Tag Archives: salt marsh

Crown Conchs- Friend or Foe?

The crown conch is the Jekyll and Hyde of coastal ecosystems. Dr. Randall Hughes clarifies why the predatory snail might be a friend or foe to the salt marsh. Continue reading

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Four Ways (and more) That Salt Marshes Earn Their Keep

Every acre of salt marsh provides thousands of dollars of services to humankind. On this week’s video, Dr. Randall Hughes explores the surprising value of the marsh, a dynamic habitat that despite its external appearance, teems with fascinating creatures. Continue reading

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Rebecca’s “Wakulla Beach Experience”

We spend a lot of time showing you shots of scientists working and animals in their habitats, and not enough showing you what it’s like to actually walk in a salt marsh or oyster reef. On this week’s video, the WFSU/ Mag Lab SciGirls walk into the mud and learn what field work is all about. Also, new “In the Grass, On the Reef” associate producer Rebecca Wilkerson recounts her first visit to an oyster reef. Continue reading

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What do you remember about middle school?

Dr. Randall Hughes looks back at her first exposure to research and coastal ecosystems as the SciGirls visit her lab. On this week’s video, the SciGirls learn that if there is anything harder than making good science, it’s talking about it. Continue reading

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Video: Where the Land Meets the Sea

This is the first of our NSF funded videos following research along our coasts. Dr. David Kimbro and Dr. Randall Hughes study intertidal habitats full of fascinating creatures that help drive the economy of our coasts and beyond. Continue reading

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Biodiversity and the Apalachicola: Why it’s Worth a Visit

The Apalachicola River Basin is known as one of the most biodiverse places in the United States. But what does biodiversity mean? As it turns out, there is more than one answer. Continue reading

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Dude, where’s my water?

In the winter, both the tourists and most of the animals have made themselves scare in the intertidal region of St. Joseph Bay. It’s an entirely different landscape than summer vacationers are used to, and one that can be a challenge if you’re kayaking. Dr. Randall Hughes (FSUCML) and Dan and Debbie VanVleet (Happy Ours) guide us through winter in the bay. Continue reading

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A long time in the making

If you want an activity that will take a lot of your time, go out onto your lawn and try to figure out which blades of grass belong to what individual plant. The grass in a salt marsh, like your lawn, is made up of various individuals, each with different characteristics that contribute to the success of a marsh. Dr. Randall Hughes’ new experiment looks at what makes habitat building cordgrass individuals successful. Continue reading

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Tricks or Treats? And more on the effects of predators in marshes.

When David Kimbro looks through his trick-or-treat bag, he doesn’t see candy, he sees oyster shells and periwinkle snails. Can predators trick periwinkles into not destroying marsh cordgrass? Or will they serve as tasty treats for blue crabs? David shares his data. Continue reading

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Video: Paddling the Forgotten Coast

If you missed it on dimensions, here is our video on the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail. If you have an eco-adventure you’d like to share or have covered, leave a comment on our Ecotourism North Florida page. For more … Continue reading

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