Tag: Habitat

Supporting Local Wildlife in Home Landscapes

by Liah Continentino
October 31, 2025

Florida's population is expanding by an estimated 600 people per day, fueling an ever-increasing demand for development. Development drives one of the greatest threats to Florida's wildlife: habitat loss. According to the US Fish and Wildlife ... READ MORE

Category:
Tags: Backyard, Conservation, Extension, Florida Keys, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Habitat, Homeowners, Landscaping, Monroe County Extension, Native Plants, Wildlife Habitat

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

by Lourdes Mederos
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, Water
Tags: 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

Pollinators in peril: Floridians interested in helping, but not enough to act

by Brad Buck
October 14, 2025

Across the Sunshine State, some Floridians are eyeing roadsides as potential havens for pollinators. But there’s a catch – while many residents are fond of bees, butterflies and other beneficial bugs, a new University of Florida study shows ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation
Tags: Agricultural Education And Communication, Bees, Beneficial Bugs, Butterflies, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Ecosystems, Florida Museum Of Natural History, Floridians, Food, Habitats, Havens, Jaret Daniels, Knowledge, Laura Warner, Pollinator Advocates, Pollinator Gardens, Pollinators, Population, Preservation, Roadside Pollinators, Roadsides, Survey

Who’s that critter? UF/IFAS wildlife series spotlights Florida’s native gopher tortoises

by Megan Winslow
August 13, 2025

Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot. In fact, more than 4,000 animal species are native to the Sunshine State. (more…) READ MORE

Category: Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Animal, Burrow, Conservation, Critter, Environment, Extension Pinellas County, Florida Sea Grant, Gopher Tortoise, Habitat, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Katie Mastenbrook, Keystone Species, Megan Winslow, Threatened, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Weedon Island Preserve, Who's That Critter?, Wildlife

Risky human behavior, not aggressive gators, behind most alligator bites

by Lourdes Mederos
April 16, 2025

Risky human behavior, not aggression by alligators, is the leading cause of alligator bites, according to a groundbreaking study by scientists at the University of Florida and Centre College in Kentucky. Published in the journal Human—Wildlife ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alligator Attacks, Alligator Bite, Alligator Habitat, Alligator Mating Season, Alligators, Attractive Stimulus, Co-exist, Crocodilians, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazzotti, Habitat, Human Awareness, Human Behavior, Lakes, News, Oceans, Predator, Rivers, Situational Awareness, Targeted Communication Strategies, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology, Wildlife Managers

Citizen scientists help researchers protect keystone species

by Megan Winslow
April 16, 2025

Range maps for diamondback terrapins – a type of vulnerable turtle species – highlight the entire United States East Coast and Gulf Coast. Until a few years ago, however, the shading hiccupped between Port St. Joe, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Apalachicola County, Baldwin County, Bay County, Bycatch Device, CITES, Citizen Science, Conservation, Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora, Crab Trap, Environment, Escambia County, Florida Sea Grant, Gulf Coast, Habitat, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Keystone Species, Marsh, Mathilda Ravine, Megan Winslow, Mollusks, Okaloosa County, Orientation, Panhandle, Panhandle Terrapin Project, Pensacola And Perdido Bays Estuary Program, Rick O'Connor, Santa Rosa County, Survey, Threatened, U.S. Geological Survey, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, USGS, Volunteer, Wakulla County, Walton County

Calling all volunteers, May 1-31: Join the Indian River Lagoon Eyes on Seagrass Blitz

by Lourdes Mederos
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, Water
Tags: 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

¿Estamos perdiendo nuestra vida silvestre por culpa de las bancas y los estadios? Una investigación de UF/IFAS muestra cómo los diseños inteligentes pueden evitarlo

by Luz Bahder
April 14, 2025

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. En Estados Unidos, más de 440 parques nacionales y 7400 parques urbanos ofrecen una variedad de espacios verdes ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Actividades Humanas, Biodiversidad, Broward, Centro De Educación E Investigación De UF/IFAS Localizado En Fort Lauderdale, Ciencia Ciudadana, Condado De Broward, Conservacion, Corey Callaghan, Ecologia, Espacios Verdes, Espacios Verdes Urbanos, Español, Especies Sensibles, Fauna Silvestre, Flora Silvestre, FLREC, Fragmentacion, Habitat, Inaturalist, Isla De Calor Urbano, Participacion Comunitaria, Plantas Nativas, Regulación Climática, Spanish, UF-IFAS, Vida Silvestre

Are we losing our wildlife to benches and ballparks? UF/IFAS research shows how smart designs can avoid it

by Lourdes Mederos
April 10, 2025

Across the United States, more than 440 national parks and 7,400 urban parks offer a variety of recreational green spaces for people and pets. Yet, the United States Forest Service warns that urbanization, including park development, ... READ MORE

Category: , Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Biodiversity, Birds, Carbon, Citizen Science, Community Involvement, Corey Callaghan, Ecology, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Green Spaces, Greenspace Management, Habitats, Health, Heat Islands, Human Activities, Inaturalist, Insects, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Lawns, Mammals, Nature, News, Parks, Planners, Plants, Pollinators, Recreation, Recreations, Smart Park, UF-IFAS, United States Forest Service, University Of Florida, Urban Green Spaces, Urban Parks, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

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