Rivers & Springs
-Abby Mercado and Kiara Cuevas
Introduction
This is all about rivers and springs. Our ecosystem includes water ,it includes different types of plants, and also those places aren't swampy areas just places including water.To start off what is a River ? A river is freshwater flowing across the surface of the land, usually to the sea. A spring is a natural situation where water flows from an aquifer to the earths surface.
- Our ecosystem looks like a swamp but isn't. It has a flow of within the middle of the area which is also called the river It smells like fresh water It also around it it has like a musty fog .
- Wekiva Springs is located in Florida Orange County (below is a map of Wekiva Springs and where its located)
- We chose our ecosystem as Wekiva Spring but here are 5 other springs located in Florida (picture located at bottom)
- Blue Springs (picture #1)
- Silver Springs (picture #2)
- Alexander Springs (picture #3)
- This Spring is protected by the state
- There are many activities that you can do at Wekiva Springs such as biking, canoeing,kayaking,horseback riding, swimming, and swimming with manatees
Blue Springs
picture #1
Silver Springs
picture #2
Alexander Springs
picture #3
Wekiva Spring
- This is Wekiva Springs located in Florida
- This spring has a lot of activities
- This is a cold water spring
Florida Manatees
- This is Wekiva Springs
- The Florida Manatee is an endangered species
- This Manatee is being protected
- People over there can swim with the manatees
Activities
Wekiva Spring has a lot of activities to offer such as canoeing which is showed in this picture but there are many more such as
- Swimming
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Kayaking
- Also swimming with manatees
This video basically sums up what Wekiva Springs is all about ;)
Wekiva Spring park Orlando FL - GoPro
Abiotics
- Light
- Heat
- Waterfalls
- Freshwater
- Average humidity 48%
- Average wind speed 3 MPH
- Average pressure 29.94in.
Biotics
- florida manatee
- american alligator
- cattail
- dragonflies
- wood duck
- crayfish
- cottonwood
- mayflies
- rivercooter
- snails
- white catfish
- golden shiner
- osprey
- beaver
- river otters
- limpkin
- alligator snapping turtle
- freshwater shrimp
- golden orb weaver
- eel grass
- bald cypress
- spanish moss
- spider lily
Eel Grass
Eel grass is a plant located in many springs it is part of the Biotic Factors.
Light
Light is a main source of energy which helps with the wildlife and also the plants in the rivers and springs and Light is part of the Abiotic Factors
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The Alligator Snapping Turtle is found in rivers and springs and also these are part of the Biotic factor
Manatee - The Gentle Giant
Endangered Species:The West Indian Manatee
The west indian manatee or the Trichechus Manatus is endangered in florida's beaches and springs.They are being protected by the Marine Mammal Protection.These animals are endangered because people hunt,capture or kill them for the fun.Also humans hurt these creatures by going in the wrong places with their boats.
The species classification for the west indian manatee in Genus.
Food Web
Water:Floridas Life blood
On average, each Florida resident uses about 103 gallons of water each day. More than 60 percent of this water is pumped directly from deep underground aquifers. That's about four billion gallons.As a result, we are withdrawing water from Florida's underground aquifer faster than it can be replenished, decreasing flow levels at many head springs, stressing sensitive spring plant and animal species, and causing permanent, long-term damage to the geologic structure of the aquifer itself.
Human Impact
- Tourist attraction
- Certain methods of lawn care and landscaping can have a detrimental impact on Florida's aquifer and spring
- Rapid increase causes domination in forests and farms
- Athletic fields cause excessive irrigation
- Recreational Impact
- Pollution washes into rivers and streams
Resources
- We used google images for all of our pictures
- http://www.floridasprings.org/learn/journey/getting/
- http://webworldwonders.firn.edu/eco/animals.php?ecosystem=Rivers+and+Springs
- http://www.arkive.org/west-indian-manatee/trichechus-manatus/videos.html
- http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=A007