Not only are they interesting places for scientists to work, but they are part of our country's protected lands. Here are some of the great views from south Florida and a number of the interesting plants that grow there. This is a photograph of a canal that has been dug by man in order to move water from once place to another. Canals are important for farmers and cities and they also affect which way the water will travel when it rains in south Florida. Mangroves Mangroves are a major part of the south Florida ecosystem.
Mangroves are a kind of tree that lives in or around the water.
Mangrove seeds float in the water until they reach soft sediment, where they take root. Here the mangroves are shown as little trees that are growing in the water. As you can see, the roots are long and reach deep into the mud to keep the trees from washing away. As the trees grow denser, mud that gets washed onto them from the water gets stuck around their roots and slowly the mangroves grow into small islands with solid ground that you can walk on, called 'keys'. The Florida Everglades also has a variety of different plants.