In defense of swamps and alligators

Recent political discourse in the United States has been, shall we say, lacking in civility. Then again, we’re talking about politics, a human endeavor that thrives on conflict between competing groups. But recently I’ve been worried, as an ecologist, by politicians using “swamp” and “alligator” as derogatory terms for our nation’s capital and President-elect Trump’s cabinet appointees, respectively. These terms appear to have negative connotations for both Republicans and Democrats, so I’m not laying blame at the feet of one party or the other for their misuse. Nevertheless, I feel this is as good a time as any to clarify what swamps and alligators actually are, and why they should be regarded as beautiful, wonderful, and valuable parts of nature rather than objects of derision and hatred.

Swamps

A swamp, at its most basic, is a forested wetland that can contain standing water year-round or at least seasonally. However, most people will commonly use “swamp” to refer to non-forested wetlands as well, like marshes, bogs, and fens.

Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Photo credit: Ned Trovillion, US Fish and Wildlife)

Historically, many societies viewed swamps as useless because standing water prevented people from cultivating the submerged land for agriculture. Hence, “drain the swamp” came to be a phrase that embodied progress, control over nature, and human ingenuity. Perhaps the most expansive swamp-draining effort in recent history took place in the Everglades beginning in the latter half of the 19th century. If people could divert water away from the river of grass, the thinking went, then farmers would be able to profit from the rich peat underneath, allowing Florida to become a sub-tropical land of plenty.

Needless to say, it didn’t exactly turn out that way. The first part of the plan was largely successful: an impressive labyrinth of canals, levees, and dikes were constructed in the northern Everglades and huge volumes of water were successfully diverted, allowing cultivation of the newly exposed land. But the rich peat that was revealed was mostly fool’s gold. The nutrients in the peat were quickly depleted by intensive agriculture, and the water which could have helped replace the nutrients was no longer flowing over the landscape as it had before. Within a couple of decades, large portions of the northern Everglades had become comparatively barren and dry; huge areas actually caught fire and burned for years in some places.

Smoke rising from an Everglades fire (Photo credit: Jennifer Adams)

Also, south Florida’s groundwater is recharged by the surface water of the Everglades, so “draining the swamp” led to rapid groundwater depletion and seawater intrusion into coastal wells. Conservationists and ecosystem managers have worked diligently for decades to restore the Everglades to its historical state, or at least something vaguely resembling it, but the damage that was done by “draining the swamp” has not been easily reversible.

Beyond recharging groundwater supplies in many areas, swamps provide numerous ecosystem services to people. For example, they can absorb excess water during heavy rains, acting as natural flood control systems, and coastal swamps can protect inland areas from dangerous storm surges.

Scale model showing how mangrove forests protect the coast from wave erosion

Swamps are also natural water treatment areas, with plants acting as filters and purifiers. In addition, swamps support an impressive array of plant and animal species, including orchids, fishes, reptiles, mammals, birds, amphibians, and shellfish. Many of these species are commercially valuable, but they’re also just aesthetically pleasing to observe in their own right. Lastly, swamps are very good at capturing and storing carbon, with around 15% of soil carbon stored in wetland peat deposits. Thus swamps are an important piece of the effort to mitigate the ongoing effects of climate change.

Alligators

These ancient reptiles are one of my favorite species, so their demonization at times feels like a personal affront. After all, I spent six years of my life studying their behaviors and ecology in detail, and the main thing I learned is that their reputation as cold-hearted killers is mostly undeserved.

Let’s start with the fear factor. Most people are frightened of alligators, and rightly so. They look pre-historic, they have huge teeth, and they can move quick as lightning when they want to. Combine all that with their ability to hide in plain sight, and you’ve got the makings of a monster movie.

American alligator (Photo credit: Bradford Martin)

But now let’s discuss the facts. According to CrocBITE, a database that collects information on crocodilian attacks from all over the world, there have been 18 alligator-caused deaths in the U.S. since 2000. That’s about one per year. You know what kills people at a higher rate in the U.S.? Dogs (32 deaths per year). And cows (20 deaths per year). And party balloons (four deaths per year). The point is, as long as you use some common sense around alligators and follow some simple rules (don’t approach them, don’t mess with an alligator’s nest, don’t go swimming at night in the southeast), then you’re very likely to never have a bad experience with them. Of course, these facts do not diminish the horrible tragedy of alligator attacks on the rare occasions they do occur, but hopefully it puts the risks that alligators represent in perspective.

So alligators aren’t inherently bad or evil, but are they beneficial in any way? You bet! Just their commercial value alone is nothing to sneeze at. Both Louisiana and Florida have developed extensive alligator farming and hunting industries to capitalize on the sleek and durable armored skin that alligators sport (and that fashion houses prize), not to mention tasty alligator meat. In fact, since 1972 Louisiana and Florida alligator populations have generated more than $1.05 billion in total revenues. In addition, alligators bring in revenue through zoos and attractions largely dedicated to alligators (for example, St. Augustine Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, FL).

From an ecological perspective, alligators are incredibly valuable as well, with some researchers classifying them as a “keystone” species. Alligators frequently dig out and maintain “alligator holes,” which are depressions within wetlands that hold water even during dry periods. These areas help alligators survive episodes of drought and severe heat, but they also act as refuges for many other aquatic species, from fish and amphibians to invertebrates.

Alligators can also be important for helping to control invasive species. In Louisiana, nutria (large semi-aquatic rodents) were imported from their native South America in the 1930s to help bolster the U.S. fur trade. Some individuals escaped shortly after coming to the U.S., rapidly populated local swamps, and nutria have subsequently caused substantial damage to marshes across the U.S. southeast. However, according to diet data from Louisiana, nutria have become one of the prey items most frequently consumed by alligators. So it is highly likely that alligators helped limit the damage caused by invasive nutria, at least in some areas.

So the next time you hear a politician or pundit talk about “draining the swamp” when discussing our nation’s capital, remember that swamps are actually quite important and useful to us. And if you hear a person call somebody else an alligator as an insult, think of it instead as a generous compliment.