Tag: ecosystem

Survey shows most homeowners don’t understand the two key jobs of stormwater ponds

by Brad Buck
April 28, 2026

More than 76,000 stormwater ponds are woven into Florida neighborhoods. Yet beneath their calm surfaces, these ponds are quietly struggling. Many are overloaded with excess nutrients, fueling algal blooms and degrading water quality. At the ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Water
Tags: Aesthetics, Buffer Zone, Ecosystems, Filter, Flooding, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food And Resource Economics, Hayk Khachatryan, Homeowners, Homeowners Associations, Knowledge, Michelle Atkinson, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, Nutrients, Residential Neighborhood, Residents, Stormwater, Stormwater Ponds, UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County, Water, Water Quality

EPA grant to help UF/IFAS scientists restore sea sponges, improve water quality in South Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
April 21, 2026

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, Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Algae, Ana Zangroniz, Aquaculture, Archive, 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

EPA grant to help UF/IFAS scientists restore sea sponges, improve water quality in South Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
April 21, 2026

UF experts: Random mangrove tree-trimming can cause serious damage

by Brad Buck
April 8, 2026

About three of every four Floridians live along the coast, and mangrove trees often dot waterfront properties. Sometimes owners want to trim the mangroves so they can see the sea better. But the state regulates mangrove trimming. The 1996 ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation
Tags: Ecosystems, Fish, Florida Department Of Environmental Protection, Mangrove Trees, Michael Andreu, Natalia Medina-Irizarry, Pruning, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Storms, Trimming, Wind

UF/IFAS FNGLA Palm Quest 2026 to unveil next generation AI drone research tools for a changing industry on April 21-22

by Lourdes Mederos
April 1, 2026

From artificial intelligence that can diagnose palm diseases to drone technology tracking tree health from above, the Palm Quest 2026 Conference will spotlight the future of palm science when it returns to Fort Lauderdale April 21 to 22. Hosted ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: AI, AI-driven Palm Diagnostics, Artificial Intelligence, Disease, Drones, Ecosystem, Environmental Stressors, Florida, Florida's Ecosystem, Fungal Diseases, Fungal Pathogen, Mica McMillan, Native Palms, Palm Quest 2026, Palm Trees, Palm Varieties, Pests, Plant Health, Soil, Sustainability, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center, Urban Environments

UF/IFAS FNGLA Palm Quest 2026 to unveil next generation AI drone research tools for a changing industry on April 21-22

by Lourdes Mederos
April 1, 2026

UF expert explains how people can help prevent species from becoming invasive

by Brad Buck
April 1, 2026

Florida crawls with invasive species: Burmese pythons, water hyacinths, Brazilian peppertrees. By taking a few precautions, we can lower the chances an animal or plant becomes invasive, says a University of Florida expert. Earlier this month, ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Brazilian Peppertree, Burmese Python, Center For Aquatic And Invasive Plants, Deah Lieurance, Ecosystems, Establishment, Everglades, Invasive, Nonnative, Pets, Transport

UF research shows a step toward restoring sea urchins: ‘The lawnmowers of reefs’

by Brad Buck
April 1, 2026

Coral reef ecosystems are severely threatened by pollution, disease, overharvesting and other factors. For thousands of years, long-spined sea urchins helped keep reefs intact. They eat seaweed, which can kill or seriously damage coral. Without ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Coral Reefs, Ecosystem, Fish, Florida Aquarium, Josh Patterson, Long-spined Sea Urchins, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Seaweed, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory

Natural ponds remove nitrogen more effectively than stormwater ponds

by Brad Buck
March 26, 2026

Summer brings daily storms in the Sunshine State, and with the rain, you need to control flooding in some neighborhoods. Florida is swimming in 76,000 stormwater ponds. Designed to control flooding, stormwater ponds are not as effective as ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, UF/IFAS, Water
Tags: AJ Reisinger, Archive, Audrey Goekner, Denitrification, Dinitrogen Gas, Ecosystems, Flooding, Natural Ponds, Neighborhoods, Nitrogen, Nitrogen Fixation, Pollutants, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Stormwater, Stormwater Ponds, Subdivisions

Natural ponds remove nitrogen more effectively than stormwater ponds

by Brad Buck
March 26, 2026

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