Sunday, December 30, 2012

Florida's Natural Habitats Part 4 -Indian Shell Mounds are their own Habitat Type


Indian Shell Mounds are their own Habitat Type


The Natural Communities listed previously from the Florida Natural Areas Inventory are undisturbed, and non-transitional. They are not mixed between two habitats, nor are they in transition from one habitat type to another. As found in the field, habitats are seldom pristine examples, but listing the variants here would extrapolate the list to over 181 habitats. Simplicity and brevity were key in this citizen-scientist guide to aid in initial understanding of the basic habitat types. There is one transitional type of habitat that needs to be considered due to its historical context and wide distribution in Florida. The  Shell Mound Habitat is a transition habitat unique to native American midden mounds.

Shell mounds are small hills, usually in coastal locations, composed entirely of shells (clams, oysters, whelks) discarded by generations of Native Americans which support an assemblage of calciphilic plant species. Archeological evidence indicates they were occupied at the time Europeans first landed in Florida. Several are now surrounded by mangroves, evidence that they were built when sea level was lower than today. Originally there were many such shell mounds along coastal lagoons and at the mouths of rivers (and even inland along the St. Johns River), but most were destroyed for road building in the early part of the last century.

A rich calcareous soil develops on the deposited shells which supports a diverse hardwood forest on undisturbed mounds. Central Florida mounds are often characterized by tropical species occurring north of their normal range. On Turtle Mound at Canaveral National Seashore in Volusia County tropical trees such as white stopper, sea torchwood, wild lime, false mastic, inkwood, and lancewood were recorded at or near their northern range limits in 1971. Freezes occurring since then have eliminated or reduced the populations of many of these by the time the mound was re-sampled several decades later, illustrating that the tropical flora of these northern mounds is in constant flux. Shell mounds on the Cedar Keys in Levy County on the Gulf coast are also northern outposts for tropical species most likely brought in by migrating birds. Tropical species found on these Keys such as white stopper, Florida swampprivet, snowberry, and saffron plum are all species whose fruits are eaten by migrating birds. Shell mounds in the Florida Panhandle, i.e. on St. Vincent Island and on St. Joseph peninsula, support temperate canopy trees such as live oak and cabbage palm as well as calcium-loving temperate species not found in nearby maritime hammocks on sand, including soapberry and Carolina buckthorn. 

Even south of Tampa and Cape Canaveral, the species composition of shell mound forests tends to be more strictly tropical than that of maritime hammocks on sandy substrates in the same region, with white stopper, Florida swampprivet, strangler fig, saffron plum, and gumbo limbo being the most commonly encountered woody species. 

Shell mound habitats are found along the coast throughout Florida and range westward and northward along the coastlines of the southeastern U.S. In the 1920s botanist John Kunkel Small noted the tropical flora on large shell mounds at Port Orange (1922), Hobe Sound (1922), Horti Point on the south end of Merritt Island, Marco Island, and at the mouths of the Sebastian River, Crystal River, and Caloosahatchee River. As mentioned, most of these were destroyed for road building. Three of the mounds Small described, Turtle and Green Mounds near New Smyrna and Madira Bickel Mound near Tampa Bay, are preserved in State or Federal parks. Others are features in larger parks, including St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve, Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, Cayo Costa State Park, Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, and Coconut Point Park.

The uniquely tropical flora of Central Florida shell mounds is in constant flux, with species being periodically exterminated by freezes and subsequently re-colonizing, most likely via bird dispersal. North Florida shell mounds have some temperate hammock species such as live oak and cabbage palm, plus calcium-loving temperate species such as soapberry, Carolina buckthorn, and sugarberry. Central Florida shell mounds may have a combination of tropical and temperate canopy species with tropical understory species, including white stopper, snowberry, and marlberry. Further south shell mounds have a predominantly tropical flora in both the canopy and understory. Shell mounds may have vegetation similar to tropical or temperate types of maritime hammock, but differ in that they grow on pure shells rather than sand or sand mixed with shell fragments. 

Soil disturbance on shell mounds from old home sites, clearings, potholes from illegal digging, etc. can allow exotic species such as Brazilian pepper and Australian Pine to invade. They require patrolling to prevent further loss of the historical resource. 

Exemplary Sites include Canaveral National Seashore (Turtle Mound; Volusia County), Tomoka State Park (Volusia County), Green Mound Archaeological Site (Volusia County), Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge (North Key; Levy County), Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site (Manatee County), Mound Key Archeological State Park (Lee County.

