More on the Everglades:

(I) Spatial Scale:

     The spatial scale of the Florida Everglade marshes is regional and varies based on hydroperiod, water depth, floating mat volume, and vegetation density.  Processes that occur at the regional scale play important roles in regulating large fish in the Everglades because the most pronounced patterns in abundance and community structure occur at this scale. Specifically, hydroperiod and water management at the regional scale influence large fish communities of Everglades marshes (2).

Example of regional variation:

"Figure 4. (above) Variability of peat surface elevation (type II tool) at 1-meter and 100-meter measurement scale. Site F1 (A) and site U3 (B), WCA-2A, central Everglades, south Florida" (11)

This graph reveals how vegetation varies regionally across the everglades at different elevations. the first graph A (site 1) displays higher overall vegetation patterns especially towards higher elevations, yet these variations are more spread out, as opposed to site B. Site B (graph #2) also displays higher vegetation patterns at higher surfaces, yet in general the elevations are considerably shorter than graph #1, and the vegetation denseness does not vary as much.

(II)  Benefits Provided by the Everglades:
This ecosystem provides many advantages to the State of Florida and its surrounding areas. Its abundant wildlife and wetlands attract many outdoor enthusiasts who are attracted to the birds and other animals in this area. Many people from south Florida get their drinking water and the water used for agriculture from this ecosystem. The surrounding wetlands also help to improve the water quality by purifying the many pollutants in the water, absorbing nutrients, and reducing potential flooding. (4)

(III) Status of Protected Areas:

The Everglades National Park is a national park in the United Sate of Florida protects the southern 20 percent of the original Everglades ecosystem. The Everglades ecosystem is also a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and some areas are protected under the Cartagena treaty, which safeguards biological diversity (5).

The Everglades National Park was established in 1934 with the goal of protecting the quickly vanishing Everglade ecosystem from South Florida’s canal building projects. Unfortunately, the ecosystems in Everglades National Park have been negatively impacted by human activity. Everglades restoration plans are very hotly debated among the various stakeholders in South Florida and will likely continue to be a politically charged issue in the future (5).