Picture:
This is a picture is of one of the air boat tours, this is just one of the many activities that you can do when you visit the everglades. As you can see the boat kind of hovers above the water.Also, in the background it may look like a forest, but it is all water surrounding the trees and grass.
Article:
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/mar/20/travel-ambling-everglades-florida/
Summary:
The Everglades is a beautiful swamp full of many birds, fish, plants, and gators. Sadly, 90% of the Everglades birds have been lost because of the plum hunters. The article explains, that there are many trails and path ways and things to do when you are in the Everglades. For instance you could go on an air boat ride and practically glide across the 50miles wide and 100 miles long swamp of the Everglades. You can also see some manatees. The Burmese pythons is an invasive species in the Everglades and is ruining the ecosystem. One python was found with a whole white tailed deer in it’s stomach. The Everglades try to also save species like the Florida Panther. They have about 12 panthers protected in the park. With many species the whole entire park has a very high biodiversity. The Everglades are very susceptible to natural disasters, such as wild fires and climate changes as well as hurricanes and sea level rises. A restoration plan for the Everglades is in the process of beginning the of healthy sustainable ecosystems. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan or the CERP, was signed by President Clinton in 2000, is possibly the most determined wilderness restoration plan. The Everglade’s forest is one of the most beautiful national parks and should be restored and protected.
Expansion:
I can relate to this article because this past winter break I went to Florida to visit family and we went to the Everglades. We took an air boat ride, which was very fun! We saw three alligators on the trip, one was an 8- foot male and the other was a 5-foot female. They came really close to out boat! Next time I go visit the Everglades are defiantly on my list of things to do.
Question:
1.) The Everglades have a high biodiversity, why is this a good thing?
2.) How does the Everglades benefit or effect the people living in and around it?
3.)Do you think that global warming will have any effects on the everglades.
I would also be thrilled to go to such a wonderful place as the everglades. I personally love animals very much and to hear that such laws to protect the species and the valuable habitat were in place is a very happy news for me. Though its rather sad to hear that many species of birds of the everglade are extinct. Any kind of extinction is rather sad. Though it is not a swamp enviornment like the everglades, I remember going to a rocky beach once and seeing little sea creatures that were swimming around the shallow water and it was rather fun. I also enjoyed seeing small fish that would be swimming around the surface of the water. It would indeed be a nice to visit a vast natural habitat.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 3:
Global warming will have a tremendous affect on the everglades. Global warming is usually linked with sea level rising and when sea level rises, the everglade will suffer from more input of seawater. It could also potentially lead to the everglade being submerged under the sea because the sea level increased dramatically.
Expansion:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/fl-windfarm-everglades-vote-20120322,0,97838.story
This article is about a windfarm in everglade and how it is the first to be operating in Florida. The problem is, those wind turbines could potentially harm rare and endangered birds that live in the everglade. I think it's ironic that wind turbines that are suppose to help the nature is in return, harming it.
Questions:
1)What are some of the invasive species of the everglade?
2)What are some of the endangered species of the everglade?
3)What other enviornmental problems are the everglades facing?
I agree that it should be protected, especially because of its high biodiversity. I think they should take action against the invasive species by maybe just removing them from the area, just so the native animals can get back to the way it was before the species was introduced.
ReplyDeleteAnswering Nasrine's question number 1, it is a good thing because if the area were to be faced with some sort of disaster, such as wildfires and hurricanes, it would be able to rebuild itself easily.
I have never been to the Everglades, though from hearing what Nasrine said it sounds like a lot of fun! Going off of what Gernwoo said, I went to Discovery Cove, where I did some similar activities as him like seeing fishes and manta rays, and got to feed some of them. About the Everglades' condition, however, it's really depressing to hear that 90% of it has been lost to plum hunters. I feel that if the Everglades holds all these protected animals and is has such a high biodiversity, then they should just protect the whole area from those hunters and other human threats.
ReplyDeleteTo answer one of Gernwoo's second question, here is a link to a site that lists the endangered species of the Everglades: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/everglades/endangeredglades.html
After looking over it I found that the manatee was an endangered species! That realy upset me, I love manatees and honestly didn't know they were in trouble. :(