Indian River Lagoon
Species Inventory
The Indian River Lagoon > Habitats

Habitats

Simply put, a habitat is the specific place in an environment where an organism lives. The Indian River Lagoon is a diverse mosaic of habitats that span barrier islands, interior uplands and the waters of the lagoon itself.

Photo credit: L. Lawrence

Oceanfront dunes and beaches of the barrier islands give way to maritime hammocks and mangrove fringes. In the lagoon, seagrass beds, oyster reefs and spoil islands provide critical habitat for numerous species. Past the mangroves lie freshwater swamps, hardwood hammocks and upland forests that characterize interior Florida.

Learn more about the IRL’s spectrum of habitats.

Barrier Islands
Beaches
Dunes
Mangroves
Maritime Hammocks
Oyster Reefs
Salt Marshes
Scrub
Seagrass Beds
Tidal Flats
The Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory is a partner initiative of the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce and
the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program.