517
warmest season of the year, the average temperature
is 30 °C (86 °F), while between November and
April, the coldest season of the year, the temperature, on average, is 20 °C (68 °F).
23.5.1 Species and Preservation
The wetland has a rich diversity of biota. More
than 900 native (autochthonous) plant species, 31
species of reptiles, 175 species of birds and
>1,000 species of invertebrates have been
recorded within Zapata Swamp. Some of the
most notable ones are local endemics to Cuba,
e.g. amongst the birds, the Zapata wren, Zapata
rail and the Zapata sparrow. The Zapata Swamp
is also visited by 65 species of birds during their
migration from North America through the
Caribbean to South America. Zapata is also
known for the local endemic Cuban crocodiles
( Crocodylus rhombifer ) which are restricted to
the Zapata Swamp and are being re-introduced to
the nearby Lanier Swamp on the Isle of Youth
(Spanish, Isla de la Juventud ).
Within the Zapata Swamp are numerous areas
designated for environmental preservation, such
as Zapata Swamp Natural Reserve and Las
Salinas Wildlife Sanctuary, which are part of the
larger Zapata Biosphere Reserve (IUCN Category
VI) which has a total area of c 600,000 ha and is
the largest protected area, not only in Cuba, but
also in the Caribbean. Zapata Swamp is a Ramsar
wetland and is the best preserved wetlands in all
of the Antilles.
23.6 Some Other Regional
Wetlands of North America
An account of some of the other signifi cant wetlands of North America is given below.
23.6.1 The Everglades and Big
Cypress Swamp
It is one of the unique regional wetlands in the
world situated at the southern tip of Florida. The
region encompasses four major types of wetlands
in its area of 34,000 km
2 , namely, the Everglades,
the Big Cypress Swamp, the coastal mangroves
and the Florida Bay.
The Everglades is dominated by sawgrass
( Cladium jamaicense ), which is actually a sedge
and not a grass. The Big Cypress Swamp is
dominated by cypress interspersed with pine
fl atwoods and wet prairie. The mangroves form
impenetrable thickets where the sawgrass and
cypress swamps meet the saline waters of the
coastline.
The Everglades is currently the site of the
largest proposed restoration effort in the USA.
The project includes the expertise of all major
federal and state environmental agencies and universities in the region, as well as commitment of
$8.0 billion by the Federal Government and the
State of Florida. The comprehensive restoration
blueprint includes plans for improving the water
quality as it leaves the agricultural areas and for
modifying the hydrology to conserve and restore
habitat for declining population of wading birds,
e.g. the wood stork and the white ibis (Walters
et al. 1992 ).
23.6.2 The Pocosins
The pocosins are evergreen shrub bogs found on
the Atlantic coastal plain from Virginia to northern Florida. These wetlands are dominant particularly in North Carolina. An estimated 3,700 km
2
in that region is supposed to have remained
undisturbed or only slightly altered in 1980.
However, c 8,300 km
2 in the said region were
said to have been drained for other land uses
between 1962 and 1979 (Richardson et al. 1981 ).
It may be noted here that the pocosins, more or
less, resemble the bogs typical of much colder
climes in successional progression and in
nutrient- poor acid conditions. Nevertheless, the
pocosins had been classifi ed as ‘bogs’ in the 1954
National Wetlands Survey (Shaw and Fredine
1956 ). Further, Richardson et al. ( 1981 ) had
described the typical pocosin ecosystem in North
Carolina as being dominated by evergreen shrub
and pine ( Pinus serotina ). Draining and ditching
23.6 Some Other Regional Wetlands of North America
warmest season of the year, the average temperature
is 30 °C (86 °F), while between November and
April, the coldest season of the year, the temperature, on average, is 20 °C (68 °F).
23.5.1 Species and Preservation
The wetland has a rich diversity of biota. More
than 900 native (autochthonous) plant species, 31
species of reptiles, 175 species of birds and
>1,000 species of invertebrates have been
recorded within Zapata Swamp. Some of the
most notable ones are local endemics to Cuba,
e.g. amongst the birds, the Zapata wren, Zapata
rail and the Zapata sparrow. The Zapata Swamp
is also visited by 65 species of birds during their
migration from North America through the
Caribbean to South America. Zapata is also
known for the local endemic Cuban crocodiles
( Crocodylus rhombifer ) which are restricted to
the Zapata Swamp and are being re-introduced to
the nearby Lanier Swamp on the Isle of Youth
(Spanish, Isla de la Juventud ).
Within the Zapata Swamp are numerous areas
designated for environmental preservation, such
as Zapata Swamp Natural Reserve and Las
Salinas Wildlife Sanctuary, which are part of the
larger Zapata Biosphere Reserve (IUCN Category
VI) which has a total area of c 600,000 ha and is
the largest protected area, not only in Cuba, but
also in the Caribbean. Zapata Swamp is a Ramsar
wetland and is the best preserved wetlands in all
of the Antilles.
23.6 Some Other Regional
Wetlands of North America
An account of some of the other signifi cant wetlands of North America is given below.
23.6.1 The Everglades and Big
Cypress Swamp
It is one of the unique regional wetlands in the
world situated at the southern tip of Florida. The
region encompasses four major types of wetlands
in its area of 34,000 km
2 , namely, the Everglades,
the Big Cypress Swamp, the coastal mangroves
and the Florida Bay.
The Everglades is dominated by sawgrass
( Cladium jamaicense ), which is actually a sedge
and not a grass. The Big Cypress Swamp is
dominated by cypress interspersed with pine
fl atwoods and wet prairie. The mangroves form
impenetrable thickets where the sawgrass and
cypress swamps meet the saline waters of the
coastline.
The Everglades is currently the site of the
largest proposed restoration effort in the USA.
The project includes the expertise of all major
federal and state environmental agencies and universities in the region, as well as commitment of
$8.0 billion by the Federal Government and the
State of Florida. The comprehensive restoration
blueprint includes plans for improving the water
quality as it leaves the agricultural areas and for
modifying the hydrology to conserve and restore
habitat for declining population of wading birds,
e.g. the wood stork and the white ibis (Walters
et al. 1992 ).
23.6.2 The Pocosins
The pocosins are evergreen shrub bogs found on
the Atlantic coastal plain from Virginia to northern Florida. These wetlands are dominant particularly in North Carolina. An estimated 3,700 km
2
in that region is supposed to have remained
undisturbed or only slightly altered in 1980.
However, c 8,300 km
2 in the said region were
said to have been drained for other land uses
between 1962 and 1979 (Richardson et al. 1981 ).
It may be noted here that the pocosins, more or
less, resemble the bogs typical of much colder
climes in successional progression and in
nutrient- poor acid conditions. Nevertheless, the
pocosins had been classifi ed as ‘bogs’ in the 1954
National Wetlands Survey (Shaw and Fredine
1956 ). Further, Richardson et al. ( 1981 ) had
described the typical pocosin ecosystem in North
Carolina as being dominated by evergreen shrub
and pine ( Pinus serotina ). Draining and ditching
23.6 Some Other Regional Wetlands of North America