 This is part four of a series on Florida Natural Habitats. See:
Part One of this Series


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Friday, October 19, 2012

Florida Public Lands Survey-

Florida Public Lands Survey is a review of sorts, of the various parks, forests, preserves, and management areas that are held and managed in the public interest.







COLT CREEK STATE PARK
16000 State Rd 471 Lakeland, Florida 33809. Florida Park Service- DEP.
Surveyed 3-11-2012 Raw Score 90

Good Web presence, new facilities in excellent condition. Nature Trails and Fishing Pier.

UPPER TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PARK
8001 Double Branch Road Tampa, FL 33615. Hillsborough County Government.
Surveyed 3-11-2012 Raw Score 87

 Good Web presence but no photo on-line. Nature Center, Nature trails and Boardwalk.

MAYAKKA RIVER STATE PARK
13208 State Road 72, Sarasota, FL USA 34241. Florida Park Service-DEP.
Surveyed 6-2-2012 Raw Score 93.

 Excellent Web Presence. Tree top walkway, Boardwalk, Scenic Drive, Nature Trail.

 CRYSTAL RIVER PRESERVE STATE PARK
3266 N. Sailboat Avenue Crystal River, Florida 34428. Florida Park Service- DEP.
Surveyed 5-12-2012 Raw Score 89. 

Nature Trails, Hiking Trails. Visitor Center Hours are limited. Several separated sub-units. Boardwalk.

 CHASSAHOWITZKA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, FL 34429. US Fish and Wildlife Service- Department of the Interior.
Surveyed 5-12-2012 Raw Score 91.

 Nature Trails, Hiking Trails, Several Springs, Multiple Access Points. Good Web Presence. Visible Law Enforcement.

YULEE SUGAR MILL RUINS HISTORIC STATE PARK
State Road 490 Homosassa, Florida. Florida Park Service-DEP.
Surveyed 5-12-2012 Raw Score 87. Limited Interpretive Signage, busy highway within feet of ruins. Good Web Presence.


 MAYAKKA STATE FOREST
2000 South River Road, Englewood, FL 34223 Florida Forest Service-ACS.
Date Surveyed 9-1-2012 Raw Score 89.

 Unit participates in the TRAILWALKER Program.

SIX MILE CYPRESS SLOUGH PRESERVE
7751 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers, Florida Lee County Parks and Recreation Department.
Date Surveyed 9-1-2012 Raw Score 99 

Outstanding web presence, Outstanding interpretive signage, Colorful entrance sign, outstanding art and sculptures, Nature Center, Multi-layered boardwalk, abundance of wildlife.

J.N. "Ding" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
1 Wildlife Drive Sanibel, FL 33957 US Fish and Wildlife Service- Department of the Interior.
Date Surveyed 9-1-2012 Raw Score 91 

Visitor Center, Motor Tour, Observation Tower, Boardwalks, Indian Mound, Nature Trails Good web presence, great signage.

PICAYUNE STRAND STATE FOREST
2121 52nd Avenue SE Naples, FL 34117 Florida Forest Service-ACS
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 81 

Limited signage, no facilities, This unit participates in the TRAILWALKER PROGRAM. Historic "Swampland in Florida Scam" location.

COLLIER-SEMINOLE STATE PARK
20200 E. Tamiami Trail Naples, Florida 34114, Florida Park Service-DEP
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 90 

Boardwalks, National Historic Engineering Landmark, Recreated Blockhouse from Seminole War Era, Nature Trails. Good Signage.

TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
12miles SE of Naples on the South Side of the Tamiami Trail, Fish and Wildlife Service- Department of the Interior
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 76

 Observation Tower, Paved trail with bridge. No facilities. Good Signage. Good web presence.

FRAKAHATCHEE STRAND PRESERVE STATE PARK
137 Coastline Drive Copeland, Florida 34137 Florida Park Service-DEP
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 89 

Boardwalk, Motor Tour. Good Signage and displays at Boardwalk.

FLORIDA PANTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
SR 29 at I-75 Naples Fl., US Fish and Wildlife Service-Department of the Interior.
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 77. 

Boardwalk, Nature Trail, abundant wildlife, trails are inside tall fenced enclosure to protect panthers from traffic. Good Signage, Good Web Presence. No facilities.

OIL WELL PARK
7671 SR 29 Immokalee Fl. 34142, Collier County Parks and Recreation Department.
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 55. 

Historic oil well machinery, historic marker, Picnic area. Limited Web Presence.

