The Everglades is very low in elevation but even slight elevation changes can affect which habitats develop in an area. This graphic displays habitats by their general elevation in relation to the others. Click the image to learn more.
NPS Graphic
With the dedication of Everglades National Park in 1947, a new precedent was set in the growing conservation movement. For the first time in American history, a large tract of wilderness was permanently protected not for its scenic value, but for the benefit of the unique diversity of life it sustained.
The mosaic of habitats found within the Greater Everglades Ecosystem supports an assemblage of plant and animal species found nowhere else on the planet. While nine distinct habitats have been identified, the landscape remains dynamic. Ecosystems remain in a constant state of flux, subject to the effects of abiotic and biotic factors, like fire, invasive species, water, storms, and climate change.