by Will Sheftall | Oct 22, 2016
What do the Ochlockonee and Aucilla rivers have in common? Not much, it would seem, beyond the fact that both have headwaters in Georgia and flow through Florida to the Gulf of Mexico. These two rivers do share the distinction of being unusual, although they’re unusual in very different ways.
The Ochlockonee runs yellow-brown between Leon and Gadsden counties.
Photo: Rosalyn Kilcollins
The Aucilla is a blackwater stream that goes underground and rises again before reaching the Gulf – a disappearing act that has fascinated early settlers, paddlers and naturalists alike. The Aucilla drains a smaller watershed, has lower flows, and features stream channel sediments that are predominantly sands and decaying organic material – the sediment signature of coastal plain streams with water stained dark brown, the color of tea.
In fact, blackwater rivers like the Aucilla get their color by steeping fallen and decaying tree leaves and twigs in slow-moving water, just as we steep shredded tea leaves or ground up coffee beans to dissolve their tannic acids into beverages. Blackwater steeping occurs in swamp forests up river tributaries, and in oxbow sloughs and other quiescent side channels of the downstream reaches. These form as a river “in flood” meanders and changes course within its floodplain.
The Ochlockonee is unusual among rivers originating in the Coastal Plain: in its upper reaches it has alluvial characteristics common to streams flowing from the Piedmont. The Ochlockonee drains soils rich in silt and clay that give it a yellowish brown color when those extremely fine sediments are suspended in the water. Land use activities such as paving roads and tilling farm fields elevate the fine sediment load when it rains by setting up larger volumes of fast-moving runoff. Higher rain runoff volume and velocity conspire to erode bare fields, construction sites and river banks, accentuating this river’s color.
But in spite of these differences, the Aucilla and Ochlockonee were once branches of the same river drainage system – the Paleo-Ochlockonee River. How could that possibly be? Well, sea level rise has drowned the lower reaches of this once mightier river, leaving its upper branches to empty into the Gulf separately, as smaller streams.
Sea level along Florida’s Big Bend coastline has been rising since the end of Earth’s last Ice Age – roughly 18,000 years ago. Our shallow, gently sloping underwater continental shelf was exposed during that last period of glaciation. As higher temperatures began melting ice sheets, not only did sea level rise, but more water evaporated and fell as rain. Southeastern rivers began carrying greater volumes of water.
Before annual rainfall reached today’s level during this prehistoric period of climate change, it is likely that the Aucilla from headwaters to Gulf was even more discontinuous than it is today. A current hypothesis is that the Aucilla was more like a string of sinkholes than a river, resembling its lower reaches today in a section known as the “Aucilla Sinks.”
The Aucilla is a tannic river. Thus not as yellow-brown but rather more “blackwater”.
Photo: Jed Dillard
But the nature of the Paleo-Aucilla is just one part of this intriguing story. Using sophisticated technology, scientists have discovered clues about the ancient route of the entire Paleo-Ochlockonee as it meandered across that more expansive, exposed Continental shelf to the Gulf.
In their 2008 publication Aucilla River, Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy reports that, “Ten thousand years ago, the Florida coastline was located 90 miles away from its present position. Scientists have discovered a buried river drainage system indicating that approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore from today’s coast — and now underwater — the Aucilla River combined with the Ochlockonee, St. Marks, Pinhook, and Econfina rivers to create what archeologists call the Paleo-Ochlockonee, which flowed another 70 miles before reaching the Gulf.”
“Well, I’ll be!” you say, “That’s all pretty cool to think about.” That was my reaction, too, until I remembered that this process of sea level rise continues still, albeit at an accelerating rate thanks to global warming. Which means our rivers that join forces today before emptying into the Gulf will one day be separated. Sea level rise eventually will dismember the Wakulla from the St. Marks, and the Sopchoppy from the Ochlockonee – but thankfully not in our lifetime.
True, that’s happened before, but long before humans were on the scene. Today and for many tomorrows to come, I am grateful that we and our children and grandchildren have a wonderful watery world patiently awaiting our exploration, not far beyond the urban bustle of Tallahassee.
