EC Presentation: Introduction

red bordered emerald

look at picture

grape flea beetle

look at picture

zebra longwing

look at picture

scrubsnail

look at picture

pine rocklands

unique ecosystem with hard rock limestone ground, dry climate, low shrubbery, tall pines, and frequent fires

everglades

unique subtropical marsh ecosystem only found in FL with saw grass up to 4-10 ft (1.2 to 3 m) and over 360 bird species

wetlands

ecosystems with ground flooded by water, seasonal or year-round

mangrove forests

ecosystem of deep rooted trees lining coasts, providing homes for unique wildlife and storm protection

coral reefs

ecosystem made of colonies of polyps held together by calcium carbonate, serving as a home to millions of fish but suffering from bleaching

saw palmetto

-low growing palm
-sharp teeth on leaves and stalk
-leaves growing from center like a fan

saw palmetto

-provides berries necessary to over 20 mammals, 25 amphibians, 100 birds, 60 reptiles, and insects
-ex. FL black bear, foxes, gopher tortoises, raccoons

saw palmetto

-complex root system allowing it to survive droughts, floods, and fires
-500 to 700 year lifespan

saw palmetto

-one of only a few members of the palm family to grow in the panhandle
-extremely slow growing

sabal palm

also known as the cabbage palm

sabal palm

-stringy fibers
-rough trunk
-5 ft (1.5 m) long palm fronds growing from boot
-45 ft (14 m) tall

sabal palm

FL state tree, replaced coconut palm

sabal palm

nesting materials for bats, caracaras, cardinals, crows, doves, flycatchers, gnatcatchers, hawks, hummingbirds, kinglets, mockingbirds, shrikes, wrens, possums, raccoons, squirrels, snakes, tree frogs, and too many insects

bats
caracaras
cardinals
crows
doves
flycatchers
gnatcatchers
hawks
hummingbirds
kinglets
mockingbirds
shrikes
wrens
possums
raccoons
squirrels
snakes
tree frogs
TOO MANY INSECTS

QUICK WHAT ANIMALS RELY ON THE SABAL PALM!??!?!?!???!?!!!

sabal palm

human use:
-edible piece at the heart of the palm
-yard decor

sabal palm

-do not have traditional tree growth rings because they're more closely related to grass
-200 to 300 year lifespan

sabal palm

-reliable source of food for and shelter for animals
-found all throughout FL
-salt, storm, and frost tolerance

slash pine

-thick bark
-branches high up on crown
-long soft needles
-light gray, cracked bark
-fire resistance

slash pine

-home to species like the Red Cockaded Woodpecker, Big Cypress Fox Squirrel, Eagles, and Egrets

slash pine

human use:
-lumber
-plywood
-pulp paper
-fuel wood
-pine straw mulch

slash pine

have a strong tolerance to fire and even rely on it for nutrient cycling and fresh land for seeds

slash pine

-mature to spread seeds after 12 years
-150 year lifespan

gopher tortoise

-9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) tall
-stumpy hind legs
-shovel like forelimbs
-thick scales

gopher tortoise

-yellow, orange, and brown shell when juvenile
-tan, brown, and grayish-brown shell when adult
-40 to 60 year lifespan

gopher tortoise

keystone species:
-burrows
-seed dispersal

gopher tortoise burrows

-15 ft (4.6 m) long
-6.5 ft (2.0 m) deep
-provide homes to over 350 species: snakes, frogs, mice, foxes, skunks, opossums, rabbits, quails, armadillos, owls, etc.

gopher tortoise

threats:
-road collisions
-poaching
-habitat loss (ex. walmart construction)

gopher tortoise

only species of tortoise native to FL

vulnerable

what is the IUCN status of the gopher tortoise?

gopher tortoise

conservation:
-FFWS reports
-dr whitfield tracking, land protection, and education

gopher tortoise

-use forelimbs to dam up water when it rains and save for droughts
-use puddles on side of road

360

how many species of birds live in the everglades?

40-60 years

what is a gopher tortoise's lifespan?

150 years

what is a FL slash pine's lifespan?

500-700 years

what is a saw palmetto's lifespan?

5 feet

how long is a sabal palm frond?

45 feet

how tall is a sabal palm?

200-300 years

what is a sabal palm's lifespan?

