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Georgia’s Habitats Study Guide
1. Mountain:
the region of northern Georgia containing the Appalachian and Blue
Ridge Mountains. Mountains are landforms on the surface of the earth that are
much higher than the land around them. *Brasstown Bald is the highest mountain
peak in Georgia (it is part of the Blue Ridge Mountain chain).
Animals in this Habitat:
Owls, bats, raccoons, mountain lions, deer, squirrels, black
bears, and fish (such as largemouth bass and trout)
Plants in this Habitat:
Magnolia trees, evergreens, pine trees, and oak trees
2. Piedmont: a region of Georgia located between the Mountains and the Coastal Plain.
Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, is located in the Piedmont. The Chattahoochee
River is also located in this region. This region is known for its rough hills in the north
and rolling hills in the south. Don’t forget that most of the soil here is made up of red
clay.
Animals in this Habitat:
Raccoons, wild turkeys, rattlesnakes, deer, opossums, and squirrels.
Plants in this Habitat:
Evergreens trees, nut-bearing trees, pine trees, hickory trees, dogwood trees,
and oak trees
3. Coastal Plains: a region of Georgia that is made up of wide, flat land. It makes up the
southern half of Georgia. The Flint River flows through the Coastal Plain. Because
the land is flat it is great for farming.
Animals in this Habitat:
Wild hogs, alligator snapping turtles, bog turtles, rabbits, deer, muskrats, and
snakes
Plants/Crops in this Habitat:
Cypress trees covered in Spanish moss, live oak, saw palmetto, peaches and
peanuts.
4. Marsh/Swamp: this region is located in the southeastern corner of Georgia and
extends all the way to the Georgia-Florida line. Actually this wet-moist land is located
in the Coastal Plain region. However, it is its own habitat due to the many different
plants and animals found there, such as carnivorous (meat-eating) plants. The
Okefenokee Swamp, found in this habitat, is the largest swamp in North America.
Animals found in this Habitat:
Alligators, white ibis, ducks, herons, kingfishers, and 36 different types of
snakes.
Plants found in this Habitat:
Pitcher plants, bladderworts, reeds, moss, and tall grass in the prairies.
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5. Atlantic Ocean: this region is located on the southeastern border of
Georgia and is home to many varieties of fish. Gray’s Reef is located in the
Atlantic Ocean region.
Animals found in this Habitat:
Loggerhead turtles, shrimp, lobsters, oysters, right-whales, dolphins,
and a variety of fish, such as mackerel, sailfish, and snapper.
Plants found in this Habitat:
Seaweed, sea oats, morning glories, and pennyworts.
Extra Important Information:
How do habitats change? Make sure you are able to describe the five ways a habitat can
be affected.
1. Drought: there is NOT ENOUGH water for
plants/animals to survive
2. Fire: (man-made or natural) destroys the
habitat
3. Flood: there is TOO much water in a
habitat
4. Pollution: land, water, and air
can all be polluted
5. Construction/Development: habitats
cut down or destroyed for building
Identify features of green plants that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of
Georgia. **Connects to chapter 6 in the textbook**
Plants
Features that allow them to live and thrive in different
regions of Georgia
Examples:
physical adaptations-long roots, thorns, thick stems, sticky
seeds, colors, scents, seeds
reproduce
Pitcher plant
This plant is shaped like a rolled up leaf forming a tube
called a pitfall trap. Inside are little hairs, or tentacles, that
point toward the bottom of the inside of the tube. This is
so that the insects that get into the tube cannot make their
way out. They live in swamps or bogs.
Sweetshurb
Draws water from Georgia’s moist, rich soil through its
roots
Salt water grass
This grass grows best in soil that gets flooded with salt
water from the tide every day.
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Identify features of animals that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
**Connects to chapter 6 in the textbook**
Animals
Features that allow them to live and thrive in different
regions of Georgia
Examples:
behaviors-hibernate, reproduce, and migrate
physical adaptations-sharp claws, colors (camouflage), long
legs, long necks, shells, mimicry
Salamanders
They survive in the wet forest floors of the piedmont by
eating worms, insects, and snails. They hunt at night and
live under logs during the day.
Beaver
A strong, wide tail helps them swim through water
Coyote
Clam
Chipmunk
White-Tail Deer
Warbler
This animal is adapted for high-speed running to catch fastrunning prey.
It can bury itself in the sand to help them find shelter.
It spends the winter months hibernating to use less energy.
Its heartbeat rate slows and it lives off of its body fat.
They have long, thin legs that help them run from danger
quickly.
This bird migrates during winter months from Canada to
the United States and Mexico to survive.
VocabularyEnvironment- Everything that surrounds a living thing
Ecosystem-All the living and the nonliving things that interact in a place
Habitat-The place where a plant or an animal lives
Trait- A characteristic, or feature, of a plant or animal
Survive- Stay alive
Adaptation- A trait that helps a living thing survive
Hibernate-To spend the winter in a kind of deep sleep
Migrate-To travel from one place to another and back again
Non-Living- Things that are not alive (water, sun, air, rocks, mud, soil)
Reproduce- To produce more of a living thing