Melaleuca
The melaleuca tree, which is also known as the punk tree or paperback tea tree has become a big problem for the evrglades. The tree is native to Australia. In Australia, they are used for many things to soak water up when it is in unwanted areas. However the Australian tree is a neusance in Florida especially in the everglades. The trees grow to imense forest s int he everglades and eliminate all of the vegetation that surrounds it. The tree itself can grow in land areas or in a dense swamp. During a span of fifty years, melaleuca has taken hundreds of thousands of acres of the everglades. It is threatening the very existence of the the everglades and its surrounding wetlands. Melaleuca can spread fast, because it produces large quantites of seeds and most of those seeds will eventually become large trees. Many scientists are trying to discover a way to, not to elimintate melaleuca, but to control it. Herbicides are somewhat effective but fires that the scientists are starting purposly are actually helping to spread the melaleuca trees and seeds. Recently, scientists in the everglades have released biological control insects to help in the fight against the dreaded melaleuca tree, but it will be a long time before the results of the insects will be known.Melaleuca was once planted in the evrglades to drain up the water from what was thought to be a river. Later it was realized that the everglades were really a large swamp. But it was too late. The melaleuca forests had already consumed most of the evreglades swamp. Now the melaleuca tree is threatening the existence of the evrglades swamp and its magnificent ecosystem.
How to indentify Melaleuca
The melaleuca tree is easy to identify. It is a tree which is about eighty feet tall . Its bark is whitich, spongy, peeling, and in many layers. The leaves of the melaleuca tree are to five inches long, alternate, evergreen,siple, short-stalked, and narrowly elyptic.Melaleuca has white flowers that are small. The flowers are crowded in bottlebrush-like spikes that are located at the tips of the branches. The fruit that the melaleuca tree produces are short, cylindric or squarish, woody capsules with many tiny seeds.
Large drainage projects were launched, shortly after the year 1900. Many canals were built. These canals lowered the level of Lake Okeechobee. The lowering of Lake Okeechobee inhibited the lakes natural tendency to to overflow into the everglades. Urban growth along the Atlantic coastal strip accelerated after World War I. More and more water was diverted from the everglades. Almost simultaneously, an agriculture zone was developed south of Lake Okeechobee. Farming soon consumed huge quantities of water.
For a complete listing of the endangered species in the everglades click here
Large Drainage Projects
Endangered Species
One of the most endangered species of the everglades is the Florida Panther. The classification of the florida panther is Felis concolor caryi. This large, tawny-colored panther is a subspecies of the mountain lion. It has adapted well to the subtropical environment of Florida. The Florida Panther requires large tracts of territory (up to 250 square miles).
Another endangered species of the everglades is the West indian Manatee. The scientific classification of the west indian manatee is Trichechus manatus. The manatee, sometimes called the sea cow is perhaps one of the everglades most endearing species. It is slow and gentle, with wrinkled, whiskery faces and big paddle like tails that help them move through the water.
| Melaleuca |
| Large Drainage Projects |
| Endangered Species |