Stop 5: Ecotone

Take a moment to survey your surroundings. As you scan from left to right you will see a transition from pine trees and palmettos to cypress trees, tupelo trees, ferns and other aquatic species. This area of transition is called an ecotone. This means it is where two different habitats come into contact. The pines and palmettos are upland species, the ferns and cypress are wetlands species. Uplands and wetlands are defined by the soil type, plants and animals that are found there. What do you think the soil is like in a wetland? What about an upland? The really neat part about this change from uplands to wetlands in Florida is it only takes very small changes in elevation to dramatically change what we see above ground. Ecotones are an important feature in our ecosystems as the space where these two biological communities meet means more diversity of plants and associated food and shelter available to wildlife. Can you spot any animals using this wetland as you enjoy your walk?