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Location
• Southern tip of Florida, from Lake Okeechobee southward to the Florida Bay
• Has an area of 34,000 –km2
• About half of the area has been lost to agriculture/urbanization
History• 1841-1856 US forces explored the
everglades to drive out the Seminoles
• 1850 the Swamp and Overflow Act turned over the area to the government
• 1881-1905 a series of canals were dug
• The now drained area was found to be very fertile and suitable for agriculture
Some Facts• Sometimes called the River of Grass
• Everglades National Park covers 20% of the original land
• Water is used for Miami’s water supply as well as other surrounding regions
• There are several small outlets including Miami River, New River, and Shark River
• It has a subtropical climate with annual rhythms of drought, flood, and fire
• Only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist together
Flora II
Wetland Fireflag,
Arrowroot
White Fragrant Water Lily Spike Rush
SawgrassMahogany
Fireflag
Willow
Fauna
West Indian Manatee
White-tailed Deer
Racoon
Great Blue Heron
Florida PantherGreat Egret
Brown Pelican
Black-necked Stilt
Fauna II
Everglades Crayfish
Green Tree Frog
Dragonfly
Florida Cooter
American Alligator
Flagfish
Southern Cricket Frog
Everglades Ratsnake
Threats
• Water Control– Drainage canals– Pumping stations
• Introduced, Exotic, and Invasive Species– Mayan Cichlid,
Melaleuca tree, Burmese Python
• Development– Urbanization,
Agriculture, Industry• Drought• Fires
Introduced, Exotics, and Invasives
Mayan Cichlid
Melaleuca Tree
Water Hyacinth
Brazilian Holly
Burmese Python
Problems
• 90-95% wading bird population reduction
• 68 plant and animal species endangered or threatened
• 1.5 million acres infested with invasive and exotic species
• 1.7 billion gallons of discharge into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
• Saltwater intrusion
• Over 1 million acres under health advisories for mercury
Conservation
•Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
•It will take more than 30 years and $7.8 billion dollars
•The plan is to capture discharged water before going to ocean and reroute it, first, to deficient areas and then agricultural areas.
References
• http://evergladesplan.org/about
• http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/wrp/wrp_evg/2_wrp_evg_info/photos_exotic.html
• Mitsch W. and Gosselink J. Wetlands. 2000 John Wiley & Sons Inc.