it’s in your hair and your shirt. Ughh!” Oh Sam,” Grandma Betty tried to conceal her amusement, but couldn’t stop herself from breaking into laughter. “It’s everywhere and oh my, it smells. Let me see if I can find something to clean you off with.” Grandma Betty and Sophie searched along the boardwalk’s edge for something to clean off the poop. Sam meanwhile stood still so the poop wouldn’t drip. “How about these sweet bay leaves? They’re big and have a nice smell,” Grandma Betty chuckled. They all began laughing as they wiped off the bird poop with the bright green leaves. Once that task was accomplished, they continued their stroll down the boardwalk.
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Breathing Trees SOPHIE RAN AHEAD and came back with disappointment on her face. “The end of the boardwalk is just around that corner, and then it’s just water. But, Grandma, I don’t see any forest. The trees are so scrawny and short.” “But that is the mangrove forest,” she explained. “And those are the mangrove trees. They don’t get tall like pine trees or oaks. They grow where the land meets the ocean, along tidal creeks and bays. They had come to the end of the boardwalk and stood looking at the glistening Gulf. “Look, this sign tells us there are several types of mangrove trees. Let’s see if we can find them all.” “I just never thought the trees would be so little,” said Sophie. “Well,” Sam said, “you’d would be short too if you had to live where hurricanes and waves kept knocking you around!” Grandma looked around at the island that supported the mangroves. “OK, white mangrove trees and buttonwood trees grow at the edge of the tidewater. Can you figure out which tree is which?” she challenged Sam and Sophie.
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At another turn in the boardwalk, they came upon a sign for a different type of mangrove. “Look at the legs on that tree!” exclaimed Sam. “They look like fingers,” said Sophie. Sam read the next sign. “Red mangrove trees have aerial prop roots that grow from the trunk and lower branches. Since the tree stands in tidal water for most of the day, these roots help the tree take in oxygen. Black mangrove trees sprout thin, pencil-‐like breathing tubes called pneumatophores, around the trunk.” “I see a black mangrove,” cried Sophie. “There are the breathing tubes!”
“How do the animals that live here get from place to place?” asked Sophie. “The branches and roots are so tangled, nothing could get through!” Just then a snowy egret lifted off from the water and landed in the top of a white mangrove tree. “Maybe the animals use the tree tops, Sophie!” suggested Sam. “After all, this is a different kind of forest. I don’t think a bear could live here,” he added.
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All of a sudden they heard a splash. “Not just the tree tops,” said Sophie. “There’s fish in the water!” “I can’t see a thing in this dark water,” complained Sam as he peered over the edge of the boardwalk, still hoping to catch a glimpse of a crocodile. “It is muddy and murky down there.” “It’s an odd sort of place,” remarked Sophie. “It’s just these shrubby trees in the saltwater and hot sun. I don’t see how anything could like living here.” “Let’s ask the naturalist tomorrow about the wildlife that lives in this habitat,” suggested Grandma. “Then we’ll understand better about this ecosystem.” When they finally arrived back at their campsite, Jean had a picnic dinner set out. The explorers were starved and ready to dive into the food, but Sam insisted on taking a shower first. “So, how was the walk?” their mom asked as they sat down to eat. After hearing the story, she laughed and understood why Sam was off taking a shower.
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Fascinating Forests THE NEXT DAY SOPHIE AND SAM got up early and helped with breakfast and other chores so that everyone would be ready to go on the guided hike. They had a list of questions ready. “Mom, you got the camera, right?” Sam inquired and she nodded her head. “I have the feeling we are going to see some really cool stuff today. And everybody keep your eyes open for crocodiles!” The family arrived right on time for the hike. “Good afternoon. My name is Mona,” said the naturalist. “We’ll wait a little bit before we begin to see if anyone else is joining us. It is off-‐season and midweek, so this may be a private tour!” While they waited, Sophie and Sam looked over their questions and added a few more. “OK, let’s get started,” Mona said. “This hike will introduce you to the mangrove forest at the Everglades National Park and help you appreciate this habitat’s special ecosystem. Since we have a small group today, how about we get started walking and I can answer your questions as we go?” Sophie leapt at the opportunity. “How can this place be special?” she asked. “We walked on the boardwalk yesterday and we only saw a few birds and short twisted trees. Mona smiled as she recognized the question from someone not familiar with mangrove habitats. “OK, there are at least three primary reasons mangrove forests are special. Let’s start with those short twisted trees. Did you notice the prop roots on the red mangroves?” “Yes,” said Sam. “And the breathing tubes on the black mangrove too.”
