Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve

F a u n a Dolphins Manatees Sea Turtles Guide to Marine Mammal Encounters How to be Turtle Friendly F l o r a Mud Flats Sea Grasses Mangroves You are here:

Mud Flats Nothing is more exciting than a good muck about in a healthy, dynamic, fresh smelling mud flat. This is where it all begins. Leaves falling off mangrove trees all year round break down on the damp, rich earth. A bacterial-fungal layer appears as a slimy brown film on the leaves. Through a combination of physical and chemical processes, the mangrove leaves decompose into small particles. This organic detritus is consumed by small animals, which are in turn fed upon by other species, which are prey for predators higher on the food web. This process is evident on the mud flats. The mangrove leaves on the flats rot and provide food for thousands of snails, crabs, and amphipods. When the tide comes in and covers the flats, it brings with it predators to feed on the crabs, amphipods, and snails. Wading shore birds enjoy this great bounty. The nutrient-rich detritus reaches deeper waters with the outgoing tide. There, the food web continues.