Florida Everglades Research Paper

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Food Web Diagram

William DiCarlo

SCI/230

November 16, 2012

Casey Bulaclac

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As Walt Whitman once said, “I bequeath myself to the dirt, to grow from the grass I love; If

you want me again, look for me under your boot-soles”. He was referring to the importance of

ecosystems and how they control and predict all living organisms on planet earth. One such

ecosystem is the Florida Everglades, which covers most of central and southern Florida. The Florida

Everglades is host to a diverse ecosystem of tropical and subtropical plants, reptiles, mammals, and

aquatic species as well(Everglades, 2012).

The various species that live within this ecosystem depend on each other for survival
There is a wide variety of plants in this two million acre wetland, which includes saw grass,

cypress, bladder wort, and mangrove. Some other plants and tress serve as the primary energy source

for some consumers and provide them with a suitable shelter(The Concept of the Ecosystem, 2008).

Numerous species of mammals also make their home within the Everglades, including those

that are native, threatened, and almost endangered. Over 300 different bird species dwell within the

Everglades, such as the Blue Heron, and the Wood Stork(Different Types of Ecosystems, 2012).

Land mammals that roam the Everglades include such beasts as the panther, crocodile, and the

Burmese python. The Florida panther is considered to be the most endangered animal within the

Everglades with only about 75 still remaining today(Everglades, 2012).

The Florida Everglades is composed of three different organisms, a producer, a consumer, and

a decomposer. The producer is a living organism, which works by providing food for other

organisms in an ecosystem food chain. Green plants that create energy through
The primary producer of these wetlands is the peripython assemblage, which

provides food and shelter for a wide variety of aquatic life, such as omnivores and grazers.

Consumers are living organisms that feed of other living organisms within the same ecosystem.

Herbivores that feed of green plants are called the primary consumers, whereas organisms that feed

off other carnivores are called tertiary consumers(Different Types of Ecosystems, 2012). Some prime

example of an Everglade consumer would be the Florida Panther, American Alligator, and the Green

Sea Turtle.

A decomposer is an organism that is responsible for the physical and chemical breakdown of

all dead organisms(The Concept of the Ecosystem, 2008). Blue-green algae and fungi assist in the

process of decay.

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As a consumer, the American Alligator has four chambers that enable the heart to deliver

blood to all its major organs(Everglades, 2012). The American Alligator has become well adapted to

the Everglades because they strive in fresh water environments like marshes, wetlands, and swamps.

The American Alligator is an important piece of the Everglades food chain. The