Dunes and Maritime Forests
Holly DeRosa
Introduction ~
The Dunes and Maritime Forests is a wooded habitat near the coast. They are sandy, and included on some barrier islands. They are within the range of salt spray, and it provides a harsh environment for animals and plants. Most plants have a waxy coating that protects against salt spray and sand. Dunes and Maritime forests are spread throughout Florida, as well as some other Eastern regions.
Biotic Factors ~
Biotic :
Fauna ~
- Loggerhead Turtle
- Snow Plover (endangered)
- Black Skimmer
- Brown Pelican
- Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake ~
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptila
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Crotalus
Species: C. adamanteus
Flora ~
- Hackberry
- Beach Sunflower
- Barnacle
- Cabbage Palm
- Eastern gray squirrel
- Gumbo Limbo
- Jamaican Dogwood
Animals and Plants ~
Loggerhead Turtle
Loggerhead Turtles are found throughout Florida, and scientists have recently seen an increase of them nesting at dunes.
Snow Plover
The Dunes and Maritime Forest are home to many species of birds, including the endangered Snow Plover.
Hackberry
Also called the Sugurberry, this tree produces orange fruit and is found everywhere in Florida besides the Keys.
Abiotic Factors ~
Abiotic :
- Wind and wave driven sand work together to create dunes
- Sun ( usually shady due to trees )
- Waves ( works with sand and wind to create dunes
- Wind ( creates dunes with sand and waves)
- Coastal Ecosystem
- Tends to be humid due to ocean
- Saltwater
- Sand
Human Impacts ~
Positive :
- ecotourism
Negative :
- Beach Development
- Sand mining
- Garbage found in dunes/ocean/forest
- Brazilian Peppertree
Water ~
Water is one of the most important factors in this ecosysytem's Without water, there would be no dunes. The water (waves) are a huge contributor to the making of dunes. As well as that, many of the plants in this ecosytem live on the beach, and would not survive without the waves. The maritime forests would not thrive, as they are right outside of the dunes, and require the water. Most of the animals could not live here, as it would be almost inabitable. With no water, they would die from dehydration and would not be able to bathe themselves.
Endangered Species ~ Snow Plover
The snow plover is an endangered species that lives on the gulf coast of Florida. This bird eats worms and insects. Although once a very populous bird, due to coastlines being developed, there have been destructions of nests and habitats. The snowy plover is seen worldwide, but the species largest population is seen in Florida, and Louisiana.