Biomes, The Communities Of The World

Understanding Biomes

Biomes, classified according to predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms, are the communities of the world.

The importance of biomes cannot be overestimated. Biomes have changed and moved many times during the history of Earth. More recently, human activities have drastically altered these communities. Thus, conservation and preservation of biomes are a major concern.

The freshwater and marine biomes are probably the most important. Water is the basis of life, it supports life, and countless species live in and around it. Freshwater biomes supply drinking water and water for crop irrigation. The world’s oceans have an even greater effect on global climate than forests. In addition to climate-buffering, the oceans contain several billion photosynthetic plankton that account for most of the photosynthesis occurring on Earth. Without these, there might not be enough oxygen to sustain complex animal life.

Estuaries; Vital Biomes

Estuaries are vital biomes where fresh river water meets salty seawater. Many species of birds, fish, plants and other animals call this ecosystem, the estuary and the land surrounding it, their home. Estuaries are much like the door attendant to a land that supports many different forms of life.

Biome Research Reserve

Rookery Bay, managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection office, is one of the three estuarine reserve sites that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System. It includes 110,000 acres of land and water in a mangrove-forested estuary filled with fresh and brackish water, which is a mix of fresh and salty seawater. This Research Reserve celebrated its 21st annual National Estuary Day on Saturday September 26, 2009.

“If you look at how Estuary Day got started at the national level, it was all focused on just trying to get local communities that live on the coast to learn more about estuaries and why they’re important,” said Gary Lytton, environmental administrator of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

“We purposefully offer this as a free event because this is the time of year when we know it’s mostly our year-round residents that are here,” Lytton said. “Our view of our opportunity to celebrate Estuary Day is that it’s a chance to sort of give back to the local community, and also help them understand what the values of these estuaries are all about and how they can make a difference in protecting it.”

Long-term Protection

Free Activities

The free activities included kayak tours, a touch tank, guided walks, arts and crafts, face painting, a fiddler crab exhibit, and informational presentations and films. Visitors got a sneak preview of the new pedestrian bridge, which leads from the second floor of the Environmental Learning Center across Henderson Creek to a 1.5-mile nature trail, scheduled to open in January.

Kayak tours provide an up-close view of the mangroves and the fauna that lives and seeks refuge in their roots. Among the first-time kayakers was Justin Zuniga, 13, who said he really enjoyed the motions of paddling.

“I thought it was pretty cool because you got to see stuff and explore it,” Zuniga said. “We were looking at the mangroves and the roots of the mangroves.”

Popular Attractions

A popular attraction in the Environmental Learning Center is the touch
tank provided by Touch Tanks for Kids of Biddeford, Maine where participants investigate starfish, sea cucumbers, crabs and other animals of the local estuary.

“I think they’re really neat because you usually don’t get to see them down in the water because it’s really dark in the water,” said Sophia Furin, a 9-year-old who checked out the touch tank.

Furin touched the inside of the horse conch and dipped her hands into the tank to allow a small horseshoe crab to crawl across her palm.

“It feels like Velcro rubbing across your hand,” Furin said.

Cruise Naples Inc. and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida provided the boats for the tours.

“We saw an oyster bed,” said Samantha Axline, a 12-year-old who went on a boat tour. “We learned how to tell the difference between red and white and black mangroves.”

Axline’s 10-year-old sister, Virginia, said that seeing all the birds was her favorite part of the boat ride.

“I learned that a mangrove seed isn’t just a little seed,” Virginia Axline said. “It’s kind of like a long green bean, and they sit on top of the water until they grow.”

Lytton hoped Estuary Day participants went home with a better understanding of the value of estuaries like Rookery Bay.

Make a Difference

“Those values range from environmental values to economic values to just aesthetic values,” Lytton said. “I think another goal is absolutely a better understanding of how they might make a difference.”

Rookery Bay Sanctuary

Preserve the Earth’s Biomes

Rookery Bay estuary celebration and other similar to it educate people about the consequences of our actions helping all of us gain a better understanding of how to preserve the Earth’s natural biomes.