Palmetto plants

The Bottomland hardwoods have lots of mixed woody species that can occasionally tolerate flooding. The dwarf palmettos are an indicator species of this type of wetlands. 

Picture: America's WETLAND Foundation

An indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment.

Ecological Restoration of the Louisiana Coastal Marsh

Since 1990s, the Louisiana coastal marsh (known also as part of wetland habitat) has been changed.

Picure: Talita A. Maia

 We are losing a huge part of coastal marsh generally because of the decrease of sediment delivery resulting from navigation and flood controls on the Mississippi River, saltwater intrusion into previously fresh and brackish coastal marshes, dredge and fill activities associated with the exploitation of the area's mineral resources, and natural geological subsidence of Holocene Mississippi River Delta plain sediment.

 The estimated losses of these Louisiana coastal marsh areas are approximately 25 square per year.

Picture: Talita A. Maia

In an attempt to combat coastal marsh loss and converse the biodiversity of those areas, many types of projects have been planned and implemented.

We had the great opportunity to visit one of these ecological restoration area near New Orleans and understand better this project of ecological restoration. 

Ecological restoration of the wetland habitats is crucial for the biodiversity of the complex ecosystem. Also these areas have a huge effect in the commercial seafood, oil and gas.

Picture: Talita A. Maia

Picture: Talita A. Maia

                                       

How do plants live in salt water?

The salinity of wetlands has a huge influence in the presence of plant species and its diversity. For example, in freshwater marshes, which have just 0 to 2 ppt of salinity, there is more than 90 species of plants. In salt marshes, which has a salinity >20 ppt, there is less than 20 plant species able to live there. 

The oyster grass (Spartina alterniflora) is well adapted for salt marshes, being 63% of the vegetation. 

Picture: Digital Atlas of Flora

This species can tolerate low salinity, but is has less competition in salt water because of its three essential characteristics:

• Ability of concentrate salt in cells at higher concentrations than sea water, so it maintains a balanced osmoregularity.
• It can excrete excess salt
• It has air tubes that take oxygen from the leaves to the roots.

Marshes

Hello everybody!

Here in Louisiana, we have four different types of marsh. 

The Freshwater marsh has the highest plant species diversity, having a salinity range of 0-2 ppt.

Picture:  U.S. Geological Survey

The Intermediate marsh has a high plant species diversity, with a salinity range of 2+-10 ppt. It is a type of marsh that exists just in Louisiana.

Picture: America's WETLANDS Foundation

The Brackish marsh has a moderate plant species diversity, having a salinity of 10+-20 ppt.

Picture: America's WETLANDS Foundation

And finally, the Saline (salt) marsh has a low plant species diversity, with a salinity of >20 ppt.

American White Ibises

American White Ibises (Eudocimus albus) is found at mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the United States.

Picture: Marcelle Daoud

It is considered a monogamous species of bird, however some behaviors of extra pair copulation already have been noted.

This species has sexual dimorphism between males and females. Males have larger bodies than females, and also they have longer bills. These sexual differences can influence in different kind of behaviors between the sexes. 

The American White Ibises usually feed on aquatic insects, small fish, crayfish, and other types of aquatic life.

Picture: Marcelle Daoud

Tri Colored Bat

The tri colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) is the most common species of bat that is found in New Orleans, LA.

Picture: Texas Parks & Wildlife

It is the smallest bat that can be found in eastern North America.

It has this name because of its tri coloration, which is dark at the base and tip and yellow in the middle.

It is an inoffensive animal that feed only on insects

During the summer the tri colored bat usually is the first to emerge after the sunset and the last one to roost after the sunrise, which means that the bat has a very active nocturnal activity.

The tri colored bat can spend until nine months per year hibernating, however this not happen with the species in Louisiana state, as we already explained here: http://biolouisiana.blogspot.com/2015/02/louisiana-bats.html.

Science Without Borders

Hey everybody!!

This is a video that explains about our program, Science Without Borders, and also shows about our experiences here in New Orleans, LA.

We are in a total of 12 brazilians studying Biology, Biomedical Science, and Design at Loyola University New Orleans.

We hope you enjoy the video!!!

(Video made by Grazielle Melo Pena and Gabriel Pissolati)

American Alligator from Louisiana

Picture: Marcelle Daoud

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is the largest reptile in North America. The first reptiles appeared 300 million years ago and ancestors of the American alligator appeared 160 million years ago. Reptiles are a cold-blooded animal, which means that their body temperature is regulated by the temperature of the environment around them. This is why alligators are seen basking in the sun, trying to regulate their body temperature. Because alligators are cold-blooded, their body rates are slowed down and they feed less frequently in winter months. For this reason, alligators enter underground holes/dens and remain dormant throughout the winter months.

Male alligators grow faster and larger than females. Females can grow to approximately 9' in length and 200+ pounds. Males can grow to approximately 13'+ in length and attain 500+ pounds.

Alligators were first harvested in Louisiana in great numbers in the early 1800's. These alligators were harvested for their skins which were used to make boots, shoes and saddles, and for their oil used to grease steam engines and cotton mills. The demand decreased when the leather made from the skins was thought not to be durable. In the mid 1800's the demand for alligator skins increased again. These skins were used to make shoes and saddles for the Confederate troops during the Civil War. By the mid 1900's Louisiana’s alligator population had been significantly reduced. In 1962 the alligator hunting season was closed statewide due to low numbers. The reduction in numbers was a result of non-regulated harvests. 

Picture: Marcelle Daoud

Through protection, research and management, Louisiana’s alligator population increased to a level capable of sustaining harvests. In 1972 the alligator season was opened only in Cameron Parish and lasted 13 days. Other parishes were gradually added until the season became statewide in 1981. Louisiana’s wild and farm alligator harvests currently exceed 300,000 animals annually, while the population level (based on aerial nest surveys) remains stable.


                                                     

Swamp Tour

Here in New Orleans you have the chance to take a nice tour through the swamp by boat.

Picture: Gustavo B. Vallim

In this tour you can see many different animals in their original habitats, such as aligators, raccons, pigs, different species of birds and spiders, and others.

You can choose about doing the tour during the day or night. The tour during the day and night are two completely different experiences. so we encourage you to try to do both.

The tour is offered from many companies and the price can vary from $25 to $90, depending on the kind of tour that you want to do and also on the number of people that is interested in doing the tour (large groups can have discounts).

Picture: Gustavo B. Vallim

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Picture: Grazielle Melo Pena

The Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus) is usually found in the eastern part of the United States. It is an ingenuous species of snake that is not poisonous. Thus, there are some people who have the Eastern Ribbon Snake as a pet at their home.

When the snake becomes adult it can has between 16 to 24 inches of length. The Eastern Ribbon Snake usually feed on small fishes and anphibious and it has tha habit of swimming in water surfaces near the shoreline. 

It has this name becaue of its very thin body. We found this adorable animal in a trail at the Jean Lafitte National Park in New Orleans. It has brown body with two yellow strips in each side.

Picture: Gustavo B. Vallim

Audubon Park - New Orleans

Audubon Park is located in New Orleans, Louisiana in uptown. The park is right in front of Loyola and Tulane University and the other side is bordered by the Mississippi river. 

Picture: Gustavo B. Vallim

Audubon Park has many big trees and it is home for many species of birds, such as night herons, cattle egrets, ibis, little blue, great grets, and others. 

Picture: Marcelle Daoud

Picture: Marcelle Daoud

The park is a good place to do exercises, to do a picnic with your family, or just to watch the sunset and relax. Also, there are a golf area that can be used for free for everybody.