Energy that comes from the sun is changed into food by plants and then transferred from one organism to another in the food chain.
Mosquitoes are insects that have a four-part life cycle. Eggs are laid in or near the water. When the eggs hatch, the larvae and pupae live in water, providing food for other animals. The adult mosquitoes are a favorite food for dragonflies.
Eagles and ospreys are large birds that dive from the sky to catch fish from the water to eat.
Even though humans don’t like them, mosquitoes are an important part of nature’s food chain. Small fish, frogs and salamanders feed on mosquitoes, their eggs and larvae.
One hundred years ago, Florida’s wetlands covered more than half of the state. For a long time, humans thought that wetlands, like freshwater marshes, were not useful. Over one-third of Florida’s wetlands have been drained for agriculture, flood control and residential development.
Wetlands are now known for the good that they do. Wetland ecosystems in Florida are important because they filter and clean water, control floods and provide habitat for many animals that live in or near the wetlands.
A freshwater marsh is a type of wetland where grasses grow, but trees do not. Florida has many freshwater marsh ecosystems. Wetlands are land areas that are flooded during some part or all of the year.
Wetlands are lands that are covered by shallow water all or part of the year. There are freshwater wetlands like marshes and swamps. There are also saltwater wetlands, some of which are found along the coast of Florida.
Egrets, herons and many other birds wade around in the marsh looking for fish and other small animals to eat.
Raccoons don’t live in the marsh, but they come to the marsh looking for food. Raccoons go to dry land to hide and sleep.
Producers found in this wetland scene are the different trees and plants. Consumers are the alligator, heron, eagle, raccoon, frog, fish and mosquito. Decomposers are the shelf mushrooms.
If you look closely in the marsh, you’ll see snakes, but don’t worry. Most of them are harmless to humans. Be careful, though, some are poisonous.
Saw grass is a common vegetation that lives in freshwater marshes in Florida. This sedge grows in places where your feet would get wet if you tried to walk through the area. The name “saw grass” comes from the saw-like edges of the blades of the plant.
The frog is an amphibian. It starts out as a tadpole swimming in the water and grows into a frog that can sit beside the water waiting for an insect to eat. Frogs are hard to see because they blend into their surroundings.
Alligators eat fish and other animals. They’re called top predators because no other predator eats an adult alligator except humans.
There are many freshwater fish in Florida. Some common fish that are eaten by other animals and by people are the bluegill, crappie and sunfish.
In Florida, there’s a small fish called a mosquito fish. You’d probably call it a minnow. What do you think it eats? Hmmm? If you said mosquitoes, you’re right. It’s a very important part of the food chain.
Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. Wetland plants provide food and shelter for many living things. Some animals, like raccoons, bears and birds, feed in the wetlands even though they don’t live there all the time. Wetlands are important for other reasons too. They clean the water naturally and help protect against floods. As water runs through these lands, nutrients are absorbed by the plants. If there’s too much rain, the water can collect in wetlands, reducing flood damage.
