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Florida keysFlorida keys

FLORIDA KEYS FLORIDA KEYS A CORAL REEF A CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMECOSYSTEM

•Florida keys is located 15 Florida keys is located 15 miles from Miami miles from Miami

•The Florida keys ends 145 The Florida keys ends 145 kilometers (90 miles) north of kilometers (90 miles) north of

Cuba Cuba

WATER DEPTH, RAIN FALL, WATER DEPTH, RAIN FALL, FRESH WATER & SALT WATER FRESH WATER & SALT WATER

• The water depth is from 0.6 to 610 The water depth is from 0.6 to 610 meters (2 to 2,000 feet) average meters (2 to 2,000 feet) average 15.25 (50 feet) 15.25 (50 feet)

• It rains about 125 times a year that It rains about 125 times a year that makes 125,000,000 gallons makes 125,000,000 gallons

• There's a lot of fresh water and salt There's a lot of fresh water and salt water fish (50% of each). water fish (50% of each).

TEMPATURE & SUNLIGHTTEMPATURE & SUNLIGHT

• Temperature up Temperature up to 105 degrees.to 105 degrees.

• The hottest day The hottest day is 110 degrees.is 110 degrees.

• The sunlight is very The sunlight is very important for the important for the tropical flowers and tropical flowers and plants. Some people plants. Some people don’t know that with don’t know that with out sunlight the coral out sunlight the coral couldn’t grow, and if the couldn’t grow, and if the coral couldn’t grow the coral couldn’t grow the smaller fish couldn’t eat smaller fish couldn’t eat then, the big fish would then, the big fish would go hungry then the food go hungry then the food web would be out of it’s web would be out of it’s place. place.

FloridaFlorida KeysKeys Marine Bacteria zooxanthelle phytoplanktonMarine Bacteria zooxanthelle phytoplankton

humanhuman

barracuda moray eelbarracuda moray eel

parrot fish black sea urchin knobbed porgyparrot fish black sea urchin knobbed porgy

Coral turtle grass algae Coral turtle grass algae

Fun FactsFun Facts

• Parrot Fish use there small, Parrot Fish use there small, bony, sharp teeth to scrape off bony, sharp teeth to scrape off polyps off the coral bodies.polyps off the coral bodies.

• A quarter of all species are found A quarter of all species are found in coral reefs.in coral reefs.

• There are 1,700 islands near the There are 1,700 islands near the Florida Keys.Florida Keys.

Florida keysFlorida keys

Abiotic Abiotic affectsaffects

AbioticAbiotic AffectsAffects

The FloridaThe Florida keys are dangered keys are dangered by not just people by not just people and biotic affects, and biotic affects, but by abiotic but by abiotic factors too.factors too.

Some of the abiotc Some of the abiotc affects are affects are

• Pollution.Pollution.

• over harvesting of over harvesting of sea life.sea life.

• Ship wreckShip wreck..

People’s affectsPeople’s affectsCareless snorkelers Careless snorkelers come break and come break and damage corals by damage corals by standing on or leaning standing on or leaning against the reef. Even against the reef. Even a light touch can a light touch can destroy the animals destroy the animals living in the hard living in the hard bodies. bodies.

Over one-half of the world is at high or Over one-half of the world is at high or medium risk from human disturbance, medium risk from human disturbance, this often leads to a sickness where this often leads to a sickness where corals come diseased or bleached. corals come diseased or bleached. People noticed a spread of damage People noticed a spread of damage and bleaching in coral reefs, this and bleaching in coral reefs, this happened not only in places with lots happened not only in places with lots of human movement but in undisturbed of human movement but in undisturbed areas too. Motor boats can tear up sea areas too. Motor boats can tear up sea grasses in shallow lagoons. grasses in shallow lagoons.

Main affectsMain affects

The main affects for people are touching, leaning, The main affects for people are touching, leaning, or standing on coral and boats pollution.or standing on coral and boats pollution.

What is killing the coral?What is killing the coral?

It’s estimated that it takes a coral reef 30-100 years It’s estimated that it takes a coral reef 30-100 years to recover from a single touch, it could take up to to recover from a single touch, it could take up to 500 years before the corals return to normal stage.500 years before the corals return to normal stage.

Made by…..Made by…..

Caitlin Goedert Caitlin Goedert

Miah EllisMiah Ellis

Sidnie JacksonSidnie Jackson

DeWayne HayesDeWayne Hayes