350

how many species use gopher tortoise burrows?

slash pine

what plant do red cockaded woodpeckers rely on for shelter?

slash pine

what plant do big cypress fox squirrels rely on for shelter?

slash pine

what plant do eagles rely on for shelter?

slash pine

what plant do egrets rely on for shelter?

12 years

when do FL slash pines mature enough for seed dispersal?

talons

part of harpy eagle used to grab prey

beak

part of harpy eagle used to dig into prey

feathers

part of harpy eagle that fluff up to make a disk useful for hearing

panama city mayor

who did ron magill write a letter to about getting funding for the zoo in panama?

panama ambassador

who did ron magill meet with after the mayor of panama city said she was too busy with bigger issues?

sony

who helped funding the harpy eagle zoo after a lengthy presentation by ron magill?

Embera tribe

who did ron magill go to for help learning about harpy eagles in panama?

80

how old was the super buff tribe elder climbing trees and being a badass?

helicopter

what vehicle did ron magill use to see the issues occurring in the panama rainforest?

deforestation

what was the main problem occurring in the panama rainforest?

wingspan

how did ron magill's team measure the harpy eagles size?

feces

how did ron magill's team research the harpy eagles diet?

trackers

how did rong magill's team monitor the harpy eagles behavior?

Summit Zoo

where was the harpy eagle zoo built in panama?

stamp

what was the harpy eagle art competition between school children in panama for?

panama

what was the name of the zoo born harpy eagle chick?

festival

what was thrown to celebrate the harpy eagle?

police badge

what was the first edition item gifted to ron magill with the harpy eagle symbol?

7.7 billion

current world population

21.2 million

current florida population

E

Which of these don't belong?
A. Pine Rocklands
B. Everglades
C. Mangrove Forests
D. Coral Reefs
E. Tropical Rainforests

B

Which of these does the sabal palm NOT support?
A. Bats
B. Turkeys
C. Caracaras
D. Possums
E. Cardinals
F. Tree Frogs

A

TRUE OR FALSE: fire is necessary to maintain the pine rocklands
A. True
B. False
C. Who's to say?

C

How many species rely on gopher tortoise burrows?
A. 100
B. 25
C. 350+
D. 280

B

Which of these are the red cockaded woodpecker's WORST enemies?
A. White-tailed deer
B. Ratsnakes
C. Space Aliens
D. Bugs
E. Dinosaur Zombies

C

How many recorded human attacks from FL panthers are there?
A. 21
B. 70
C. 0
D. 200

A

What is the FL panther listed as under the Federal Species Act?
A. Endangered
B. Threatened
C. Candidate

photosynthesis formula

6CO2 + 6H20 + sunlight = 6O2 + C6H12O6

Florida Panther

-tanned fur, white/grey chest
-black marks on snout, tail, and tips of ears
-1.8 - 2.1 meters (6 - 7 feet) long
-big cat

10-15 years

what is the Florida Panthers lifespan?

florida panther

controls populations of:
-white tailed dear
-wild hogs
-rabbits
-birds
-raccoons

florida panther

degradation:
-habitat loss
-road mortalities
-neuromuscular disorder

florida panther

-don't roar
-purr, hiss, snarl, growl, and yowl

florida panther

-shy and solitary
-no recorded attacks on humans

florida panther

colors help camouflage and mimic white tailed dears

least concern

what is the FL Panthers IUCN status?

endangered

what is the FL Panthers Federal Species Act status?

120-130

how many FL Panthers are left in the wild?

florida panther

conservation:
-habitat expansion, restoration, and protection
-encouraging legislators to support land acquisition programs
-license plate donations

florida panther programs

-Florida Forever
-Rural
-Family Lands Protection Program

80

what percent of florida panther deaths in 2017 were from road collisions?

1/3

how many florida panther deaths in 2017 were of breeding age females?

13-25

what percent of deaths account for the current florida panther population?

20

how many mammal species do sabal palms provide food to?

25

how many amphibian species do sabal palms provide food to?

100

how many bird species do sabal palms provide food to?

60

how many reptiles do sabal palms provide food to?

sabal palm

provides food to:
-black bears
-foxes
-gopher tortoises
-raccoons

walmart pros

\-low prices

\-lots of options

\-job opportunities

\-attention to local communities

walmart cons

\-poor healthcare

\-no respect for workers (many incidents)

\-water violations

\-large energy use

\-deforestation

walmart cons

worker respect: reports of employee wages an schedules messed with

walmart cons

energy use of 1,095 US homes per day -Sierra Club