Ecology and environment: principles and interactions

Ecology

It is important for people to have an environmental awareness that supports both the ecology's survival and the individual. The purpose of this essay is to describe my local ecology and environment by explaining the specific factors that distinguish these surroundings. This essay will describe my home state of Florida in terms of its ecology and demonstrate some of the important factors that comprise this natural system. In this essay I will also discuss the ways that global warming might affect this local ecosystem and describe this ecosystem's vulnerability in terms of the rest of the world.

Florida's Many Different Ecosystems

The state of Florida is very unique in many aspects including the varying ecosystems that are contained within the state. The geographical position of the state in the world and its place relative to the equator gives Florida a unique environmental influence. Florida has intense and strong ecosystems that are often at odds with one another, making this region of the world very biodiverse and educational.

Essentially, Florida is humid and operates in a subtropical fashion. Rain and wet conditions are more prevalent in the south of the state. Hurricanes and violent storms are commonplace for Florida adding a certain toughness and resilience to the ecosystem of Florida in general.

Florida is a peninsula making its beach land one of the most prominent ecosystems in the country. The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean are powerful and unique ecosystems themselves that help shape and contribute to Florida's own unique brand of combining ecosystems. Internally Florida has many lakes, rivers and streams which also significantly contribute to the overall differing environments to the region.

Besides the beaches, Florida has numerous other ecosystems that are located throughout the state. There are many forests or hardwoods that are densely packed throughout the state. The sand hills located nearer the water masses also are a distinguishing features. Florida is also noted for its swamp or marsh lands that provide a soggy and unique ecosystem that contributes to the regions variety.

Plants and Animals

Florida is home to some of the rarest species of plants and animals in North America. The wildlife that currently roams the state has many different types of environments to blend into making the entire region a chaotic and swiftly changing system requiring more observation and tracking in order to continually define it.

Large hunting animals such as panthers and alligators are both well-known and adopted mascots of the state yet survive in such differing ecological environments. This type of biodiversity both has positive and negative impacts on the quality of the region.

The Human Impact on Florida's Ecosystem

The state of Florida draws many people to visit and lie due to its temperate climate and unique offerings in terms of human developments. The state of Florida grows in population every year and continues to grow larger and produce more of a human footprint on the ecosystem. There is a serious and perhaps mysterious human effect on the ecosystems of Florida.

Global warming is a general term and cannot be qualified as good or bad in many cases, but especially here in Florida. While massive deforestation has affected this state of the years the exact toll on the ecosystem is unknown. Humans have a tendency to destroy natural processes and implement their own version, but is this not nature at some level too?