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- The constructed pond is attractive but requires an aerator to maintain oxygen levels
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- This tropical checkered skipper butterfly was a native species found in the park
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- The white peacock butterfly is a beneficial native species found in the park
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- The occurrence of this Rambur’s forktail damselfly indicates a healthy aquatic habitat
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- A flock of native white ibis were foraging in the park
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- This peculiar duck which seems to be a hybrid of a non-native mallard and the native mottled duck is a negative sign of a healthy habitat
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- A feral population of the domestic muscovy duck iindicates a disturbed habitat
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- A feral population of this non-native red eared turtle is another sign of an unhealthy wetland
Parks are developed for many purposes, ranging from entirely human recreation to nature preservation with considerable variation between these two extremes. Sometimes the preservation of green space can have significant benefits both for the human need for communing with nature and the need for wildlife to have suitable habitats, even in the middle of a city. Arlington Park is in such a downtown location in Sarasota and has an interesting mixture of good and bad examples of what happens to natural ecology in such a city park.
The park has many trees and a picturesque pond constructed in a pre-existing wetland habitat. There is an aerator in the pond to maintain sufficient dissolved oxygen for aquatic organisms to survive. This is likely necessary due to poor water quality of runoff from the surrounding city and the unnaturally deep water in the pond, which causes stagnation and hypoxia.
On a recent two hour visit I observed two butterflies, a white peacock (larvae feed on bacopa and verbenas) and a tropical checkered skipper (caterpillars feed on mallows). I also saw several damselflies that were likely Rambur’s forktail and a large dragonfly, possibly a regal darner. There was a flock of white ibis foraging around the pond and perched on a dead tree. These are all native species that are bioindicators of GOOD habitat quality of the park.
On the other hand I observed three species that are bioindicators of BAD habitat quality. There was a strange duck that appears to be a hybrid of a mallard duck (does not breed here naturally) and a mottled duck (the native breeding species). There were numerous UGLY domestic muscovy ducks (derived from a Mexican species) and now established as a feral population. There was also a feral population of non-native red-eared turtles, most likely derived from captive turtles released by their owners.
So the bottom line is that Arlington Park could be considered to be a “50:50” habitat that is a visually attractive place for people to enjoy nature in a city setting, but it is degraded to a considerable extent. But I still find it very interesting and even inspiring that so much real nature can exist in a city location.