Study Guide
Environments and Habitats in the Regions of Georgia
Standard:
S3L1: Students will investigate the habitats of different organisms and the dependence of the
organisms on their habitat.
By the end of this study you should be able to:

Differentiate between the habitats of Georgia

Identify features of green plants that allow them to live in each region of Georgia

Identify feature of animals that allow them to live in each region of Georgia

Describe what will happen to an organism if the habitat is changed.
Vocabulary:
environment –Everything that is around a living thing.
ecosystem – All the living and nonliving things that interact in a place.
habitat – The place where a plant or animal lives.
organism – Any living thing.
drought – a long period of time with very little rain.
balance – not too many and not too few of a kind of living thing.
Environments
A variety of environments and ecosystems can be found in the state of Georgia. An
environment is everything that surrounds a living thing. Plants and animals use what is found in
their environment to meet their needs (food, water, oxygen, shelter). Living things interact with
none living things within these environments to create ecosystems. Within each ecosystem
each living thing has its own habitat. An example of this would be a fresh water environment
such as a pond ecosystem. Many animals live in and around the pond, for example water lilies
growing in the water, reeds and grasses growing along the edge, fish living under the water,
frogs and turtles living in and out of the water, with wild geese or ducks living in nests built in
grassy areas nearby.
The chart below describes the landscape, soil, vegetation and animal habitats of each region.
Region
Mountains
Landscape/Climate
Animals
Plants/Soil
There are mountains, valleys
and ravines along with many
waterfalls. The elevation is
higher than the rest of
Georgia which causes changes
in the plants. Spring and
summer bring warm days and
cool nights. Winters can be
cold with some snowfall.
Deer, black bears, wild
turkeys, raccoons, bats, and
foxes roam the mountains.
Trout can be found in
mountain streams while bass
and bluegill fish live in the
lakes.
Piedmont
This is an area of rolling hills.
Piedmont means “foot of the
mountain.” The piedmont has
forests, lakes and rivers. The
climate of this area is slightly
milder than that of the
mountain region.
Squirrels, chipmunks,
rabbits, coyote, cardinals,
blue-jays and owls are often
found in the forested land
of this region.
Mountain laurel and wild azaleas
along grow abundantly on the
sides of mountains. Hard-wood
trees such as maple, beech and
dogwoods give way to smaller
deciduous fir trees in the higher
elevations. The soil here is rocky
but can be rich in nutrients.
Apples are a common crop for this
area.
A thick layer of red clay soil
covers much of the piedmont
region. The forests contain a
mixture of hardwoods and pines
such as maples, elms and birches.
Coastal Plains
This is a low flat region going
from well-drained gently
rolling hills to poorly drained
flatland.
The climate in this region can
get quite hot during the
spring and summer months.
During the winter this region
can dip to the freezing mark
and experience frost, but
snowfall is rare.
The wetlands consist of
marshes and swaps covered in
still or slow-moving water.
The climate of this region is
hot and humid, with
temperatures raring dipping
to freezing mark.
This is the coastline area of
Georgia that meets the
Atlantic ocean. This is area is
naturally sandy with a climate
that can be hot and humid,
with ocean breezes and winds.
Armadillo, deer, wild hogs,
and rattlesnakes are common
in the pine forests located in
this region.
Tall pine trees are common in this
area. Their shallow root system
is well suited for the sandy soil.
Farming is popular due to the flat
landscape. Peanuts, pecans and
cotton are a few of the most
common crops.
Alligators, marsh rabbits,
otters, snakes, frogs, black
bears, wild hogs can be
found in the wetland areas.
Insects such as dragonflies,
mosquitoes and deer flies
are also common.
Shrimp, crab, redfish,
flounder, and sea trout can
be found in the waters off
shore. Sea turtles also
make their home along the
Georgia coast.
Plants must be able to grow in
waterlogged areas. Plants with
long stems such as water lilies,
and marsh grasses are common.
Cypress trees grow well because
they have roots that stick out of
the water to take in air.
Seaweed and algae grow in
Georgia’s ocean waters, and sea
grasses such as sea oats are
common on Georgia beaches. Live
oak trees with Spanish moss, and
palmetto plants are found slightly
inland.
Wetlands
Ocean
Suggested Websites:
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=152755
http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/index.php?page=content/education/habitats/habitats