Coastal Waters of Florida: Estuaries, Seafloors, and Seagrass Meadows

Chapter 5: Coastal Waters: Estuaries and Seafloors (Pp. 67-85)

Estuary Characteristics

Estuaries are distinguished by:

• Salinity Variation:
• Turbidity:

Plankton's Ecological Importance

Plankton plays a vital role in various ecosystems:

• Estuaries: Plankton abundance supports diverse marine life, including shrimp, crabs, oysters, and fish.
• Ocean: Phytoplankton forms the base of the ocean's food web.
• Atmosphere: Diatoms, a type of phytoplankton, help regulate the Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide.

Ecological Value of Marine Worms

Polychaete and oligochaete plumed worms are crucial food sources for numerous fish and bird species, supporting the intricate balance of marine ecosystems.

Mollusks of Florida Coral Reefs

Three major mollusk classes inhabit Florida's coral reefs:

• Gastropods: Primarily herbivorous snails with single-piece shells.
• Bivalves: Filter feeders with two-part shells.
• Cephalopods: Intelligent predators like squid, cuttlefish, and octopus.

Chapter 6: Submarine Meadows (Pp. 87-97)

Seagrasses in Florida Bay

Seagrasses: Aquatic flowering plants, not true grasses.

Area: Seagrass beds cover vast areas, including approximately 75,000 acres in Apalachee Bay and nearly 1,500,000 acres in Florida Bay.

Growth Pattern: Seagrasses thrive in a band extending from river outflows up to 70 miles offshore and along tidal channels in mangrove islands in South Florida.