Challenges Part 2: Overview of Water Quality The quality of
water distributed has become an increasingly serious issue as
scientific evidence mounts about the negative impact on both
wildlife and humans of pollutants released into the Greater
Everglades due to human land use practices. Of all the
challenges discussed, these may be the most difficult and costly
to meet. The ecology of the Everglades evolved as a nutrient
restricted system and can only thrive on very low concentrations
of phosphorus and sulfates in its natural water supply. -
Nutrients such as phosphorus released from the agricultural
areas near Lake Okeechobee can enter the Everglades National
Park far to the south dramatically changing patterns of flora
and fauna. - Sulfur can also pollute the system since even
seemingly moderate levels of sulfides are toxic to plants.
Native species such as sawgrass are three times more sensitive
to sulfides than are their invasive competitors, cattails, which
in some areas have changed the whole character o