BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 



INTRODUCTION 



Coastal Alabama has a great diversity of habitats within its boundaries. 

 These habitats support many different species of plants and animals, in some 

 instances large populations. Included are a majority of the terrestrial and 

 freshwater species characteristic of temperate Eastern United States along 

 with subtropical species found in the lower Coastal Plain. A great variety 

 of salt and brackish water animals and plants is also found in the state's 

 coastal waters 



Diverse habitats meet and blend in this coastal area, producing a rich- 

 ness of plant and animal life seldom found in inland areas. Man has been 

 utilizing the biological resources of coastal Alabama for thousands of years 

 and will continue to utilize them in the future, preferably with wise manage- 

 ment practices. 



WETLAND HABITATS 



In coastal Alabama wetlands habitats are located essential nesting, 

 breeding, rearing, nursery, and feeding grounds for many species of fish, 

 birds, and other wildlife. Wetlands provide habitats for unique floral and 

 faunal communities, many of which include endangered or threatened species. 

 Wetlands are also important in improving water quality by recycling nutrients 

 and removing toxic materials from the environment. They provide erosion 

 control and reduce turbidity as well as providing water storage areas. 



Increasing recognition of the value of wetlands has led to a need for 

 more information on how these systems operate and how they are affected by 

 human activities and naturally occurring changes in the environment. To 

 provide a system suitable for gathering scientific information on a nation- 

 wide basis, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting a National 

 Wetlands Inventory based on a standardized classification system. The 

 following description is from Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habi - 

 tats of the United States (Cowardin it aTi 19 79) and descri bes the concepts 

 and definitions utilized in the National Wetlands Inventory classification 

 system. 



Only in recent years has the concept of "wetland" unified the older 

 classifications of swamp, marsh, bog, etc. Wetlands are generally lands 

 where the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the 

 types of plants and animals inhabiting the area is saturation with water. 

 The substrate or soil is at least periodically saturated with or covered by 



