U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Rhythms of the Refuge A Guide for Educators Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge 1 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Rhythms of the Refuge A Guide for Educators Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Table of Contents Dedication .........................................................................................4 3. Objectives ..........................................................................24 Welcome Educators ............................................................................5 4. Methodology .....................................................................25 Acknowledgments ..............................................................................6 E. Standards/Activities/Lessons Chapter I: Introduction to 1. Standards ......................................................................... 25 Established Conservation Systems .................................................7 2. Lessons/Activities ........................................................... 25 A. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ................................................7 a. Fire Adaptations ...................................................... 25 1. Mission ................................................................................7 b. Fire and the Carbon Cycle ..................................... 26 2. Programs and Activities ....................................................7 c. Using Art to Show Understanding ....................... 31 B. National Wildlife Refuge System ............................................7 Chapter III: Water is Our Treasure for the Balance of Life ..... 32 1. Map ......................................................................................8 A. Water and the Refuge ............................................................ 32 2. Presence in Florida and Map of Refuges .......................9 1. Quality ............................................................................. 32 3. History ..............................................................................10 2. The Water Quality Problem.......................................... 33 4. Mission ..............................................................................10 3. The Solution .................................................................... 33 5. Waterfowl Production Areas ..........................................11 4. What Can You Do to Help ............................................. 34 6. Wildlife Management ......................................................11 5. What the Future Holds ................................................. 34 7. Recreation .........................................................................11 B. Standards/Activities/ Lessons 8. The Blue Goose ................................................................11 1. Standards ......................................................................... 34 9. Rachel Carson ..................................................................11 2. Lessons/Activities ........................................................... 34 10. Timeline .............................................................................12 a. Water Quality Testing ............................................. 34 C. Standards/Activities/Lessons b. Plants vs. Pollutants “Run-off” Race .................... 35 1. Standards ..........................................................................13 Chapter IV: Everglades Ecosystem ............................................. 36 2. Activities/Lessons – Timeline .........................................13 A. Cypress Swamp ...................................................................... 36 3. Activities/Lessons – USFWS Emblem Design ............14 1. What is a Swamp ............................................................. 36 4. Activities/Lessons – Conservation Jeopardy ...............14 2. Why is it called a Cypress Swamp ................................ 36 Chapter II: Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR ...................15 3. History and Conservation ............................................. 37 A. Everglades History.................................................................15 4. Plants of the Cypress Swamp ....................................... 37 B. Historical Dates Affecting the Refuge .................................16 5. Wildlife of the Cypress Swamp ..................................... 40 1. Culture and Archeology ..................................................17 B. Sawgrass Communities ......................................................... 43 a. Native Americans .....................................................17 1. What is Sawgrass? .......................................................... 43 b. Homesteading and Pioneers ...................................19 2. How does the Sawgrass Community Develop?........... 44 2. Influences ..........................................................................20 3. Plants of the Sawgrass Communities ........................... 44 a. Location .....................................................................20 4. Wildlife of the Sawgrass Communities ........................ 45 b. Geology ......................................................................20 C. Tree Islands ............................................................................ 46 c. Climate and Weather................................................20 1. What comprises a Tree Island? ..................................... 46 C. Management ............................................................................21 2. Why are Tree Islands Significant? ................................ 47 1. Environmental and Wildlife Management ...................21 3. How did Tree Islands Begin? ........................................ 47 2. Human Management .......................................................21 4. Plants of Tree Islands .................................................... 47 3. Fire ....................................................................................21 5. Wildlife of Tree Islands .................................................. 49 4. Map of Refuge ..................................................................23 D. Wet Prairies ............................................................................ 52 D. Environmental Education ......................................................24 1. What is a Wet Prairie?.................................................... 52 1. Theme ................................................................................24 2. Two Types of Wet Prairie ............................................... 53 2. Topics .................................................................................24 3. What are the Holes In Wet Prairies? ........................... 53 2 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 4. Plants of Wet Prairies .................................................... 53 3. Ease of Dispersal Due to 5. Wildlife of Wet Prairies .................................................. 54 Continuous Disturbance of Habitats ............................ 71 E. Sloughs .................................................................................... 57 a. Solutions and Management ....................................... 71 1. What is a Slough? ............................................................ 57 b. Monitoring ................................................................... 72 2. What Does a Slough Look Like? .................................. 57 c. Mapping ........................................................................ 72 3. Plants of the Slough ........................................................ 58 d. Treatment .................................................................... 72 4. Wildlife of the Slough ..................................................... 59 e. What Can You Do to Help with Exotics? ................. 72 F. Standards/Activities/Lessons ............................................... 61 D. Impacts of Exotic Wildlife .................................................... 73 1. Wetland Metaphors ........................................................ 61 1. Injuries Due to Exotic Wildlife ..................................... 73 2. Animal Olympics ............................................................. 61 2. Direct Impacts on the Arthur R. Marshall 3. Patterns in Nature .......................................................... 62 Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge .......................... 74 E. Activities/Lessons .................................................................. 74 Chapter V: Endangered Species ................................................... 63 1. Plants on Trial ................................................................. 74 A. What Does it Mean to Be Endangered? ............................. 63 2. Oh Deer! ........................................................................... 75 1. Federal Endangered and Threatened Species ........... 63 2. Florida Numerical Summary of Species ...................... 63 Chapter VII: Human Connection .................................................. 76 3. Endangered and Threatened Species A. Symbiosis Defined .................................................................. 76 Specific to ARM Loxahatchee NWR ............................ 63 1. Health Defined as Relationship between Humans B. Factors of Species Endangerment ....................................... 65 and Environments ...........................................................