Florida Lakes
Melissa Gomez
Florida's Biggest Lake is 730 mi²!!!
Florida has hundreds of lakes, but there is 1 lake that is very special. Lake Okeechobee is Florida's biggest lake, measuring 730 miles squared! It's also the second biggest in the US! Endangered species in the lakes include the American Alligator and the Wood Stork. With activities like boating, fishing, and swimming, and beautiful animals and plants, Florida lakes have it all.
Biotic Factors
Flora
- Cattail
- Algae
- Water Lily
- Sedges
- Tape Grass
- Pondweed
- Bladderwort
- Coontail
- Duck Potato
- Lemon Bacopa
- Hygrophila
- Marigold
- Duckweed
- Lotus
- Sawgrass
Fauna:
- Alligators
- Different species of birds - Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, White Ibis, Wood stork, Bald Eagle, Hawks, Vultures, Wood Ducks, Mallard, Cranes
- Different species of snakes
- 40 species of fish
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
- Mollusks
- Crustaceans
- Larval and adult insects
Abiotic Factors
- The Florida Lakes are aquatic ecosystems.
- Florida lakes have clay, sand, and limestone.
- Human impacts include environmental harm because of polluted runoff from local farmlands.
- Florida's lakes' trophic (nutrient) status varies.
- Most Florida lakes are poorly to moderately supplied with nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients.
- Most Florida lakes have low to medium densities of microalgae and aquatic plants.
- Temperature varies from 59 degrees fahrenheit to 86 degrees fahrenheit.
- Water type varies.
The American Alligator
Classification of the American Alligator:
Domain: Eukaryote
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Crocodylidae
Genus: Alligator
Species: Mississippiensis
The Biggest Lake in Florida!
Despite its size, the lake is shallow. Did you know it's the biggest lake completely within one of the lower 48 states?
Lake George
Also known as Lake Welaka, this shallow and brackish lake is located on St. Johns River. It's also the second largest lake in Florida.
A Sunset at Okeechobee
This picture of a beautiful sunset was captured at Lake Okeechobee.
The American Alligator (A)
The American Alligator is the apex predator in the Florida Lakes ecosystem.
Birds (C)
There are many different species of birds in the lakes ecosystem. This is a Great Blue Heron.
Snakes (C)
This is one of the many species of lakes found in the Florida lakes ecosystem.
Amphibians (C)
The most common amphibians you will find at the lakes are frogs and toads.
Crustaceans (C)
This includes crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and many more!
Fish (C)
There are over 40 different species of fish living in the Florida Lakes!
Larval and Adult Insects (C)
There are many different species of insects in the lakes.
Mollusks (D)
One of the very few decomposers in this ecosystem.
Grasses and Plants (P)
There are over 15 different types of grasses and plants in the Florida Lakes.
The Sun
How water affects the Florida Lakes Ecosystem
Water is the direct source of life in this ecosystem. Most species of flora and fauna are marine, and need water as a habitat, and not just a source of food. Lakes wouldn't be lakes, since they wouldn't be bodies of water anymore. All life in this ecosystem would cease to exist.
Positive and Negative Human Impacts
Positive:
- Florida lakes provide fun and activities to thousands of people.
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Boating
- Hiking
- Bird Watching
- Etc.
- Freshwater lakes provide humans with water for drinking.
Negative:
- Discharge of nutrients and other pollutants from human activities such as farming
- Siltation
- Forest Clearing
Extra Credit - Endangered Species: Wood Stork
Wood Storks are tall, white occupants of brackish and freshwater marine ecosystems. They can be identified by their long legs, protrusive beaks, and featherless heads. They eat minnows in shallow waters, by using a rare fishing technique- the stork opens its beak underwater, waits for a fish to pass close by, then snaps it closed in under 30 milliseconds, trapping the unfortunate fish. Its size varies from 33 in to 45 in, and it has a wingspan varying from 4.9 ft to 5.8 ft. A negative impact on this bird is loss of optimal feeding habitat, and a positive impact is humans trying to protect local potential wood stork habitats.