Estuary
Biscayne Bay is an estuary. An estuary is a coastal body of brackish water where freshwater from the land mixes with saltwater from the sea. Seagrass is a grass-like plant, such as the manatee grass, turtle grass, and shoal grass, that grows throughout the bay. Between the mangroves on the water's edge and the seagrass meadows are the mud flats, a deposit of mud and silt in the bay.
Biscayne Bay serves as nursery for small marine life. Marine life are plants, animals, and other organisms that live in the brackish water of coastal estuaries. Sponges are animals that clean the bay and provide a home for small fish and organisms. Most of Florida's fish, crustaceans, and shellfish spend part of their young lives in estuaries.
Two common residents of estuaries are dolphins, marine mammals, that use sonar to hunt and crocodiles, semi-aquatic reptiles, that surf currents and build nests by the saltwater shore.
Boat groundings can be very harmful to the bay. It is important to follow navigational aids and stay alert of the water's depth.
Watershed and Aquifers
A watershed is an area of land that collects, channels, and drains water from rainfall, lakes, and rivers.
An aquifer is an underground body of water beneath the rock and soil. Water seeps into the ground, through the holes of the limestone, a porous rock, and then resurfaces through springs and wells, which is used for drinking water.
In Biscayne Bay, the water comes from rain, creeks, and canals.
Some groundwater seeps into the soil and filters into the aquifer; while the surface water flows downstream through the watershed.
Both the watershed of South Florida and Biscayne aquifer drain into Biscayne Bay.
Mangrove
Mangrove is a tree or shrub that grows in brackish water, where freshwater and saltwater combine. The mangrove habitat is important to the bay's ecosystem. It provides a home for many animals and a nursery for small marine life.
Mangroves play a valuable role in the food web. When mangrove leaves fall into the water, they decompose and become food source for small marine organisms. The small marine organisms are then eaten by larger marine life. Many food chain cycles depend on mangroves, and many food chains connect to create a food web.
Mangrove roots help build up land and keep the soil in the coast from eroding. Tangled roots of the red mangroves provide a habitat and safe hiding place for wildlife above, as well as below water for fish and crustaceans.
Coral Reef
Biscayne Bay has the northern part of the 3rd largest coral reef in the world. Corals are made up of thousands of tiny sac-like animals called polyps. Polyps extend tentacles to gather their food.
Inside the coral polyp are zooxanthellae, tiny algae that give coral its color and some food, since zooxanthellae uses sunlight for photosynthesis to make their own food.
Coral polyps and zooxanthellae have a mutualistic, symbiotic relationship. Both receive positive benefits from their partnership. Polyps need zooxanthellae to survive and zooxanthellae need sunlight must be able to penetrate the water.
Manatees
Manatees are large and grey, gentle and slow-moving mammals with a paddle-shaped tail. The manatee’s closest relative is the elephant. Their snout is a modified trunk, which grabs objects and their only teeth are molars in the back of its mouth. They have heavy solid bones, which help them stay underwater.
Sailors at sea have mistaken manatees for mythical mermaids.
Boaters can help prevent injury or death of manatees by obeying speed zones, being careful in shallow water, and wearing polarized sunglasses.
Soundscape
Soundscape is a collection of organic sounds that connect us with nature . These sounds, such as the calming sound of waves, have a positive affect on our health and well-being.