OKALOACOOCHEE SLOUGH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
CR 832, 3.5 miles east of SR 29, IMMOKALEE Fl., Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 72 

Miles of dirt roads and trails, hunting precautions required during the hunting season Good signage and web presence.

OKALOACOOCHEE SLOUGH STATE FOREST
CR832 Immokalee Fl. Florida Forest Service-ACS
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 81 

This unit participates in the TRAILWALKER program. Boardwalk, hiking trails, plentiful wildlife. Good signage. Web does not list boardwalk.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE SCENIC TRAIL
SR 27 Clewiston Florida Park Service-DEP
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 83 

Paved trail that circumnavigates the lake atop the Herbert Hoover Dike. Good Web presence, limited signage.

ORTONA INDIAN MOUND PARK
SR 78 Labelle Fl. Hendry County Government
Date Surveyed 9-2-2012 Raw Score 63 

Indian Mound with interpretive signage. Boardwalk. Boardwalk has broken through in one spot and needs repair. Some parts of park are overgrown with brush. Historic site used yearly for local festival. Web presence is extensive but not by the operating agency.




















 









Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Eco-Green Blog Index


The ECO-GREEN BLOG INDEX





Here is an Index of ECO/GREEN Blogs about the outdoors by topic, by author.
Click on the blue link to go to the first of each series.


Who is left to care about the death of a wilderness?  Is a Blog by the staff of the William Greenfield Center for Environmental Stewardship. Topics are mostly opinion and observations about the wilderness.
Click on the link below to go to the first page of the blog.


 Topics-
WLC-01  Can you find wilderness?
WLC-02 The Map Grid
WLC-03 Defining Wilderness
WLC-04 Wilderness Expectation
WLC-05  Who is left?
WLC- 06 Climate change is not an absolute conclusion ?
WLC-07 Where I go, when I go...
WLC-08 The front porch as a compromise to nature
WLC-09 The need to leave a mark in the wilderness.
WLC-10 Does a human poo in the woods?
WLC-11 Keeping track of battery charging using a reminder
WLC-12 Landslide of stewardship
WLC-13 TOUR SOUTH FLORIDA- Green in the 'glades.
WLC-14 Trails and their rating systems, & Trail Types.
WLC-15 Blame Judaism and Christianity for the destruction
WLC-16 Restoring and Hiding the scars of man upon the Earth
WLC-17 The Indian Mounds
WLC-18 What's the Difference? Part one
WLC-19 What's the Difference ? Part two
WLC-20 Book Excerpt about Big Cypress WMA
WLC-21 Yankeetown Hurrah!
WLC-22 Bald Cypress not bald pond bottoms
WLC-23 Archbold Biological Station and Private Preserve
WLC-24 Book excerpt about Devil's Millhopper
WLC-25 Should children be allowed in the Wilderness Public Lands?
WLC-26 Preservative Treated Wood is a natural choice


Songs of the Earth and Man Is a blog by Billy Holc Outdoors that mostly  takes poetry, prose, and song lyrics about the outdoors and weaves them into a tapestry about life on the green side. Click on the link below to go to this blog.


 Topics-
SEM-01 Whose Garden Was This?
SEM-02 You Say That the Battle is Over
SEM-03What One Man Can Do.
SEM-04 Rain is a Good Thing
SEM-05 Calypso, the research vessel
SEM-06 Poems, Prayers, and Promises
SEM-07 Back Home Again
SEM-08 Cool and Green and Shady/ Country Roads
SEM-09 Fly Away/ Sweet Surrender
SEM-10 Windsong
SEM-11 Garden Song
SEM-12   I am a Man of Constant Sorrow
SEM-13 The Legend of Tate's Hell
SEM-14 The legend of the Monster of the Lake- Lake Jackson
SEM-15 Moccasin Lake Nature Park

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Walk in the Woods is a blog by Will Holcomb. He investigates public lands, hiking trails, and boardwalks. Click on the link below to go to this blog.