We’re far removed in time from the first humans beckoned by these rivers. A pause in the rate of sea level rise 7,000 years ago enabled development of coastal marsh ecosystems and more successful human habitation – supported in part by the bounty of fish and shellfish that depend on salt marshes. Farther upstream and still inland today, the sinks and lower reaches of the Aucilla hold archaeological sites about twice that old, that are integral to our evolving understanding of very early prehistoric human habitation on the Gulf Coastal Plain.
If you’re intrigued by the myriad of fascinating rivers and wetlands of the Big Bend region – this globally significant biodiversity hotspot we live in, and want to experience some of them first-hand, you’re in luck. Several Panhandle counties offer Florida Master Naturalist courses on Freshwater Systems (and also courses on Upland Habitats and Coastal Systems). You can check the current course offerings at: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/fmnp/
You can also explore on your own. There are many public lands in our region (and across the Panhandle) that provide good access.
Go see the Aucilla’s remaining string of sinks by hiking a short segment of the Florida Trail through the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area in Taylor County. And the Ochlockonee’s floodplain of sloughs and swamps, bluffs and terraces by taking trails that follow old two-track roads “down to the river” through the Lake Talquin State Forest in Leon County.
Get some maps of your public lands, get some tips on trails, get outside, and go exploring!
by | Oct 14, 2016
Beech, magnolia and native
river cane (arundinaria) characterize hardwood forests in the Red Hills
Photo by Jed Dillard
I grew up in the Georgia Piedmont outside Athens, a land of bright red sticky clay, rocks and cold weather. In addition to the ubiquitous Georgia pines, hardwoods including white oaks, hickory and beech grow there. I had no clue the Red Hills of Florida and South Georgia would mimic much of that habitat and provide the benefits of fewer rocks to blunt shovels and less cold weather. Now, I can hardly imagine living anywhere else than in one of its beech – magnolia forests.
A friend of mine was doing some work for my neighbor and took the time to look for wild turkey roosting places and walked down to the creek bed through beech, magnolia, spruce pine, white oak and hickory to where the wild azalea grows. “Those sure are some pretty woods, “he told me.
He was describing the upland hardwood forest described by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory as “a well-developed, closed-canopy forest dominated by deciduous hardwood trees on mesic soils in areas sheltered from fire. It typically has a diverse assemblage of deciduous and evergreen tree species in the canopy and midstory, shade-tolerant shrubs, and a sparse groundcover. “ Blaisdell, et al characterized their location as areas “too steep for logging, farming, or grazing and are mesic (wet) enough so that fire rarely occurs in them. “
Many of these areas are relatively small and have escaped intervention. These small areas contribute to patchwork landscapes which provide the key requirements of wildlife habitat- shelter, food and water. Turkeys roost in the spruce pine over the creek and the hens build nests and forage with their poults on the seeds and bugs of the adjacent open fields. I had always thought of Florida as a sandy coastal environment, but these hills have more clay than most Florida sites underneath them. The combination the canopy’s protection of the moisture in layers of organic matter and the soil’s clay maintain a fertile, well-drained soil profile which supports a wide variety of plants and a varied supply of mast.
Of all its flora and fauna, one of its most intriguing species is the Barred Owl, Strix varia. Judy Biss of Calhoun county’s December 4, 2015 Panhandle Outdoors Article, Owls, Florida’s Remarkable Nocturnal Birds of Prey describes the natural history and biology of owls in Florida. The first time I heard a nearby Barred owl, I thought I was in presence of a fierce beast, surely a panther, at least a bob cat. The Tarzan movies filmed at Wakulla Springs used the Barred Owl calls for jungle sounds. Barred owls thrive in this habitat. The open forest floor and mature trees give them room to navigate and an abundant variety of prey. Snags and trees whose limbs are broken off by wind, provide cavities for them and other cavity nesters.
Pretty woods? Upland Hardwood Forests? Climax Beech Magnolia Forests? No matter what you call them, they’re one of the jewels of North Florida’s range of habitats. Get out and enjoy them.
