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Ecology: The Everglades The Everglades There are many ecological ecosystems that exist within the vats world today. However, there is one ecosystem that many hate, but is the most important ecosystem of all. These are the wetland habitats. Wetland habitats can consist of marshes and ponds, swamps, and low-lying areas that frequently flood. The most famous wetland habitat that exists within Florida called the Everglades. The term “The Everglades” is a term unique to Florida only. The Everglades is located in the Southern Portion of Florida. It begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River and then discharges through Lake Okeechobee. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and is also the most toured place in South Florida. The Everglades is also composed of the largest contiguous stand of protected mangroves in the Northern Hemisphere, a benefit of a wetland habitat. The wetland also serves as a home for endangered species such as the American crocodile and the West Indian manatee. The most surprising fact is that the Everglades is also responsible for supplying drinking water for more than eight million people.

Physical Characteristics The Everglades is classified as a wetland habitat, but more specifically, a subtropical saw-grass marsh region, containing a “river of grass” for up to fifty miles wide but usually less than one foot deep. This marsh is also massive, covering more than 4,300 square miles of southern Florida. Near the east side of the habitat the marsh reaches near the narrow, sandy belt that includes the Miami metropolitan area, and to west, it merges into the Big Cypress Swamp located. Through this, the water itself moves slowly southward toward the mangrove swamps bordering the Gulf of Mexico to the southwest and Florida Bay to the east. There are around six points of habitats located in what we call “The Everglades”: the mangroves, pineland, cypress, coastal prairie, Florida bay, and the fresh water slough. The mangrove forests are present in the coastal channels and winding rivers around the tip of south Florida. The pineland, also known as pine rocklands, often take root in the expose limestone substrate of south Florida. The Big Cypress Swamp is essential to the health of the Everglades, as it supports the rich marine estuaries along Florida’s southwest coast. The coastal prairie is the dry region the Everglades and provides open grasslands for animals to live in. The Florida bay is the vast swamp, but is less than 3ft deep, perfect for sea animals like West Indian manatee. Lastly, the freshwater slough is a low-lying area of land that channels water through the Everglades.

Species (Taxonomy, Evolutionary History) There are a vast amount of species that live in the Everglades. The main types of species that are popular are the American alligator, the coral snake, the crappie fish, the Florida panther, the fox, the peacock, the egret, the eagle, the largemouth bass, the skunk, the turtle, the turtle vulture, and the alligator gar. Below is a list of some of the many popular types of species that exist within the Everglades: •	The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a large crocodilian reptile found in the Southeastern US. Once occupying a spot on the federal endangered species list, American alligator populations have recovered and are common in many parts of the Southeast. Healthy alligators can beyond 60 years of age, and are the last living reptiles that were closely related to dinosaurs, with their closest modern animal family being birds. Alligators are cold-blooded, meaning that they cannot regulate their own body temperature. For this reason, it is common to catch gators sunbathing on the banks of Everglades waters, sometimes seen with open mouths to cool themselves. •	The North American coral snake is a species of venomous elapid snake with small fangs that are permanently erect. While coral snakes are very elusive, they possess one of the most potent venoms of any North American snake. Like all elapid snakes, coral snakes have small hollow fangs, which they use to deliver their venom. •	Crappie fish (Promoxis) is a genus of North American freshwater fish in the sunfish family Centrarchidae. The species within this genus are the white crappie (Poxomis annularis) and black crappie (Poxomis nigromacaulatus.) Their original habitat was the Eastern US and Canada, but both species have spread throughout the country and abroad. •	The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) is an endangered subspecies of cougar. The deforestation and spread of development brought on by European settlers was the original cause for the decline in the Florida panthers’ numbers. In the 1970s, there were only approximately 20 Florida panthers left in the wild. Today, their numbers have increased to an estimated 160 in wilderness. •	Foxes are small to medium-sized omnivorous mammals of the Canidae family. The widespread world population of foxes coupled with their cunning nature has made the animal a regular depiction in pop culture. Foxes have partially retractable claws and are digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes. The typical lifespan of a fox in the wild is one to three years, although they can live up to twelve in captivity. Typically they live in small family groups but some are solitary. •	Peafowl (or Pavo cristatus), commonly referred to as peacocks (specific to males, commonly used interchangeably) and peahens (females) include two Asiatic species and one African species of bird in the Phasianidae family. The Indian peafowl is Immature offspring are sometimes called peachicks. Peacocks are large, colorful pheasants, well known for their iridescent tails that spread out in a distinctive train. •	Eagle is the common name of many large birds of prey of the Accipitridae family. Most of the sixty species of eagles are from Eurasia and Africa, but two are present in the Everglades – the bald eagle and golden eagle. Due to their immense size and power, eagles are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world. •	Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines, known for their special bony or cartilaginous shell, which extends from their ribs and acts as a shield. The earliest known members of the group date back to 157 million years ago, making them one of the oldest reptile groups – older than snakes and crocodilians. Turtles are ectotherms, meaning that their internal temperature varies according to their environment. The Everglades was technically a human bred environment. Although the swamp and marshlands were naturally produced, some animals were migrated from countries and forced to be put in this habitat. Because of this, the true evolutionary history of these species belong from their true origins and do not come from the Everglades.

Ecology (Human Activity, Effect of Climate Change) There are many types of ecological interactions that happen in the Everglades, thus it is difficult create multiple food webs for every interaction. However, the ecological interaction that occurs in the Everglades are similar to the ecological patterns and webs of a rainforest or common wetland. There are numerous types of animals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and plants that exist within this wonderful ecosystem. The Everglades nowadays has become a national park for many people to tour all year long. Many tourists visit the Everglades to see the various species. The Everglades National Park is home to more than 360 different bird species and has more than 40 mammal species within the park. After tourist hours (usually 8 AM to 5 PM), the ecosystem is checked one last time and no humans are allowed to cross the border. The dangerous effects of climate change does take a toll on the Everglades, especially since it is mainly a marshland. According to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the most recent support shows that human activity has led to a 1 degree Celsius rise in global temperatures. This means that the levels of saltwater are rising in the Everglades and have even been named the “saline glades”. If this were to continue, freshwater mangroves would reduce, causing multiple fatalities for the sea animals that habitat the cypress and other marshes located in the Everglades. In addition, changes in rainfall may also alter the Everglades. A decrease in precipitation could mean that the Everglades could lead to more severe and extended droughts. This would cause lower water levels, increase the chance of a wildlife fire, and completely alter the landscape of the plants and animals.

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