Topics-
WWFF-01 Award Winning Trails- Introduction
WWFF-02 Finding a trail
WWFF-03 Boardwalk Height
WWFF-04 TRAIL FAIL
WWFF-05 Trail Bridges
WWFF-06 Steps on Trails
WWFF-07Selecting a trail route before construction
WWFF-08 Good for one (Tree Huggers and Birders)
WWFF-09 Sub-Tropical Tree Canopy walkway open to the public
WWFF-10 Towering over the boardwalk
WWFF-11 New Parks before the Paint Dries
WWFF-12 Levels of Comfort and Safety
WWFF-13 Florida’s two great swamps...Part 1
WWFF-14Two Great Swamps, PART TWO
WWFF-15 Promoting a park to attract commerce.
WWFF-16   A State Park and a Private Preserve
WWFF-17 Name your Woods- Florida
WWFF-18 Payne’s Prairie
WWFF-19 Boardwalk and Hiking/ Nature Trail Nomination
WWFF-20 How I Rate a Park- Things to consider
WWFF-21 Boardwalks may be a cheap way to ADA compliance
WWFF-22 Trails are important as we measure who we are as Americans
WWFF-23 BUILDING A BOARDWALK- The Deck
WWFF-24 BUILDING A BOARDWALK- The Hand Rail
WWFF-25 BUILDING A BOARDWALK- Plastic Lumber


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Florida's Natural Habitats Is a free Web-Book about Florida’s Natural Habitats written in four parts, with 2 appendixes.  It was designed for hikers, wildlife watchers, and Citizen-Scientists as a field companion booklet to “Boardwalks and Long Walks” Click on the link below to go to this blob/ free booklet.



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Rediscovering Florida is a blog with original drafts of some stories and articles from the book “Boardwalks and Long Walks : Rediscovering Florida, and includes some sample listings and photos from the directory listings of part two of that book. Click on the link below to go to this blog.


Topics-
RDF-01  BWLW  Book Introduction
RDF-02 Explanations
RDF-03 More Explanations
RDF-04 Comparing State to National Parks
RDF-05 Levels of Comfort and Safety
RDF-06 LISTING SAMPLE- Ding Darling NWR
RDF-07 Listing Sample- Ten Thousand Islands NWR
RDF-08 Bay City Walking Dredge
RDF-09 Tamiami Trail and Alligator Alley
RDF-10 SIX MILE CYPRESS SLOUGH PRESERVE Boardwalk
RDF-11 Brooker Creek Preserve -Sample Listing
RDF-12 Hammock Park Dunedin
RDF-13 Morris Bridge Wilderness Park
RDF-14 North Anclote River Nature Park and Trail
RDF-15 DeSoto National Monument (NPS)
RDF-16 Riverview Pointe Preserve
RDF-17 Robinson Preserve
RDF-18 Lake Chautauqua Park and Nature Preserve
RDF-19 Marshall Street Park
RDF-20 Safety Harbor Micro-Parks and Promenade
RDF-21 Philippe Park and Temple Mound



Farmland
 
The "History and Future of Farmland" is a blog by the William Greenfield Center that is about Farm LAND- not just the farmers, the farms, the farm culture and lifestyle, but the LAND that is, was, and may always be- farmland.

HF-001 The History of Farmland
HF-002 Why Preserve Farmland
HF-003 Farmland Trusts
HF-004 Shrinking Role of Farming in Agriculture
HF-005 Some Farmland Shouldn't be saved..., as Farmland

The History and Future of Farmland



PUBLIC LANDS SURVEY- A survey by undergraduates and citizen-scientists of the Public Lands within Florida. For the same list with photographs, go to the Florida Public Lands Research Council's Facebook page.



 --------------- These Facebook Pages need your support. Please "Like" them, and share some of the things they share out to your friends to show your support.










Monday, September 3, 2012

Florida's Natural Habitats Part 3

Part 3    Florida's Natural Habitats




The Dry Land Habitats listed from dry to damp are:  Sandhill, Scrub, Dry Prairie, Pine Rockland, Natural Pineland, Hardwood Hammock Forest, Mixed Hardwood-Pine Forest, Tropical Hardwood  (Rockland) Hammock. Many of these habitats only vary slightly by the underlying soil type and the dominant tree species. 

Sandhill Habitat- Sandhill communities occur only in north and central Florida in areas of gently rolling terrain on deep, well-drained, mostly yellow, sterile sands. This xeric community is dominated by an overstory of widely spaced, scattered longleaf pine, along with an understory of turkey oak, sand post oak, and bluejack oak. The park-like ground cover consists of various grasses and herbs, including wiregrass, lopsided Indian grass, bluestems, blazing star, partridge pea, beggars tick, milk pea, queen's delight, and others. Due to the poor water retention properties of the soils and open canopy, temperature and humidity fluctuate rapidly and frequently in this habitat compared to highmoisture closed-canopy forests. However, many temporary wetlands are found throughout Sandhill landscapes and are an integral part of this habitat type, providing breeding and foraging habitat for many wildlife species. Sandhill is a community that is sustained by ground fires with short return intervals to reduce hardwood intrusion and to promote flowering of many grasses and herbs. In the absence of fire, Sandhill will eventually succeed into a xeric hammock. Sand pine can quickly invade Sandhills where seed sources are available and fires are suppressed.


