Limiting Carrying Capacities before the Human Intervention:
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The populations in the Everglades are limited in numbers due to factors such as the limited space, which heavily affects the Florida Panther who needs a large amount of land to roam and hunt, since they are mostly solitary animals. Limitations on fresh water, especially during the dry season affects the population of animals such as birds, who feed in these freshwater marshes. The tropical storms that come in the everglades hinder the population growth, since it creates a disruption to the plants, animals and their nesting grounds; however, the ecosystem is able to recover and continue on. The White-tailed Deer, on the other hand, has a limited carry capacity because of their predators, the bobcat and the florida panther. The deer population cannot fluctuate a great amount, because the populations of predators and prey that depend on the deer also keep it under control by limiting its growth through consumption.
The populations in the Everglades are limited in numbers due to factors such as the limited space, which heavily affects the Florida Panther who needs a large amount of land to roam and hunt, since they are mostly solitary animals. Limitations on fresh water, especially during the dry season affects the population of animals such as birds, who feed in these freshwater marshes. The tropical storms that come in the everglades hinder the population growth, since it creates a disruption to the plants, animals and their nesting grounds; however, the ecosystem is able to recover and continue on. The White-tailed Deer, on the other hand, has a limited carry capacity because of their predators, the bobcat and the florida panther. The deer population cannot fluctuate a great amount, because the populations of predators and prey that depend on the deer also keep it under control by limiting its growth through consumption.
Limiting the Carrying Capacities due to the Human Impact:
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While the Burmese Python increases a few of the carrying capacities in the Everglades National Park, it mostly decreases majority of the populations. An example of which can be seen with almost every single mammal (or big reptile or amphibian). As the Burmese Python is extremely carnivorous, it eats anything in sight. It can grow as big as five meters long, and it as sly as ever. By humans releasing the pythons into the Everglades, it has decreased the carrying capacity of creatures such as the bobcat and the panther, since the prey of these animals have fallen. Time Magazine reported that there was a A 87.5% decrease in the frequency of bobcat observations since the release of the Python. However, it has increased the carrying capacity of animals such as squirrels, birds, deer, etc, as there are less and less carnivores to eat all of these small mammals. The introduction of the Python in the Everglades had an everlasting effect on majority of the food chains. Most noticeably, the Burmese Python has decreased the raccoon population almost to none. Time Magazine also said there there was a 99.3% decrease in the frequency of raccoon observations, and the white-tailed deer population has also decreased by 94.1%. By the Python eating the animals, it increases carrying capacity of small mammals (because it keeps eating the small mammals’ predators), and it then obviously decreases the carrying capacity of those predators.
Impact on Niches:
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A lot of the niche’s of the animals are all on the ground (the deer), on the ground as well as in trees (panther and bobcat), or on the ground and in the water (alligator). While that may seem good, it’s rather unfortunate as the Burmese Python can go to all three places. It slithers on the ground, it crawls up trees, and it can swim in water. Thanks to the Python, none of these animals are safe anymore, thus they need to adapt. An example of this could be that the Panthers and Bob Cats stay up in trees more, so they have a better sight if any Pythons are coming. However, this hinders their ability to hunt for food. Alligators have an advantage as they can stay in the water and eat, but with Pythons now preying on them, it’s harder for them to give birth as that needs to be done on land. As for Raccoons, their carrying capacity has decreased a lot. Not only that, but the Burmese Python has taken away a lot of the Raccoons, Panthers, and Bob Cats’ food, which is a density-dependent factor.