Man's Impact on the Everglades

Man has never been content to leave the natural preserved in the state in which it was discovered. Likewise, the Everglades ecosystem has been bombarded by this pressure as man seeks to "redesign" the environment to suit the needs of the ever encroaching human population. This has brought about profound changes in this system and the way it operates.
Collectors were among the first to extract a toll on this area because of its exotic indigenous creatures. Species which now face extinction include: several varieties of unusual Orchids and ferns, Florida tree snails, and the indigo snake. But the impact of collectors is not merely limited to the disappearance of species. For example, collectors burned Hardwood Hammocks to facilitate collecting tree snails. The high demand for feathers as the plumes of ladies' hats also endangered the Snowy Egret at one time.
Another source of destruction includes off road vehicles such as air boats and swamp buggies used to negotiate the difficult terrain. These vehicles create ever widening soil ruts because the tracks are slippery and subsequent vehicles avoid them. Because hydroperiod plays a powerful role in habitat determination, even a slight change in water depth can profoundly effect the composition of the ecosystem. Channels interrupting sheet flow provide an alternate route for the water. Vegetation is uprooted and lost, as a result, enhancing the likelihood of invasion by opportunistic species such as cattails. In some areas, off road vehicles have resulted in the damage of tree islands.
Melaleuca, an Australian tree, poses a different kind of the threat: that of introduced species. The trees overtake Sawgrass marshes and Cypress swamps in areas reduced by drainage. Their tolerance of fire further enhances their spread. Eventually, dense forests form which exclude the natural vegetation and dry up the environment. Brazilian pepper began its stay in the Florida area as an ornamental. Like the Melaleuca, it forms a