Scrub Habitat- This habitat occurs on areas of deep, well-drained, infertile sandy soils that are typically white or near white. Scrub has a patchy distribution and occurs in both inland and coastal areas, from the panhandle through subtropical regions of the peninsula. The largest and most important patches of Scrub occur along the central ridge of the peninsula near Ocala and in Polk and Highlands counties. This habitat is fire-dependent; it is maintained by fires that are usually very hot or intense, but occur infrequently at intervals of 10-20 years, or more. Generally, Scrub is dominated by evergreen, or nearly evergreen, oaks and/or Florida rosemary, with or without a pine overstory. A relatively large suite of plant species is endemic to Scrub, the rarest endemic plant species are restricted to the Lake Wales area of the central (Lake Wales) ridge. Some species of wildlife also are endemic or largely restricted to Scrub habitat like the Florida scrub-jay and sand skink. Several types of Scrub are recognized. Oak Scrub is a hardwood community typically consisting of clumped patches of low growing oaks interspersed with patches of bare, white sand. Pines are uncommon or absent. Oak Scrub is dominated by myrtle oak, Chapman's oak, sand-live oak, inopina oak, scrub holly, scrub plum, scrub hickory, rosemary, scrub palmetto, and saw palmetto. Sand Pine Scrub occurs on former shorelines and islands of ancient seas. This plant community is dominated by an overstory of sand pine and has an understory of myrtle oak, Chapman's oak, sand-live oak, rusty lyonia, wild olive, scrub bay, and scrub holly. Ground cover is usually sparse to absent, especially in mature stands, and rosemary and lichens occur in some open areas. Rosemary Scrub has few or no sand pines or scrub oaks but is dominated by rosemary with scattered lichen cover, scrub hypericum, and paper nailwort. Many temporary wetlands are found throughout the Scrub landscape and are an integral part of this habitat type, providing breeding and foraging habitat for many wildlife species. One of the most pristine examples of the Scrub Habitat is protected and maintained at the Archbold Biological Station. The station is open to the public, and has operating scientific research on a daily basis.


Dry Prairie Habitat- Dry Prairies are large native grass- and shrub-lands occurring on very flat terrain interspersed with scattered cypress domes and strands, bayheads, isolated freshwater marshes, and hardwood hammocks. This community is characterized by many species of grasses, sedges, herbs, and shrubs, including saw palmetto, fetterbush, staggerbush, tar flower, gallberry, blueberry, wiregrass, carpet grasses, and various bluestems. The largest areas of these treeless plains historically occurred just north of Lake Okeechobee. In central and south Florida, palmetto prairies, which consist of former pine flatwoods where the overstory trees have been thinned or removed, are also included in this category. These sites contain highly scattered pines that cover less than 10 to 15 percent of an area.


 Pine Rockland Habitat- Pine Rockland is a unique type of pine flatwoods that is found exclusively on limestone substrate in the Florida Keys, the Big Cypress Swamp, and the Miami Rock Ridge (the limestone outcropping that rises from the Everglades to heights of 23 feet above sea level. The overstory of Pine Rockland habitat contains a single canopy species, South Florida slash pine. The dominant pines tower over a savanna-like understory of saw palmettos, locust berry, willow bustic, beauty berry, broom grasses, silver palms, and a rich herbaceous layer. This community is often associated with rockland hammock and other short-hydroperiod freshwater wetland communities. These sub-tropical pine trees and understory plants have adapted to seasonal wildfires and the lack of soil on the exposed limerock. Pine Rockland communities are globally imperiled and support federal and state listed plant species, such as deltoid spurge and Small’s milkwort which only occur in this habitat.