References and additional information.
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/extension/4h/ecosystems/upland_hardwoods/upland_hardwoods_description.pdf
“The Role of Magnolia and Beech in Forest Processes in the Tallahassee, Florida, Thomasville, Georgia Area”. Blaisdell, Wooten and Godfrey. Tall Timbers Research Station
http://fnai.org/PDF/NC/Upland_Hardwood_Forest_Final_2010.pdf
by Carrie Stevenson | Oct 7, 2016
This close-up photo of a Seminole bat and her two pups exhibits their furry, mammalian traits. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
As we enter Halloween season, one of the most popular images of this spooky time of year is that of a bat. The creepy tales of vampire bats and Dracula are enduring and certainly exciting. Unfortunately, many negative connotations exist around this fascinating species. Perhaps you’ve heard they carry rabies, that they will fly into your hair, or that many of them are considered blood-sucking vampire bats?
In fact, there are many benefits to having bats in one’s landscape, neighborhood, or farm. The predominant role of bats in our local ecosystems is that of insect predator. A single little brown bat (Myotis lucifugis), which is native to the Florida Panhandle, can eat 1,200 insects (including mosquitoes) in one hour of feeding! In Texas, a recent study put the economic value of bats due to their consumption of agricultural pests on cotton farms at $74/acre. Extrapolated values of bats’ pest suppression services to US agriculture is in the billions of dollars annually.
Other species in warmer climates eat fruit and play a major role in reforesting rain forests in Central and South America—after digesting the fruit they leave seeds in their droppings (guano is excellent fertilizer, by the way), helping replant 95% of the very trees they feed upon. Some species feed on nectar, filling the same role as bees and helping pollinate bananas, avocados, cashews, and figs.
Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind and many have excellent vision. However, they do rely heavily on echolocation to sense prey and are extremely accurate hunters. Viewed close up, many people consider the small, furry animals rather cute, as opposed to frightening. They often fly erratically because they are chasing very small flying insects, so the only reason one would end up in a person’s hair is if a mosquito flew through it with a bat in chase! While vampire bats do exist, there are only 3 out of over 1,000 species of bats that feed on blood, and they all live in Latin America. They also tend to feed on the blood of livestock.
Building a bat house is a great activity for kids interested in wildlife. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Human contact with bats is rare unless the bats are sick, which is why one found on the ground should be left alone. Rabies transmission from bats accounts for only one death per year in the United States—a statistic much less than that of deaths from dog bites, bee stings, and lighting strikes! In fact, several towns in Texas with the highest populations of bats in the country have recorded zero human bat-transmitted rabies cases.
Bat populations are declining in North America due to disease (particularly white-nose syndrome), loss of habitat, and the slow reproductive cycle of bats. However, you can help the world’s only flying mammal by installing a bat house in your yard. Keep in mind that bats attracted to bat houses prefer to be in open areas away from trees (where their predators hide), and the house should be installed at least 12 feet in the air. Bat houses can be purchased or built rather simply—this UF IFAS Extension publication outlines several types, or visit Bat Conservation International’s website for simple instructions.
by Gary Knox | Oct 7, 2016
A “Gardening for Pollinator Conservation” Workshop will take place Thursday, October 13, at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy. Pollinators are important in conserving native plants, ensuring a plentiful food supply, encouraging biodiversity and helping maintain a healthier ecological environment – – – the so-called “balance of nature.” Come learn how you can conserve and promote pollinators in your own garden, all while beautifying your own little piece of Nature.
As in previous years, nursery vendors will be selling pollinator plants at the Oct. 13 workshop, making it convenient for you to put into practice what you learn at the workshop! Registration is just $15 per person and includes lunch, refreshments, and handouts.
Check out the workshop details and register at: https://gardeningforpollinatorconservation.eventbrite.com/
What: Gardening for Pollinator Conservation
When: Thursday, October 13, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EDT
Where: University of Florida/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, 155 Research Road, Quincy, FL. Located just north of I-10 Exit 181, 3 miles south of Quincy, off Pat Thomas Highway, SR 267.
