The Everglades is a natural region of tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The ecosystem it forms is not presently found anywhere else on earth. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. The Everglades experiences a wide range of weather patterns, from frequent flooding in the wet season to drought in the dry season.[1]
Coverage[]
The Everglades is featured in The Invaders.
Starting in 1 day after people, the invaders are on the move in more than 2,500 square miles of marshes and swamps of the Everglades where alligators are being attacked by Burmese pythons. First brought to Florida as exotic pets, many were set loose by owners who could no longer control the rapidly growing snakes, and steal prey from the native alligators. Without people to control their spread, the Burmese pythons invaded the marshlands.
A Burmese python on a tree in the Everglades.
In 1 year after people, alligators still rule the Everglades but the invasion of Burmese pythons is heating up, especially an advantage of unusual size, where they eat anything including alligators. Half a million native alligators still outnumber the 30,000 Burmese pythons, but won't do so forever. Dan Thayer stated that the pythons will outgrow the alligators and become the top predator of the Everglades.
Sailfin catfish in the waters of the Everglades.
In 100 years after people, the Everglades is still controlled by more than 1,000 miles of man-made earthen barriers in order to control the flooding in the Everglades. However, thousands of sailfin catfish, descendants of pets brought from South America in the 1970s, have invaded the dikes and levees by digging 3-foot deep burrows to lay their eggs. Tom Jackson explains a dike and a catfish and every year will cause the dike to damage till it eventually it fail. With the barriers break, dry areas in the Everglades become swampland.
The last event take place in the Everglades is in 150 years after people when Burmese pythons have dominated it and invaded fresh territories, which then dominate the lower 40% of the once United States.
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