The ecological impact of man on the south Florida herpetofauna ecologicalimpact00wils Year: 1983 60 SPECIAL PUBLICATION-MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY FioiKi 35. Road kills of al least five snake species found duiing the spring of 1979 on about twelve feet of the Tamiami Trail at the entrance to the Everglades National Park at Shark Valley, western Dade County. (LP) Hydrilla physically fills up the space in the water that it occupies, thereby reducing the space utilized by other aquatic organisms. Water hyacinths, on the other hand, blanket the surface of the water and are especially harmful t
The ecological impact of man on the south Florida herpetofauna ecologicalimpact00wils Year: 1983 60 SPECIAL PUBLICATION-MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY FioiKi 35. Road kills of al least five snake species found duiing the spring of 1979 on about twelve feet of the Tamiami Trail at the entrance to the Everglades National Park at Shark Valley, western Dade County. (LP) Hydrilla physically fills up the space in the water that it occupies, thereby reducing the space utilized by other aquatic organisms. Water hyacinths, on the other hand, blanket the surface of the water and are especially harmful to wet-adapted species that occupy shallow ponds for breeding during the spring. An additional factor of concern is that both plants are disruptive to natural food chains. Vehicular traffic has long been known as an important agent in reducing populations of amphibians and reptiles. The impact was noted by Barbour (1944) when he stated that '. . . in Florida the slaughter of reptilian life on the roads has been devastating, and the reason is clear. There are cold spells, sharp northers, bringing the temperature down to frost or near freezing. Normal temperatures return in a few hours and then the snakes and tortoises creep out on the black tarred road to warm up. There they have been killed literally by millions. I mean what I say, and I am not exaggerating, for Florida is a very large state.' In south Florida, road kills are found throughout the year, especially on those roads traversing the Everglades (, the Tamiami Trail and Alligator Alley). During the spring, however, following a ''normal' winter ( where manipu- lation by the Central and Southern Flood Control District approx- imates natural water levels), species that have survived or. in some cases, have taken advantage of hydrographic manipulation, congre- gate for breeding at small pools and ditches, particularly those formed at road culverts. Countless numbers are slaughtered by vehicles as they cross the high
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