Are Our Bays Becoming Less Salty? 2022 Annual Report
Introduction Historically the average rainfall in the Pensacola Bay is around 60 inches per year. However, over the past 10 years that has increased to slightly more than 75 inches per year (see Table 1). The frequency of those levels over the past decade...
Barrier Island Wildlife in the Florida Panhandle; Part 3 Here They Come
The classic model of ecological succession begins with new land. This could be new land formed by a sand bar, or a new landscape formed after a volcanic eruption, but new land none the less. Then the pioneer community begins. Based on the model, the...
Barrier Island Wildlife in the Florida Panhandle; Part 2 The Habitats
The habitats of a barrier island are defined and driven by the plant communities there. Seeds from the mainland must first reach the new island and they can do so using a variety of different methods. Some come by wind, some by water, some by birds and...
Can We Eradicate the Cuban Treefrog from the Florida Panhandle?
This one will be harder. I say this for a couple of reasons. First, the invasion seems to be silently spreading. A just a couple of years ago we had very few records, one off individuals that were removed by those reporting. But they have...
This Holiday Season Enjoy a Fresh Florida Grown Christmas Tree
This Holiday season stay real and go local with a fresh locally grown tree. It may come as a surprise to many, but Florida has thriving local Christmas tree farms around the state. Just because Florida is a warm climate in the deep south does not mean Christmas trees...
Barrier Island Wildlife in the Florida Panhandle Part 1 – The Island
There are a lot of cool and interesting creatures that live on the barrier islands of Northwest Florida. The conditions out there require they make changes and adaptations different from what they would do in a more upland or wetland environment. Some...
Can We Eradicate Giant Salvinia from the Florida Panhandle?
Based on the number of EDDMapS records for the panhandle – yes… we can. And if these records are accurate – yes… we should. I have seen the impact this plant can make. It has invaded Texas and Louisiana and has caused enough problems for the USDA to...
Can We Eradicate Cogongrass from the Panhandle Barrier Islands?
Most of us have heard of invasive cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica). It arrived in the early part of the of the 20th century near Mobile Alabama and has spread across the lower southeast. It is an aggressive growing grass with serrated leaves and silica...
Assessing the Status of Diamondback Terrapins in the Florida Panhandle 2022 Update
Introduction The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is the only resident brackish water turtle in the United States. Ranging from Massachusetts to Texas. This estuarine turtle spends much of its time in coastal wetlands such as marshes and...
Can We Eradicate the Invasive Beach Vitex?
If you read the introduction article to this series you would know that yes – based on comments from Dr. Simberloff, we can. But your best chance at doing so is when the species is early in its invasion of the area – Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR). ...