Tag: ecosystem
EPA grant to help UF/IFAS scientists restore sea sponges, improve water quality in South Florida
October 15, 2025
Hidden beneath South Florida’s waves, sponges quietly clean the waters by filtering out nutrients, supporting seagrass and sustaining the region’s vibrant marine life. But after years of environmental stress and water quality decline, ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, WaterTags: Algae, Ana Zangroniz, Aquaculture, Ashley Smyth, Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Bacteria, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay Pilot Nursery, Biscayne National Park, Classifications, Coastal, Coastal Environments, Coastal Habitat, Coastal Health, Cycle Nutrients, Ecosystem, Ecosystem Services, Filter, Florida Keys Aquaculture Research, Florida Sea Grant, Genetic Advances, Habitat, Harmful Algal Blooms, Lower Keys, Marine, Marine Life, National Park Service, Nature’s Water Filters, Organisms, Restore Ecological Services, Restore Sponge Populations, Sea Sponge, Seagrass, Shelly Krueger, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, South Florida, Southeast Florida, Sponge Restoration Aquaculture, Sponge Restoration Species, Tropical Research And Education Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, UF/IFAS Extension Monroe County, UF/IFAS Researchers, Viruses, Water Clarity, Water Quality, Water Quality Benefits
Wildlife ecologist busts myths about coyote behavior, including their predatory actions
September 9, 2025
Whenever Hance Ellington gets a chance, he likes to talk about the science of coyotes, including their behavior around other animals. Dispelling coyote myths is a passion for Ellington, an assistant professor of wildlife ecology and conservation ... READ MORE
Category: WildlifeTags: Behavior, Bites, Burmese Python, Cats, Cattle, Coyotes, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Dogs, Ecosystem, Food, Hance Ellington, Myths, Predators, Ranchers, Range Cattle Research And Education Center, Wildlife Ecologist
Who’s that critter? UF/IFAS wildlife series spotlights the Florida manatee
July 9, 2025
Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot. More than 4,000 animal species, in fact, are native to the Sunshine State. (more…) READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Water, WildlifeTags: Aquatic, Coastal, Conservation, Critter, Critter Of The Month, Ecosystem, Extension, Florida, Florida Manatee, Gentle Giant, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Maia McGuire, Manatee, Marine, Megan Winslow, Protect, River, Sea Cow, Species, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Water, West Indian Manatee, Wildlife
UF/IFAS scientists discover sea-level rise threat to Florida’s endangered pine rocklands
April 17, 2025
Pine rocklands are home to plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. They are also one of the world's most endangered habitats. Unique to South Florida, the Florida Keys and some islands in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, these upland ... READ MORE
Category: , Conservation, Forests, Horticulture, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS ResearchTags: Beneficial Fungi, Caicos, Conservation, DNA, Droughts, Ecosystem, Elena Karlsen-Ayala, Endangered Habitat, Florida, Florida Keys, Forest, Fungi, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Limestone Forest, Matthew Smith, Miami-Dade, Molecular Ecology, Mycorrhizas, News, Pine Rocklands, Plant Pathology, Reforestation, Regeneration, Rising Temperatures, Romina Gazis, Salinity, Salt Intrusion, Sea Level Rise, Slash Pines, Symbiotic Associations, The Bahamas, Tropical Research And Education Center, Turks, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida
Calling all volunteers, May 1-31: Join the Indian River Lagoon Eyes on Seagrass Blitz
April 15, 2025
The Indian River Lagoon is a vibrant ecosystem full of important seagrasses. Those seagrasses act as habitats and nurseries for marine species like manatees, sea turtles, fish, crabs and more, and the seagrasses also serve as their critical ... READ MORE
Category: , Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Events, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, WaterTags: Banana River, Brevard, Ecosystem, Eyes On Seagrass, Florida Sea Grant, Good Water Quality, Habitats, Indian River, Indian River Lagoon, Lisa Krimsky, Martin County, Mosquito Lagoon, Nurseries, Seagrass, Seagrass Health, St. Lucie, Volusia, Water Resources
Behind the scenes: How UF/IFAS risk assessments sustain Florida’s $191M aquaculture industry
February 17, 2025
From vibrant tropical fish for aquarium enthusiasts to succulent shellfish served as the center of the plate, Florida’s aquaculture industry serves as an economic powerhouse and a national leader. In 2022, the state’s tropical fish ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Conservation, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS ResearchTags: Alligator Farming, Aquatic Environment, Aquatic Invasives, Aquatic Plant Production, BMP, Ecosystem, FDACS, Fish Tanks, Florida Aquaculture, Invasives In Florida, Jeffrey Hill, News, Ornamental Fish Farming, Risk Assessment, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Shellfish Cultivation, Species, Succeulent Shellfish, Sustainability, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, Tropical Fish, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida
National Science Foundation awards University of Florida $300K to reduce phosphorus in South Florida ecosystems
January 16, 2025
University of Florida scientists have secured a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to address one of South Florida's most pressing environmental challenges: excess phosphorus in freshwater ecosystems such as the Everglades. The ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Farm Management, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, WaterTags: Arizona State University, Ecosystem, Everglades, Everglades Research And Education Center, Grant, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jehangir Bhadha, National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation-Science And Technology Center, News, North Carolina State University, NSF, Nutrient, Phosphorus, Sandra Guzmán, Science And Technologies Of Phosphorus Sustainability, Soil, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, South Florida, South Florida Water Management District, Sustainability, Treatment Technologies For Phosphorus Mitigation, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Indian River Research And Education Center, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Water