Everglades Flora and Fauna

Last week we explored some of the different habitats in the Everglades. This week we’ll look at some the plant and animal residents, then wrap up with some of the many challenges facing the region.

So many different kinds of animals live in the Everglades. They range from tiny biting flies to giant mosquitoes that can carry you back to their dens and every size of mosquito in between. There are also birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fishes, crustaceans, and arachnids. Many threatened and endangered species call this place home. Some of the highlights: Florida panther, eastern indigo snake, American crocodile, West Indian manatee, five species of sea turtle (leatherback, loggerhead, green, hawksbill, and Atlantic ridley), snail kite, wood stork, piping plover, and red cockaded woodpecker.

Florida panther (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

West Indian manatee

Other critters you can find there include alligators, black bears, deer, marsh rabbits (which is a capable swimmer, gray foxes (which can climb trees), pilot whales, dolphins, several bat species, the gulf toadfish (which is audible to humans), roseate spoonbills, flamingoes, owls, parakeets, shore birds, waterfowl, owls, and birds of prey.

Roseate spoonbill (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

American crocodile (NPS)

Marsh rabbit (North Carolina State Parks)

Plant life in the Everglades includes sawgrass, named for its serrated edges; Simpson’s applecactus, an endangered night-blooming species; wildflowers like climbing aster, coralbean, devil’s potato, and duck potato; several species of orchids that can be found in nearly all of the Everglades habitats, including treetop canopies; and a wide variety of trees. Among the many trees are three mangrove species, West Indies mahogany, live oak, slash pine, bald cypress, gumbo-limbo, buttonwood, royal palm and sabal palm.

Sawgrass (Florida Department of State)

Applecactus (USDA)

Coralbean (NPS)

West Indies mahogany (University of Florida)

Sabal palm (USDA)

Like any other natural area, there is damage caused by humans. Some is recent, but some goes back decades. As development came to Florida, much of the water was diverted by canals. Wetlands were filled in and built over. The diminished flow and water fouled with agricultural runoff and sediment has had far-reaching effects, even today. The current red tide on Florida’s Gulf Coast is likely a result.

Invasive species, especially the Burmese python and boa constrictor, are of increasing concern. These snakes eat just about any native species in the Everglades, including the alligators. With no natural predators, their populations are able to grow unchecked. Although snake hunts are held throughout the year, they are very well camouflaged and are able to escape detection. Another species of concern is the melaleuca tree, which shades out native plants. At least a tree is easier to find than a python. Lionfish are an exotic species that eats the native populations. Increasing demand for them as a food fish is having limited success in eradicating them.

In the marine habitat, propeller scars form when boaters in shallow water mow submerged vegetation or even scrape the sea floor. Scraping bottom is far worse because it kills vegetation directly. It also kicks up sediment, which shades nearby vegetation, indirectly killing more.

The amazing biodiversity of the Everglades leaves quite a lasting impression on visitors. Unfortunately the human impact leaves an even bigger mark on the landscape and wild residential population. While government agencies from the local level up to federal are spending a lot of money to restore the ecosystems, paradoxically, those same governments are allowing more destruction in other parts of the Everglades. It’s a tragic lesson in how our lifestyle choices have consequences most of us never see or think about.

This week's information, like last week, comes from the National Park Service.

Desert Life

This time of year, there’s usually no place in America that’s hotter than the desert Southwest. The region is known for its striking red sandstone formations, deep canyons, and ancient ruins. While the desert may seem like a barren wasteland to the casual observer, it is full of life. If you know where to look. The critters of the desert have evolved with special adaptations that allow them to survive in a harsh environment. Let’s have a look at some.

Extreme heat and scarce water are two hardships of the desert. Because of the second problem, sweating is an impractical solution to the first problem. As a workaround, the jackrabbit has large ears which are full of blood vessels. The blood vessels bring warmer blood away from the body core to cool. The large surface area of the ears also helps the cooling process (National Geographic).

Black-tailed jack rabbit (NPS)

The kangaroo rat has adapted to life without beverages. It can go an extended period without water, absorbing what it needs from its plant-based diet. Too keep cool, it lives underground and is nocturnal (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum).

Stephen's kangaroo rat (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum)

The various cactus species have evolved to avoid water loss. All plants lose water through their leaves in a process called transpiration. Cactus plants minimize the loss by having long, thin needles in place of the leaves we’re familiar with on trees and other leafy plants. They also have an extensive root system for maximizing water collection potential and a wide, hollow stem for water storage (BBC).

Saguaro cactus (US Forest Service)

Other desert plants have adapted as well. Shrubs and non-woody flowers survive by growing deep roots that can reach down into the water table. They have hardy seeds that can last for years before germinating. When the rare shower falls, these plants simultaneously burst to life in a brief but spectacular desert bloom (Science News for Kids).

Superbloom (National Park Service)

The Great Basin spadefoot toad has a cool adaptation for surviving in the desert. They burrow underground and remain in a state of suspended animation for years until rainfall brings it to the surface for mating and feeding. Mating pairs will lay and fertilize eggs anywhere water collects, then the race is on for the eggs to hatch and tadpoles to develop before the water evaporates. The tadpoles are cannibalistic, which might be an incentive to hurry up and grow (The Nature Conservancy).

Great Basin spadefoot toad (Idaho Fish and Game)

You probably don’t think of shrimp living in the desert. The fairy shrimp’s habitat is ephemeral (seasonal) pools that form in depressions in rock. They are tough little buggers, able to withstand extreme heat. Their eggs can survive desiccation for decades, using sugars instead of water inside the egg. The eggs can remain in place until rain activates it and it hatches, or they can be carried on the wind to a new location and hatch there when rain comes (National Park Service).

Fairy shrimp (National Park Service)

Next time you happen to be in the desert, look around for these and other fascinating critters. The desert is alive, if you look hard enough to see the life all around you.