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“Good,” said Mona. “You’ve noticed the first special thing about mangroves. No other tree can live in this salty tidal water. Trees need oxygen and freshwater to grow, which is tricky here. Mangroves don’t have gills, of course, but they use these roots to get oxygen from the air. They secrete the salt through special glands in their leaves and bark, which enables them to use water from the ocean. “And that tangle of roots and branches make the perfect place to hide if you are a small fish or a turtle. Mangrove forests are called “nurseries” because many fish and other aquatic animals stay in these areas when they are young,” continued Mona.
“So the second special thing about mangroves is that they provide critical homes for hundreds of species of fish, shrimp, frogs, and other critters. And in turn that makes the mangroves good places for wading birds, which eat the smaller aquatic animals,”
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“Oh! And that’s why we saw birds yesterday: egrets and a brown pelican,” said Sophie. “And lots of bird poop, don’t forget about the all the bird poop!” Sam piped up. Sophie giggled, “Do other birds live here too?” “Sure,” said Mona. “The park is a part-‐time home for roseate spoonbills, herons, and wood storks, too. These birds come every season to nest in the trees and feed in the tidal flats between mangrove islands.” Some of the birds that can be found in the Everglades:
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“So what’s the third special thing about mangroves?” Sam asked. “Back to those roots again. Because red mangroves grow in the water, they trap sediment among their roots and slow down the waves during a storm or hurricane. They protect the shoreline from erosion.” “So they help build the island they live on, and then hang on to it during a storm?” asked Sam. “You are exactly right,” said Mona. “People have discovered that coastal areas erode much faster without mangroves to protect them. For a long time building along the shorelines included removing the mangroves, but now people understand how important the mangroves are, and they are beginning to replant mangroves in areas where development had removed them.” “That would be much of Florida, wouldn’t it?” asked the children’s mother. “Unfortunately, yes,” agreed Mona. “Mangroves used to cover the shoreline all along Florida’s coasts, but now most of Florida’s mangroves are only in Collier, Dade, Lee, and Monroe counties. And what is left is threatened with coastal development. People always want a view of the water, until a hurricane comes and reminds them of the value of mangroves.” Still hoping to walk on the beach, Sophie tried to figure out where that would be. “If mangroves protect the shore, then where is the beach?” she asked. “This part of the shoreline is mostly muddy tidal flats,” Mona explained. There’s no sandy shoreline like on the barrier islands. The mangroves, however, help keep the land in place—even along the rivers and marshy areas.”
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“And what about other animals?” asked Sam, who was still hoping to see a crocodile or even a bear or panther. “Well,” said Mona, “most of the mangrove wildlife-‐-‐ manatees, crocodiles, and otters and such-‐-‐enter the mangrove forest from the water. You saw how thick and tangled those trees are! But some raccoons and bears also visit to dine on the fish and frogs. Bear usually find their way to mangroves where the forest adjoins a large park or forest because, well,” she said laughing, “bears just don’t like to cross highways if they can help it!” Just as Sam was getting ready to ask about crocodiles, Mona gave them some other interesting news. “You can visit the mangrove forest from the water, too, by renting a canoe. Then you can paddle in and out of several mangrove
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islands throughout the estuary. There’s a canoe route with signs so you don’t get lost. Just head down to the boat launch and let the attendant know you want a canoe. You will all fit into one.” Sam and Sophie turned immediately and looked at their mother and grandmother. “Can we? Please?” The women looked at each other and nodded. “That would be a lot of fun and a really great way to learn more about the mangroves,” said Grandma Betty. The family thanked Mona for her information and headed off to rent a canoe and figure out when tide would be high enough to give them the greatest access to mangrove areas.
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Don’t Dip the Canoe! THE CANOE ATTENDANT made sure they had life preservers and that they understood the basics of canoe safety. He even helped them launch the canoe into the water. Right away they headed into a thicket of mangroves. “Those must be red mangroves, look at their long prop roots!” Sam exclaimed using his new found knowledge. Sophie spotted bubbles coming up from the water. “Look!! What is that?” Sam recognized it right away. “Shhh, everybody. It’s a crocodile!” he whispered as two dark eyes emerged from the surface of the water. It was so close they could have touched it with their paddles.
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Jean was a little nervous. “Be still. Don’t rock the boat. We definitely don’t want to tip over right now,” she said in a hushed tone. The croc didn’t seem to mind the family. It swam farther into the mangrove tangle, in the same direction that they were going.
