Sci_230_Final_Project_Paper

Florida Everglades Nathan Heilman SCI 230 South Florida is a treasured region of the world. From the Everglades, which starts around mid Florida to the Florida Keys found on the southernmost part, this land is a vast wilderness. People come to marvel at its wildlife both above ground and under water. It is the only subtropical place in the United States. The area contains sweeping tracks of undeveloped land and is a world heritage site, international biosphere reserve, and an international wetlands of importance. The largest wilderness area east of the Rockies. The greater everglades ecosystem, mile upon mile of intact wetlands or of low country where an only an inch of rise in elevation can spell the difference between grassy prairie and wooded hammock. The system spanning some one and a half million acres has endured much, losing fifty percent of its water flow to neighboring agricultural activity and burgeoning development. This "River of Grass" is a mosaic of saw grass marshes, freshwater ponds, prairies and forested uplands which is home to a rich and diverse community of plant and wildlife. Known around the world for its diverse population of water birds and other wildlife, the Everglades supports over 60 federally threatened and endangered species. Some of the most notable of these animals are the American Crocodile, the Florida Panther, and the Wood Stork. The Everglades is a home for a huge number of plants and animals that have evolved to live in a subtropical wet environment. Some of the more notable creatures which have become sort of symbols of this struggling region are the West Indian Manatee, the Wood Stork, and the Florida Panther. Certain plant life such as the saw grass marshes, and both cypress and mangrove forests have become images that are recognized around the world as symbols of this region. While many of the plants and animals in the Everglades are recognized around the world, this region is mainly composed of lesser known plants and animals and fish. The Florida Everglades include a wide variety of different wetlands plants, trees and marsh vegetation, as well as many types of invertebrates, fresh and saltwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. There are many animals that depend upon each other for survival in the everglades The number of different plants, animals, and insects makes it pretty difficult to explain all of the interrelationships, but for all intensive purposes I will discuss a small portion of the food web. Basically everything in the everglades depends on the sun to live and grow. Plants live and die when they rot they provide nutrients for other plants to grow and prosper mosquitoes grow in these shallow waters and lay their eggs on these plants and in the water around these plants. Turtles eat some of these plants such as bladderwort. Frogs and fish both eat the insects that they can find hiding around the waters amongst the plants there. Lots of different animals depend on fish such as the alligator and some of the great blue heron. Raccoons are both predator to frogs and fish and prey to alligators and Florida panthers. The Florida alligator and American crocodile are pretty much at the top of the food chain. they eat pretty much any smaller animals and nothing really eats them. Over the last hundred years the populations of wading birds in the everglades has declined by almost 90%. Some of the major human intrusions that the everglades faces are drainage and the growth of urban areas and water quality and pollution problems. The Everglades used to cover over 110,000 square miles until a national push for expansion and progress sparked interest in draining the land for agricultural purposes of growing sugarcane. A population explosion of more than triple the expected growth encroached on the Everglades as the cities of Miami, Orlando, And palm Beach grew in size. The Everglades water began to become polluted as the sugarcane farms grew larger and larger producing a steady run off of phosphates from fertilizer steadily dumping into the Everglades ecosystem. Another major source of pollution are the power plants in the area that dump mercury unchecked into the air. The mercury disperses into the air, accumulates in the clouds, rains back down onto the ground and into the lakes and rivers. The mercury laced waters of the Kissimmee River supply the Everglades with its fresh water. Currently, over one million acres of the eco system are under health advisories for mercury contamination. There are many existing programs that are currently in place to help safeguard and preserve the everglades. Some of them are: Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), The Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP), The Federal Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1992, The Water Resources Development Act of 1996, and the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. While this is a good start, the current protections are not sufficient to preserve this fragile region, Most people would think that the majority of things that can be done are on a corporate, state or national level but Individuals can make a difference too. Some of the things individuals can do are to properly maintain their own landscape, using fertilizers only as directed making sure not to overuse fertilizers that are high in phosphorous and other pollutant chemicals. Controlling litter is another thing individuals can do to ensure that they are helping to ensure the health of their natural habitats. Using water wisely is something we all can do that will help. Controlling pests and other unwanted animals can help play a role in conserving the everglades too, but it is important to use methods which are eco friendly before resorting to the use of pesticides and other chemicals which can pollute. Although there are many different things that are being done to help preserve what is left of the Florida Everglades, restoring them to their natural state is going to take a lot of time and money. The most major problem that the Everglades are currently facing is the lack of fresh clean water. Over the last hundred years, people have created so many barriers, which divert the natural flow of the water, that the Everglades now are only getting about one fifth of what is required to maintain the region. As a result of this problem and all of the other problems combined, the Everglades have been essentially dying over the last few decades. The damage that is being done will continue to get worse until more water flow problem is corrected. The damage will be increasingly difficult to reverse. The solution that is being looked at is redirecting the waters back into the Kissimmee river and others like it that feed into the Everglades. Many people, from conservationists to politicians, are finally realizing the importance of saving what is left of this beautiful ecosystem, They are coming together with funding and plans to do just what is needed. Recently, a plan was approved to restore the River of Grass to its natural state. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan will open up many of the barriers that impede the flow of water into the rivers and will close off many of the drainage canals that were dug to drain the waters into the ocean. This will be the nation's largest such project, costing around eight billion dollars and taking around twenty years to complete. This is a huge step in the right direction on what needs to be done on a state and national level. If the Everglades are to survive more than another decade or two, projects like this need to be gotten underway as soon as possible. References: "Everglades: a Brief History." Welcome to the Official Website of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Web. 14 Aug. 2011. . "Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. . "Everglades Needs More Water - Other Views - MiamiHerald.com." MiamiHerald.com - Miami & Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Miami Dolphins & More. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. . "Feds Step up to save Everglades, Economy - St. Petersburg Times." Tampa, Florida Newspapers: The Times & Tbt* | Powering Tampabay.com. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. . Guesswork, Hope And. "Florida Everglades Protection Effort Scaled Down Drastically." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Web. 14 Aug. 2011. . "Plants and Animals of the Everglades." Welcome to the Official Website of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Web. 14 Aug. 2011.