CW4:8722

From Environmental Technology

a) Within the Everglades there is a great diversity of plants and animals who are struggling to survive in its fragile ecosystem. The Everglades plants and animals are affected by an annual season's of fire, flood, drought, torrential rain, and sunshine to the ecosystem.

b)The different habitats found in the Everglades are the Marine/Estuarine, Mangroves, Coastal Prairie, Freshwater Marl Prairie, Freshwater Slough, Cypress, Hardwood Hammocks, and Pinelands.

c)The largest predator in this region are humans. Humans that are invading the Everglades live in South Florida region. The humans in the region are consuming too much of the Everglades water supply.

d)The West Indian Manatee is a marine mammal that grows to 1,000 pounds. The West Indian Manatee usually lives within the U.S. coastal waters from Louisiana to Virginia. The West Indian Manatee eat the abundant sea grasses and aquatic plants of the bay. The problems the West Indian Manatee are having are human related. Their habitats have decreased because of human cities expansion and the establishment of automatic locks and dams.

e)Fire is a natural force within the Everglades just like rain, drought, hurricanes, wind, and lightining. Fire allows plants within the Everglades in the removal of decaying vegatation. Fire also allows for growth to take place that didn't exist before the fire took place. After the fire, nutrients are released within the habitat, which allows for growth within the habitat. The growth of plants increases the variety of food for the living resources within the habitat.

f)The Geological events that help create the Florida Everglades are the Ice Age, The Tamiami Formation,Calcium carbonate settling out of the water,etc.