 Natural Pineland Habitat- This category includes natural pine forests, excluding pine rocklands, sandhills, and sand pine scrub, which are listed as separate categories. Natural Pineland habitats include mesic, hydric and scrubby flatwoods, and upland pine forests. Pine flatwoods occur on flat sandy terrain where the overstory is characterized by longleaf pine, slash pine, or pond pine. The type of pineland habitat present is usually related to soil differences and small variations in topography. Hydro-period is an important factor determining what kind of pineland is represented. Generally, flatwoods dominated by longleaf pine occur on well-drained sites while pond pine-dominated sites occur in poorly drained areas, and slash pine dominated sites occupy intermediate or moderately moist areas. The understory and ground cover within these three communities are somewhat similar and include several common species such as saw palmetto, gallberry, wax myrtle, and a wide variety of grasses and herbs. Generally, wiregrass and runner oak dominate longleaf pine sites; fetterbush and bay trees are found in pond pine areas, while saw palmetto, gallberry, and rusty lyonia occupy slash pine flatwoods sites.Scrubby flatwoods habitat typically occurs on drier ridges, many of which formed originally on or near old coastal dunes. Longleaf pine or slash pine dominates the overstory, whereas the ground cover is similar to that present in xeric oak scrub habitat. Cypress domes, bay heads, titi swamps, and freshwater marshes are commonly interspersed in isolated depressions throughout natural pineland habitats. A wide variety of animals utilize this habitat including the white-tailed deer, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, red-cockaded woodpecker, and pine woods tree frog. Fire is an important factor that helps to maintain and shape Natural Pineland communities; almost all of the plants and animals found here are adapted to having fires occur at least every one to eight years.


 Hardwood Hammock Forest Habitat - This class includes the major upland hardwood associations that occur statewide on fairly rich sandy soils. Variations in species composition and the local or spatial distributions of these communities are due in part to differences in soil moisture regimes, soil type, and geographic location within the state. Mesic and xeric variations are included within this association. The mesic hammock community represents the climax vegetation type within many areas of northern and central Florida. Characteristic species in the extreme north include American beech, southern magnolia, Shumard oak, white oak, mockernut hickory, pignut hickory, sourgum, basswood, white ash, mulberry, and spruce pine. Mesic hammocks of the peninsula are less diverse due to the absence of hardwood species that are adapted to more northerly climates, and are characterized by laurel oak, hop hornbeam, blue beech, sweetgum, cabbage palm, American holly, and southern magnolia. Xeric hammocks occur on deep, well-drained, sandy soils where fire has been absent for long periods of time. These open, dry hammocks contain live oak, sand-live oak, bluejack oak, blackjack oak, southern red oak, sand-post oak, and pignut hickory. Also included in this category are cabbage palm-live oak hammocks. This class is characterized by cabbage palms and live oaks occurring in small clumps within prairie communities. These hammocks typically have an open understory which may include such species as wax myrtle, water oak, and saw palmetto. Cabbage palm-live oak hammocks are also often found bordering large lakes and rivers, and are distributed throughout the prairie region of south central Florida and extend northward in the St. Johns River basin. Cabbage palms often form a fringe around hardwood “islands” located within improved pastures.


 Mixed Hardwood-Pine Forest Habitat- This community is the southern extension of the Piedmont southern mixed hardwoods, and occurs mainly on the rolling hills of sandy clay soils of the northern Panhandle. Younger stands may be predominantly pines, whereas a complex of various hardwoods become co-dominants as the system matures over time through plant succession. The overstory consists of shortleaf and loblolly pine, American beech, mockernut hickory, southern red oak, water oak, American holly, and dogwood. Also included in this category are other upland forests that occur statewide and contain a mixture of conifers and hardwoods as the co-dominant overstory component. These communities contain well developed associations of longleaf pine, slash pine, and loblolly pine in mixed company with live oak, laurel oak, and water oak, together with other hardwood species characteristic of the Hardwood Hammock Forest community type. In this habitat, the ground is usually covered with a thick layer of leaf mulch which helps in the retention of moisture. Adding to the mesic condition is a thick canopy with low air flow and light penetration. Due to this damp environment, Mixed Hardwood-Pine Forests seldom burn.


 Tropical Hardwood Hammock Habitat- These upland hardwood forests occur only in south Florida and are characterized by tree and shrub species on the northern edge of a range that extends southward into the Caribbean. These communities are sparsely distributed along coastal uplands south of a line from about Vero Beach on the Atlantic coast to Sarasota on the Gulf coast. They occur on many tree islands in the Everglades and on uplands throughout the Florida Keys. This cold-intolerant tropical community has very high plant species diversity, sometimes containing over 35 species of trees and about 65 species of shrubs. Characteristic tropical plants include strangler fig, gumbo-limbo, mastic, bustic, lancewood, ironwoods, poisonwood, pigeon plum, Jamaica dogwood, and Bahamalysiloma. Live oak and cabbage palm are also sometimes found within this community. Tropical Hardwood Hammocks in the Florida Keys may also contain several plants, including lignum vitae, mahogany, thatch palms, and manchineel, which are extremely rare within the United States.

(C) 2012 Companion book to "Boardwalks and Long Walks" Will Holcomb