Cost: $15 per person (includes lunch, refreshments and handouts)
Registration: https://gardeningforpollinatorconservation.eventbrite.com
For more information, contact: Gary Knox, gwknox@ufl.edu; 850.875.7105
For a printable Flyer click here: Gardening for Pollinators Workshop
Our workshop builds on previous successful pollinator workshops held at Leon Co. Extension last year and in Marianna in 2012. This workshop was developed as a collaboration of county faculty from several extension offices with folks from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission as well as UF/IFAS NFREC. Sponsors helping defray costs include Florida Native Plant Society – Magnolia Chapter, Gardening Friends of the Big Bend, Inc., Mail-Order Natives, and University of Florida/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center.
We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!
by Rick O'Connor | Sep 30, 2016
Recently I attended a conference that included a series of talks at the University of Florida’s Whitney Marine Lab. One of the talks was presented by the director of the lab, Dr. Mark Martindale, who discussed the history and mission of the lab. However, in that talk he made a comment that caught my attention.
is this a Cuban Tree Frog? Do I have to rely on DNA barconding to know for sure – before I decide to euthanize it? Could I be making a mistake?
Image by Dr. Steve A Johnson 2005.
He was discussing the work of the lab and mentioned the great diversity of microscopic life that existed in the Intracoastal Waterway right out their back door. But while discussing this he also mentioned that today’s biology students identify organisms by DNA markers. Going are the days of collecting the creatures and using taxonomic keys to identify using physical characteristics of the organism. What do I mean by this? Well, the “old timers” would wonder through the woods and shorelines, collecting specimens, and observing their physical characteristics… do they have legs? How many legs do they have? How many antennae do they possess? These “old timers” would observe the natural world, develop taxonomic keys (list of characters to help identify), have them peer reviewed, published, and occasionally updated. New microscopic techniques would alert them to mistakes they may have made and thus corrections and “re-do’s” could be done. There were specialists in this field called taxonomists. If you brought in a seashell, they would be able to identify relatively quickly. If they were confused on a few characters, they would contact their colleagues and an agreement would be reached on the proper identification. And so it went.
Today, this is not needed. The sequencing of genomes of many species have been done. The barcode method of identification by the “new school” is more accurate… as long as the sequence is correct, your identification is correct. There are fewer mistakes. Now problems like identifying what is partially digested in a fish gut can actually be done accurately. In some cases, we are learning that the classic “taxonomic tree” may have some flaws. Creatures whose physical characteristics suggest they are related, may in fact not be. We are looking at the progression of life all over again – it is an exciting time for biologists in many ways. But are we losing something by letting the “old natural history” methods go?
One example I can give is identification of a small marine creature called a lancelot. I was doing a survey of marine life at a local restoration project and collected several of these. I was trained by old school biologists and remembered there were four species of these found in our area. I looked through my old college notes to see if I could find how to tell them apart. I could not find those specific notes. So I thought I would contact local biologists for assistance… no one knew… they suggested I try this… try that… I finally decided that the only one who still knew was my old vertebrate zoology professor, Dr. Herbert Boshung. Unfortunately, Dr. Boshung – like so many other of the “old school” – had passed away.
And there I was… with a creature that I could not identify. The “new school” was not able to help. Could this be happening across the country, across the world. As the “old school” move on and the “new school” move in could we be losing a part of natural history that we won’t be able to get back? This concerned me some. To have people who should know, look at something and say “I do not know what that is” was a little disconcerting. Dr. Martindale thought we may have to “re-discover” all of this knowledge within the “new school” – start again.
I am a marine science educator who is in between the two schools. I was taught and trained by the “old school” – folks like Dr, Boshung and Dr. William Cliburn. I learned a LOT about our natural world through them and have used their “old school” methods to teach my students. The “new school” method of learning about the natural world has made wonderful discoveries and it is exciting to see what corrections will be made and what lionfish are actually eating. But I still feel the loss of the “old school” natural history is a true loss. We in Extension are often asked “can you identify this creature?” Those who have been trained “old school” can – or least to genus. “New school” not so much anymore. They can, but not by looking at it. This just seems to be a part of science education we should hold on to.
