CW4: 3579
From Environmental Technology
Can the Everglades Survive?
a) From the introduction, discuss the most critical issue and how it varies throughout the year.
Today, the Everglades is an ecosystem in danger. Canals and levees capture and divert its water for human needs, including drinking water, irrigation, and flood control. Often, too much water is withheld from the Everglades during the wet season, or too much is diverted into it during the winter drought, disrupting the natural cycles of feeding and nesting which depend on these patterns. Sometimes the water is contaminated by pollutants.
b) List the different habitats found in the Everglades.
Though Everglades National Park is often characterized as a water marsh, several very distinct habitats exist within its boundaries. Among these habitats are: Marine/Estuarine, Mangroves, Coastal Prairie, Freshwater Marl Prairie, Freshwater Slough, Cypress, Hardwood Hammocks, and Pinelands.
c) What do you think the largest predator is in this region? Where does it live? What does it eat?
The range of the American Alligator extends south from coastal swamps in North and South Carolina to the tip of southern Florida, then west along the Gulf Coast to the mouth of the Rio Grande. Alligators range inland throughout the southern coastal flatland. Alligators live in freshwater lakes, rivers, and swamps. They occasionally live in brackish water. The largest alligator ever recorded in Florida was 17 feet 5 inches long (5.3 meters). The largest alligator ever recorded measured 19 feet 2 inches (5.8 meters) and was found in Louisiana. Alligators eat a wide variety of foods including insects, crabs, crayfish, fish, frogs, snails, turtles, snakes, coots, grebes, wading birds, raccoons, otters, deer, and other alligators. Alligators feed most often when temperatures are between 73-90°F (20-23°C).
d) What is a Manatee? Where does it usually live? What do Mmanatees eat? What are the problems Manatees are having?
The West Indian Manatee is a marine mammal that grows to 1,000 pounds and roams U.S. coastal waters from Louisiana to Virginia. Similar to humans, Manatees are adapted to the tropics and in winter months must seek warm waters like Florida Bay. Manatees pull up and eat the abundant sea grasses and aquatic plants of the bay, consuming 10 to 15 percent of their body weight a day. Unfortunately, most of their problems are human-related. As our cities expand, their natural habitat is decreased. Added to this problem is the establishment of automatic locks and dams which can harm or kill manatees. But the most critical problem for manatees is boating accidents. They like to rest just below the surface of the water and are often hit by speeding boats. As a result, most manatees in the wild bear prop scars on their backs. For many, the cuts lead to infections which later prove fatal. Broken ribs and punctured lungs resulting from collisions also cause many deaths.
e) Is fire a bad for the Everglades? Explain.
Fire is not the end, but the beginning of new life in the Everglades; it has always been an integral part of the Everglades. It was one of the critical influences in the evolution of south Florida habitats. Everglades National Park was established to protect the biological diversity of the area. Regular fires are needed to guarantee that protection. Without those fires much of the diversity would be lost forever and several species would face extinction. As a result, park managers consider fire an important ally rather than a foe.
f) What geologic events helped create the Florida Everglades?
The rocks beneath the Big Cypress Swamp are among the oldest in South Florida. Six million years ago a shallow sea covered this area. Sediments of silt and sand and particles of calcium deposited on the bottom of this sea gradually cemented into limestone. Today this rock is called the Tamiami Formation. The Great Ice Age was actually four shorter ice ages with periods of warming in between. During these warmer "interglacial" stages, the ice melted and returned to the sea. The last interglacial stage occurred about 100,000 years ago. At its peak, the sea level in South Florida rose 100 feet above present levels.
