MUD FLATS Submerged open areas of mud and sand are common in estuaries and are often marked at low tide by wading birds picking through the rich invertebrate inhabitants. Shellfish crawl on the surface or lie buried within the mud, poking out their siphons to filter seawater for food and oxygen. Worms build protective tubes and filter small food particles or crawl through the sediment hunting for even smaller creatures to eat. Look out for: • Florida fighting conch • Mud snails on the surface • Shells of the tellin or angel wing, buried in the mud • Parchment tube (a white papery tube) • Sand mason worms (tiny pieces of cemented sand) peeking out of the surface Three species of these salt-tolerant trees are found in coastal Florida. Mangroves protect the coast from storms and erosion, provide rich feeding grounds and nursery areas for marine animals, and are the starting point in highly productive estuarine ecosystems. Because of their importance, they are a legally protected species. The red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) grows closest to the waterways and has a tangle of supporting prop roots, shiny dark green leaves and distinctive propagules (seeds). Black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) have leaves with silvery undersides, straight trunks and pneumatophores, which are like underground snorkels sucking in air to cope with the low oxygen in the soil. White mangroves (Laguncularia racemosa) possess slightly rounded, pale green leaves with characteristic nodules on the stem that excrete salt. Also associated with mangrove systems is the buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), which is found in dryer areas. MANGROVES
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