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Human Impact on the Florida Keys: How Our Students Are Making a Difference



The Florida Keys ecosystem is a remarkable blend of diverse habitats, including mangroves, coral reefs, and pinelands, each teeming with unique species. Human activity is an integral part of this ecosystem, with significant impacts on all habitats and the plants and animals residing within them. Given the Keys' small land area, these impacts are magnified, affecting water quality, species diversity, and habitat integrity. Key issues include water pollution, invasive species, overfishing, boating damage, urban development, and climate change.


Human Impact: Pollution and Population Growth

The human population in Southeast Florida and the Florida Keys has surged by over 3.9 million from 1970 to 2008. This growth has transformed orange groves into housing developments, strip malls, industries, and highways, leading to the destruction of natural habitats. Water pollution has also escalated due to sewage treatment and septic overflow, along with stormwater runoff containing oil, pesticides, and heavy metals.


Tourism and Overfishing

In 2010, the Florida Keys attracted 3.8 million visitors, many of whom engaged in fishing and other recreational activities. The influx of tourists, combined with resident recreational fishing and a thriving commercial fishing industry, has led to overfishing. This has depleted fish populations, leaving smaller fish and disrupting the complex food web within the ecosystem.


Boating: Direct and Indirect Damage

Boating activities have caused direct injuries to manatees from propeller strikes and extensive scarring of seagrass beds. Boats running aground damage coral reefs, with anchors scraping across these delicate formations. Over 500 groundings occur annually in the Keys, destroying habitats and negatively impacting the entire food chain, leading to further species loss.


Invasive Species and Global Warming

Human movement has introduced non-native species to the Keys, such as lionfish and Guinea grass. These invasive species, often lacking natural predators, outcompete native species and alter the ecosystem dynamics. Additionally, global warming threatens to increase water temperatures by 4 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit and raise sea levels, potentially causing rapid and irreversible changes to the ecosystem.


Appleseed Expeditions: Educational Trips to the Florida Keys

Appleseed Expeditions offers school trips to the Florida Keys, providing students with hands-on educational experiences. During these trips, students assist veterinarians at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Sanctuary in caring for birds and other wildlife affected by human activities. They also participate in conservation projects at the Crane Point Hammock ecological center. These educational trips aim to mitigate some of the negative impacts on the Florida Keys region and foster a deeper understanding of conservation efforts.

For more information on our educational trips to the Florida Keys, visit Appleseed Expeditions Florida Keys Trips.


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