1.Describe how the landscape of south Florida is related to glaciation.
Glaciation is essentially the process of the Earth being covered with a huge mass of ice. More than 20,000 years ago, in the area now considered to be the Everglades was constantly going through the process of glaciation. As pieces land would emerge, the pieces of ice would come to rest on top of the land mass. About 17,000 years ago, Florida began to heat up and developed the hot and humid climate that we all know today. The intense rains that are associated with this climate brought along flooding, and the flooding turned into massive rivers, lakes, and swamps.
Describe and explain the various human impacts on the Everglades.
Humans can be extremely rough on an environment. Years of over hunting and other careless behaviors have led to many animals being added onto the endangered species list and the depletion of the natural landscape. However, Humans can take steps to go about easing the effects they have on the environment. In 1947, the Everglades National Park was dedicated not just for its visual appeal to humans, but also for its environmental necessity to help protect the rich environment of the Everglades.
Describe the various types of habitats present in the Everglades.
Nine distinct habitats have been discovered within the Florida Everglades. The Hardwood Hammock is an elevated space, densely packed with hardwoods and other massive trees. The Pinelands possess exposed limestone and very tall pine trees. The Mangrove Forest is home to many salt-tolerant trees that thrive in the environmental conditions of the Everglades. The Costal Lowlands is an area of prairie land that is prone to flooding and has many small shrubs scattered around. A Freshwater Slough is a low-lying area of that that allows water to run through it. The Freshwater Marl Prairie boarder many of the deeper sloughs within the Everglades. The Freshwater Marl Prairie boarders areas of marshy water and allow for slow seepage of the overflowing channels. The Marine and Estuarine refer the bodies of water within the Everglades. The Cypress is a deciduous conifer that has the ability to survive in sitting water. It obviously thrives in the Everglades.
Part 2 Instructions
Florida Panther
Is it an herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore?
Florida panthers are total carnivores. They rely on meat to survive.
At what trophic level(s) does it feed (might take some estimation for certain prey items)?
The Florida Panther is a level 4 tertiary consumer. This means that it gets its energy by hunting primary and secondary producers.
What issues are affecting the survival of this organism and our human activities specifically impacting this organism?
In the 1800s, a bounty on panthers was put into place by the government as a way to decrease the over abundant population. Because they were given an incentive, the hunters had depleted the Florida Panther population by the mid-1950s. Today, the Panthers face obstacles such as traffic accidents, inbreeding, disease, and other environmental factors.
What are some solutions that can enhance preservation of the species?
On the everyday level, people could be more cautious while driving and doing other outdoor activities. Outdoor cleanups could also help to aid in the trash litter and the toxic environment in which they live. Environmentalist are working towards ways that will help to increase the Florida Panther population. One thing that they have done is introduce the Texas Panther into the environment. This gives the Florida Panthers additional mates so that the levels of inbreeding will be decreased.
Bibliography:
- “Born From A Changing Climate.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 20 Aug. 2015, www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/ccintroseverborn.htm.
- “Florida Panther: Species Profile.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 17 Oct. 2017, www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/floridapanther.htm.
- “Natural Features & Ecosystems.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 28 July 2015, www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/naturalfeaturesandecosystems.htm.