“Maybe it wants to be our tour guide,” said Sam. “On your left, you’ll see the black mangroves. You can use their breathing tubes to shoot spit balls at your sister,” Sam hissed out the side of his mouth, pretending to be the crocodile. “I dare you to reach out and grab a tube, Sam. Go on, that croc won’t mind if you stick your hand into the water and fish around a bit.” “Kids,” Grandma Betty interrupted, “you know that we aren’t supposed to disrupt the plants or wildlife. This is a unique place; we’re lucky we even get a chance to see it. Not to mention the possibility of getting your finger bitten off!” “Yes ma’am,’’ they said in unison.
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Suddenly there was a great big splash and everyone looked up. A huge snake was swimming through the water and closing in on the crocodile, which was clearly not too fond of the company. The croc swung its giant tail around toward the fat snake. Little fish darted off in every direction as if to escape the impending fight. “Oh my goodness, that’s a Burmese python,” Grandma said. I’ve read that they are an invasive species of snake that live in the mangrove and Everglades!” Sophie watched the creatures ply through the water while Sam concentrated on taking one picture after another. “Whoa! This is so cool!” he said, “I can’t wait to tell my friends when we get home. They are gonna be sooo jealous!” This was exactly the kind of action Sam was hoping to see and he was glad to be taking photos. “This is incredible!” Grandma pointed to the top of a black mangrove tree. Everyone looked up to see a black and yellow snake slithering up to a bird’s nest. She thumbed through guidebook and found a picture of the snake. “I think it’s a mangrove water snake!” “Mom! Watch! Look at what it’s doing!” Sophie grabbed her Mom’s sleeve and nearly tipped the canoe. The children’s mother gasped. “Oh, I hope there aren’t any chicks in that nest! Oh this is terrible.” Just as the snake’s upper body disappeared into the nest there was a snapping sound as the small supporting branch broke. The snake and nest fell into the water. The family watched in silence as the eggs, buoyant in the salt water, bobbed up and down. The water snake surfaced, swam to a branch, and lifted itself out of the water. “Look!” shouted Sam, “The crocodile swimming to the eggs!” “So is the python!” Sophie chimed in. The croc began snapping at the bobbing eggs, but the snake was more interested in the crocodile. The croc was splashing about, snapping its jaws. The python came too close to the crocodile and
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with a whip of its powerful tail, the croc claimed its territory; the python swam off, defeated. The crocodile attempted to snap up the remaining eggs, but it was nearly impossible, due to their shape and tendency to float. It quickly lost interest in the eggs and swam away. The canoe rocked gently in the swells caused by the commotion. Sam was already reviewing the photos he had taken. “Look at this one, Mom! It looks like the snake is going to bite the croc!”
“Let me see, Sam.” Sophie was glad her brother had remembered to bring along the camera so they could show their friends proof of their great adventure. “Oh wow! Nice photos. Mom, can we get doubles printed? These are so going into my scrapbook!”
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“Sure. We’ll only print the good ones though. I think Sam took about hundred of them! Whew, it’s really getting hot and I’m about ready for lunch. How about you all?” “Yeah! I’m starved,” they exclaimed. “How about egg salad?” Grandma asked. They all erupted in laughter as they paddled their canoe through the mangrove forest toward the campgrounds. They had one more day at the park and spent it walking on various trails and reading the interpretive signs, where they learned a lot more about mangrove forests and surrounding habitats. However, the adventure in the canoe remained the highlight of the vacation. Sam did not find the trip home as boring as he had the trip south. He spent his time reviewing the photos he took and erasing the ones that were out of focus or poorly framed. The family agreed that the trip had been one of the best vacations they’d been on, and they all wanted to go camping again at another park as soon as they had time.
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Places to see mangrove forests in Florida: There are many places to visit mangrove forest ecosystems. Trails in Everglades National Park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Collier Seminole State Park and Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge are just a few places to view this fascinating natural community.
Tree and Plant List Dominant Trees: · Black mangrove · Red mangrove · White mangrove Associated Trees: · Buttonwood · Fishpoison tree Companion Plants: · Nickerwood · Perennial glasswort · Saltwort · Sea blite · Sea daisy · Sea purslane
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Links to learn more: Mangroves Fact Sheet from Electronic Data Information Source of UF/IFAS Extension-‐-‐ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in195 Blue Planet Biomes http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/mangrove_forests.htm National Park Service -‐-‐ http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/mangroves.htm Florida Department of Environmental Protection-‐-‐ http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/habitats/mangroves.htm