There is one place where the non-scientist interested in learning some of the “old school” methods still can… the Florida Master Naturalist Program. This program consists of three modules – uplands, wetlands/freshwater, and coastal. Participants will learn about the natural history and how to identify specific groups of creatures found in these systems – the old school way. For those interested in this I think it is a great program. It is offered through most county extension offices across the panhandle. To find out more about the program, and what modules are being offered in your area, visit http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/
by Rick O'Connor | Sep 23, 2016
Humans have been settling on, and around, coastal estuaries since they first arrived in the panhandle over 10,000 years ago. These bodies of water have provided food and recreation as long as anyone can remember. They are a magnet for those looking to build homes or businesses – and we continue to be attracted to them today.
Black Needlerush is one of the species of marsh grasses that live in brackish conditions.
Estuaries are defined as semi-enclosed bodies of water where fresh and sea water mix. The point where the freshwater enters is called the head of the bay; the point where seawater enters is called the mouth. Seawater is denser than freshwater so during incoming tides the saline water tends to “wedge” it’s way into the upper estuary along the bottom. Under certain conditions, it is possible to catch freshwater fish near the surface and marine species on the bottom at the same location. The mixture of fresh and seawater makes for an interesting cocktail of salinities termed brackish water – which is required for the development of almost 90% of the commercially valuable seafood species we enjoy. This ecosystem supports stands of vegetation which are also important in the development of some species – some of these systems are the most biologically productive on the planet.
We are lucky to have several large estuaries along the Florida panhandle. All of our bays are what are called drowned river valleys. Most are very wide and pretty shallow, with the highest average depth being 17 feet in Choctawhatchee Bay. The rivers that feed these estuaries begin in states north of us and bring with them needed freshwater and nutrients. Each of the panhandle estuaries is unique and provides different resources for their neighboring communities. Below is a breakdown of some of these characteristics. This information was provided by GulfBase.org.
| Bay |
Surface Area (km2) |
Drainage Area (km2) |
Avg. Daily Inflow (m3/sec) |
Avg. Depth (m) |
Avg. Salinity (ppt) |
Area of Wetlands (km2) |
Area of Submerged Vegetation (km2) |
| Perdido |
130 |
3,100 |
62 |
3.0 |
15 |
688 |
ND |
| Pensacola |
370 |
18,100 |
328 |
4.0 |
23 |
991 |
32 |
| Choctawhatchee |
334 |
14,000 |
241 |
5.0 |
25 |
1,133 |
12 |
| St. Andrews |
243 |
2,800 |
127 |
4.0 |
31 |
1,016 |
53 |
| St. Joseph ND |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Apalachicola |
554 |
53,100 |
824 |
3.0 |
22 |
2,396 |
36 |
| Apalachee |
412 |
11,900 |
150 |
3.0 |
30 |
2,813 |
130 |
You can see some of our estuaries have large areas and tremendous amounts of freshwater inflow. Others not so much, the bays with less freshwater inflow have higher salinities – and support a different ecology than the others. Is one better than the other?… no… certainly our ancestors understood this. Higher salinities meant more seagrass, scallops, and urchins – certain species of fish and maybe even marine turtles could be found here. Lower salinities meant a different group of fish, oysters, and crabs. It’s all good! Residents should benefit from what the bay provides – and not try to make “your bay” more like “another bay”.
They have suffered some over the years – discharge containing organic and inorganic chemicals have tainted some drinking water supplies as well as reduce valuable aquatic resources. Increased sediments from development have darkened the waters reducing light and reducing submerged plants. Heavily fishing and recreation have impacted both the habitats and the species that inhabit them. Through the efforts of universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private citizens many of the problems have been addressed – and recovery is occurring… but there is still more to do.
National Estuaries Week is a chance for all who live in the panhandle to realize how important these bodies of water are to our locally economy and to our quality of life. We hope you will appreciate them and do your part to help protect them. HAPPY NATIONAL ESTUARIES WEEK!
