Observations on the Role of the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) in the Southern Florida Wetlands
Kushlan JA. 1974. Observations on the Role of the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) in the Southern Florida Wetlands. Copeia. 1974(4):993-996
The author presents observations and quantitative data (stemming from a long-term study of an alligator pond in the Big Cypress National Preserve) relating to the ecological role of alligators in the southern Florida wetlands. The author used fish traps to measure changes in the number of fish in the pond. The appearance of increasing numbers of fish in the pond during dry periods suggests that alligator ponds serve as refugia for aquatic organisms. Increased species diversity within the ponds during dry periods also suggest that the fish only depend on these ponds for survival during drought.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kushlan, James
- Units
- BICY
- Keywords
- American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Animal Studies, Ecology, Fish, Population, Wetlands