Fred Howard Park

 Last week was a fun field trip with the class. We went out to Fred Howard park in Tarpon Springs to learn what species lived on this beach and in the water. I learned about the different ways everything in this ecosystem is important in order for it to sustain. Even the sea wrack washed up on shore plays an important role in nourishing animals such as birds and providing shelter for smaller creatures including hermits and sandfleas. We observed the different sea grasses in this area; turtle grass, manatee grass, and shoal grass. In the water, each grass has a different purpose, serving as food for animals in this ecosystem such as turtles and manatees, and providing coverage for smaller fish and mollusks. In observing the seagrass at a closer look, you can even see smaller organisms using the grass as a substrate which they are living on. After spending some time snorkeling and observing different fish, mollusks and crab species living in the seagrasses, we talked about dunes and the different zones of beaches. I was made aware the importance of dunes in protecting from flooding and also providing areas for grasses and other plant species to thrive. Here are some pictures I took during our outing :)