Ecosystems

Mangroves provide a unique environment for exploration.

NPS photo

The park consists of four primary ecosystems:

• A fringe of mangrove forest along the mainland shoreline
• The southern expanse of Biscayne Bay
• The northernmost Florida Keys
• The northernmost portion of Florida's Coral Reef, the third largest coral reef in the world

Each unique ecosystem consists of a community of organisms along with their physical environment. Each ecosystem in the park, like all ecosystems, is interconnected and consists of both living and non-living things.