Our Environment: Part 3 – Life in the Sea
They say life began in the oceans. We know that the lithosphere is cracked, adding new land, subducting land over time. But much of the lithosphere is covered with water – and here life began. Initially it had to begin on either rock or sand. The sand would have...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Green Algae
With this article we will shift from the microscopic creatures of the Gulf of Mexico to the macroscopic ones – ones you can see without a microscope. We will begin with the simplest and most primitive of macroscopic creatures – the seaweeds. Many locals see the grass...
Our Environment – Part 2: How Our Planet Works
To better understand the basics of how the planet works we will use the analogy of a chicken egg. The yolk would represent the core – solid and in the middle of the planet. The mantle would be like the egg white that surrounds the yolk. It takes up most of the...
A Northwest Florida Winter Wonderland
Snow in Florida? Yeah, it happens. We sometimes get the dusting, we sometimes get the icing, but we never really get the good stuff, the “accumulation.” Well Tuesday, January 21st will go down as the snowiest day in Florida recorded history, and I was lucky (or...
Killer Turkey Food Plot
Before you know it spring turkey season will be upon us and now is the time to start planning a killer turkey food plot. Establishing a great food plot takes more than just planting seeds. It takes planning and preparation prior to planting those seeds. The prime...
Our Environment – Introduction
Each year I survey the public to determine what their needs are – what they are most concerned about – and where Extension might help. One of the primary functions of Extension is to provide local clientele with solutions to their needs – our mantra at UF IFAS...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Meroplankton
What are meroplankton? How do they differ from regular plankton? In the plankton world there are those that are plankton (drifters) their whole lives – holoplankton – and those who are plankton for only part of their lives – meroplankton. Most know the meroplankton...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Copepods
So far in this series we have been discussing microscopic creatures in the northern Gulf of Mexico that are single celled – though many may be linked together in chains. In this article we will begin discussing microscopic creatures that are multicellular. When you...
Is it Colder than Last Year? What the Data Says.
Over the last 10 years or so, the Florida Panhandle has gotten used to relatively warm winters, at least historically speaking. While we have experienced sharp cold snaps that were devastating to unprepared landscapes and gardens (the most recent being the late...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Ciliate Protozoans
After two articles on protozoans, we now know what these animal-like creatures are. We have discussed some that move by flagella, and others than move by pseudopodia. The last group by short flagella called cilia. Ciliates are often covered with these small...