Florida’s Beautiful but Inhospitable Springs

Florida has more coastline than any of the other lower 48 states in the U.S. But while salt water lines Florida’s beaches, the state also has immense deposits of freshwater. Some of its freshwater springs, once teeming with eel grass and other underwater vegetation, are now overrun with algae. While the algae create a picturesque green scene, the tiny organisms are stifling diversity of life in the springs. At Manatee Springs, manatees no longer have the resources necessary to make the spring their home. S