Exploring Florida Habitats on Spring Break
(Posted March 22, 2017)
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Over spring break, John Matter, associate professor of biology, took a class of eight Juniata students down to Florida for his class, Natural History of Florida. This class met once a week before going, and took the week to immerse themselves in what they were learning to conclude their studies. Matter graduated from the University of Florida with a Ph.D. in zoology, which gives him great connections to Florida institutions and knowledge about the area. “A number of the places we visited are places I experienced as a graduate student,” he says.
Florida is a good place to study because of its wildlife. “There are a number of unique ecosystems in Florida, and these are places that can only be seen in this region. We have visited coastal marsh, mangrove swamps, wet prairie, long-leaf pine/turkey oak scrub and numerous freshwater springs and tributaries.”
Matter notes that one of the highlights of the trip was seeing the diverse range of species that inhabited the region. Also, “liberating a cottonmouth from some plastic ground netting and kayaking past dozens of turtles on the Ichetucknee Spring.”
The group went to places including Merritt Island National Refuge, Ocala National Forest and Wekiva Springs State Park. Each location presented new information and wildlife, which offered the students a wonderful opportunity to learn in a different setting.
Alex Webb ’18, Juniata Online Journalist
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.