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Habitats
A habitat is the natural home or environment of a plant, animal, or other organism. It provides the organisms that live there with food, water, shelter, and space to survive. Habitats consist of both biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) factors. At Crystal Springs Preserve, you will see wetland, upland and hammock habitats.Â
Habitats are essential for the survival of all living things. They provide the resources that organisms need to survive and reproduce. When habitats are destroyed, it can lead to the extinction of species.
Wetland Habitat
An area where the land is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally. Examples include swamps, marshes, and bogs.
Hammock Habitat
A type of upland habitat that is often higher than the surrounding land with humus rich soil and hardwood trees including oaks, sweetgums, hickories, and palms. They are commonly found in Florida and other tropical or subtropical regions.
Upland Habitat
An area of land that is not regularly saturated with water. It can include forests, grasslands, and deserts.
Source to the Sea:
The Hillsborough River Watershed
Crystal Springs Preserve is located within the Hillsborough River Watershed. Spanning parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, the watershed encompasses approximately 725 square miles and includes the Hillsborough River. Originating at the Green Swamp, the River flows 54 miles until it reaches Tampa Bay and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico.
Crystal Springs, one of the two named springs located within the watershed, adds roughly 30 million gallons on average a day to the Hillsborough River, the primary source of drinking water for the City of Tampa.
The Green Swamp
Hillsborough River Watershed
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