ABSTRACT
The Everglades are the only subtropical wetlands in North America and the only wetlands in the United States (US) which are covered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Ramsar convention. This chapter discusses the portion of the original Everglades ecosystem, encompassing the downstream terminus of the major freshwater drainage features in this system, as well as large expanses of coastal oligohaline marshes, mangrove swamps, and the offshore benthic communities of Florida Bay. It focuses on the fundamental characteristics of the Everglades ecosystem and how it has changed as a result of human impacts over the last 120 years. Hydrology can be considered as the primary driver of vegetation dynamics, soil characteristics, nutrient status and landscape organization in the Everglades ecosystem. The Everglades National Park (ENP) protects more than 565,000 ha of habitat and is the second largest national park in the US.
