The Ecology of The Mangroves of South Florida: A Community Profile

By

William C. Odum, Carole C. McIvor, and Thomas J. Smith III

PREFACE

This profile of the mangrove community of south Florida is one in a series of community profiles which treat coastal and marine habitats important to man. The obvious work that mangrove communities do for man includes the stabilization and protection of shorelines; the creation and maintenance of habitat for a great number of animals, many of which are either endangered or have commercial value; and the provision of the basis of a food web whose final products include a seafood smorgasbord of oysters, crab, lobsters, shrimp, and fish. Less tangible but equally important benefits include wilderness, aesthetic and life support considerations.

The information on these pages can give a basic understanding of the mangrove community and its role in the regional ecosystem of south Florida. The primary geographic area covered lies along the coast between Cape Canaveral on the east and Tarpon Springs on the west. References are provided for those seeking in-depth treatment of a specific facet of mangrove ecology. The format, style, and level of presentation make this synthesis report adaptable to a diversity of needs such as the preparation of environmental assessment reports, supplementary reading in marine science courses, and the development of a sense of the importance of this resource to those citizens who control its fate.

(The entire report is available below)

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