The name given to the large
corporations that grow
sugar cane in the
northern extension of the
everglades in
southern Florida.
Effects of Big Sugar on the everglades ecosystems:
-
Loss of peat due to draining of swamplands for agricultural use.
-
Rerouted fresh water from Lake Okeechobee (from its natural course into the swamp areas) to the sugar cane fields for irrigation.
-
Unusually high levels of phosphorous (used in fertilizing sugar cane) drained into the everglades each year. This causes excessive amounts of bacteria and algae to grow as well as helping cattails (an invasive exotic) to thrive and outcompete the native sawgrass.
Big
Sugar most likely won't be around ten years from now since there will no longer be fertile
peat and
muck to grow their crops in. The growers have to pile the soil into small mounds as is just to get the cane to grow.
All that will be left is bare rock.