Raymond

Gehman

/N

G Ima

ge

Collection

6

Ecosystems

and Evolution

THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES

T

he Everglades, a “river of grass” in the

southernmost part of Florida, is a vast expanse

of predominantly sawgrass wetlands dotted with

small islands of trees. It is a haven for wildlife,

including alligators (see photograph), snakes,

panthers, otters, raccoons, and thousands of birds.

The Everglades today is about half its original size

of 1.6 million hectares (4 million acres) and suffers

from many serious environmental problems. Wading

bird populations have dropped 93 percent since

1930 (see graph), and the area is now home to 50

endangered or threatened species. Invasive predator

species, including Burmese pythons—former pets—

decimate some prey populations.

More than 70 years of engineering projects

aimed at protecting the human population from

storm-related flooding have

reduced the quantity of water

flowing into the Everglades,

restricting the natural

recharging process there.

Flood-control measures

created dry spaces that were

then converted to agricultural or

residential use, fragmenting wildlife habitat and

polluting the water that does enter.

The Everglades will never return completely to

its original condition because there are now too

many cities and sugar plantations in the region.

However, state and federal governments are

working together on the massive Comprehensive

Everglades Restoration Plan to eventually restore

a more natural water flow to the area, repel

invasions of foreign species, and reestablish

native species.

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