Embrace the Gulf 2020 – the nematodes
As we continue our series on marine life in the Gulf of Mexico, we also continue our articles on marine worms. Worms are not the most charismatic creatures in the Gulf, but they are very common and play a large role on how life functions in this environment. ...
Sea Pork: A shoreline oddity
Recently I was walking the beach, enjoying a sunset and looking around at the shells and other oddities in the wrack line where waves deposit their floating treasures. Something bright green and oblong caught my eye. It was emerald in color, smooth yet fuzzy at the...
How to Become an Expert Naturalist
Have you ever been on a walk, passed a beautiful flowering bush, and wondered what it was? Well, wonder no more! You can become an expert naturalist by using an easy smartphone app, iNaturalist. With one easy download, you can connect with others to identify...
2020 Year of the Turtle – Diamondback Terrapins
In my time educating the public about Florida turtles I have found that most Floridians have not heard of diamondback terrapins. They have heard of, and seen turtles, but are not sure what the names of the different species are and are not familiar with the term...
Crawfish!
"You get a line, I'll get a pole, we'll go down to the crawdad hole, honey, baby, mine"...there are lots of great zydeco songs singing the praises of crawfish (aka crayfish, crawdads, mudbugs). They are in season now, and while crawfish festivals all around the...
Embrace the Gulf 2020 – the Nemeratean Worms
As we embrace the marine life of the Gulf of Mexico during this year of “Embracing the Gulf”, we are currently hooked on worms. In the last article we talked about the gross and creepy flatworms. Gross because they are flat, pale in color, only have a mouth so they...
Urbanization and MS4s in Stormwater
Urbanization—the process of conversion from forests, grasslands, or agricultural fields to predominantly residential, commercial, and industrial settings—can cause profound changes to the pathways that rainfall takes to become streamflow. This landscape conversion...
Gopher Tortoises
In architecture, a “keystone” is the top, central block in an arch structure, the one that holds the entire building up. Without it, the bricks around it collapse. With it, there is nothing stronger. So, when you hear an animal referred to as a “keystone” species, it...
2020 Year of the Turtle – map turtles
Map turtles (Graptemys) are pretty common across much of the eastern and midwest areas of the United States. Not so much in Florida. There are only two species, and they are only found in the panhandle. However, the range for those two species is mostly in Florida...
Share the Shore with Nesting Seabirds and Shorebirds!
Black Skimmers and Least Terns, state listed species of seabirds, have returned along the coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico! These colorful, dynamic birds are fun to watch, which can be done without disturbing the them. What is the difference between a...