Everglades Digital Library
The years of farming in the Everglades
has been very profitable, but have also had a dramatic impact on the overall
well being of the ecosystem. Agricultural activities to the
south of Lake Okeechobee have resulted in increased
erosion, soil oxidation, and the introduction of non native fertilizers and
pesticides (Rood 70). Beside the obvious negative impact of the, these
processes can also facilitate the transport of manufactured as well as
naturally-occurring mercury, which flows into and affects the fish population.
The mercury levels in the fish can be dangerous when they are consumed if it
exceeds the tolerable level for humans. Another major concern is the vast
amounts of water that needs to be extracted from Lake
Okeechobee in order to facilitate the farming, which leaves less
water for the plants. The farming industry in the Everglades is one of the
largest in the United States ,
but in the recent decade, another major problem for the region has come from
overpopulation.
The Wild Muse
The overall population in Florida
has increased more than 16% since April of 2000, and more specifically, the area
surrounding Lake Okeechobee has recently had
one of the highest rates of population
growth than it has seen in years, with an increase of 12.1% since April
of 2000 (U.S Census Bureau, 2010). The primary concern with this population
boom, is that it also puts a strain on the fresh water from the lake. As the
usage of water from the lake increases, less of it overflows into the
everglades, which leads to the lowering of water levels and the drying of the
normally waterlogged marshes. This can lead to the widespread wilting of the
massive sawgrass fields, which also leads them to be much more vulnerable to
wild fires which can destroy massive amounts of plants in the uniform marshes.
Rescources:
Rood, B.E. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. "Mercury accumulation trends in Florida Everglades and Savannas Marsh flooded soils" 1998.
what is that 2nd picture of
ReplyDelete