Florida sand pine scrub is an endangered subtropical

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

found throughout

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in the United States. It is found on coastal and inland

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...

ridges and is characterized by an evergreen xeromorphic plant community dominated by

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s and dwarf

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

s. Because the low-nutrient sandy soils do not retain moisture, the ecosystem is effectively an

arid A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ar ...

one.

Wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...

s infrequently occur in the Florida scrub. Most of the annual rainfall (about ) falls in summer. It is endangered by residential, commercial and agricultural development, with the largest remaining block in and around the

Ocala National Forest The Ocala National Forest ls the second largest nationally protected forest in the U.S. State of Florida. It covers of northern Florida. It is located three miles (5 km) east of Ocala and southeast of Gainesville. The Ocala National For ...

Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge The Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) System, located in four separated areas on the Lake Wales Ridge east of US 27 between Davenport and Sebring Florida. The 1,194 acre (4.8& ...

also holds a high proportion of remaining scrub habitat, while the

Archbold Biological Station The Archbold Biological Station (ABS) is a research institute with a surrounding estate near Lake Placid, Florida, USA. It includes an extensive area of Florida scrub, a scientifically interesting and highly threatened ecosystem. It was establ ...

near Lake Placid contains about of scrub habitat and sponsors biological research on it.

Plant communities

There is a high level of

endemism Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

in the flora and fauna, including an estimated 40 species of plants, 4 vertebrates and at least 46 species of

arthropod Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

found nowhere else.

Florida peninsula inland scrub

Florida peninsula inland scrub The Florida peninsula inland scrub is a shrubland community found on the Florida peninsula. The largest remaining blocks of inland scrub are in and around the Ocala National Forest and in the Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge. The Archbold ...

is the plant community for which this ecoregion is named. Clumps of sand pines (''Pinus clausa'') constitute the

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

. Common plant species include

sand live oak ''Quercus geminata'', commonly called sand live oak, is an evergreen oak tree native to the coastal regions of the subtropical southeastern United States, along the Atlantic Coast from southern Florida northward to southeastern Virginia and alo ...

(''Quercus geminata''),

myrtle oak ''Quercus myrtifolia'', the myrtle oak, is a North American species of oak. It is native to the southeastern United States (Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina). It is often found in coastal areas on sandy soils. It is an ev ...

(''Q. myrtifolia''), sandhill oak (''Q. inopina''), Chapman oak (''Q. chapmanii''), Florida rosemary (''Ceratiola ericoides''), scrub palmetto (''Sabal etonia''),

saw palmetto ''Serenoa repens'', commonly known as saw palmetto, is the sole species currently classified in the genus ''Serenoa''. It is a small palm, growing to a maximum height around . It is endemic to the subtropical and tropical Southeastern United S ...

(''Serenoa repens''),

garberia ''Garberia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, containing the single species ''Garberia heterophylla''.fetterbush lyonia (''Lyonia lucida''), rusty staggerbush (''L. ferruginea''), cup lichens (''Cladonia'' spp.), scrub holly (''Ilex opaca'' var. ''arenicola''), American olive (''Osmanthus americanus'' var. ''megacarpus''), flag-pawpaw (''Asimina obovata''), silk bay (''Persea humilis''), Adam's needle (''Yucca filamentosa''), and eastern prickly pear (''Opuntia humifusa''). Florida scrub jay (4156613199)

Longleaf pine sandhill

Florida longleaf pine sandhill The Florida longleaf pine sandhill is a forest system found on sandhills in the coastal plains of northern Florida, ranging from the panhandle to the central peninsula. Particular examples can be found in Ocala National Forest, Withlacoochee State ...

s are often found adjacent to the scrub. They consist of stands of

longleaf pine The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...

(''Pinus palustris'') on very well-drained, sandy hills. These stands are maintained by frequent fires.

Turkey oak Turkey oak is a common name for several species of oaks and may refer to: *''Quercus cerris'', native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor *''Quercus laevis ''Quercus laevis'', the turkey oak, is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is n ...

(''Quercus laevis'') is common in the understory and pineland threeawn (''Aristida stricta'') makes up the ground layer.

Oak dome and hammock

The

southern coastal plain oak dome and hammock The Southern coastal plain oak dome and hammock is a forest type occurring in small patches in Florida, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. These forests consist of thick stands of evergreen oaks on shallow depressions or sligh ...

s occur as thick stands of evergreen oaks in small patches on shallow depressions or slight hills. These forests are distinct from their surrounding habitats, which are often dominated by longleaf pine. On mesic sites, common species are

southern live oak ''Quercus virginiana'', also known as the southern live oak, is an evergreen oak tree endemic to the Southeastern United States. Though many other species are loosely called live oak, the southern live oak is particularly iconic of the Old South. ...

(''Quercus virginiana''), sand laurel oak (''Q. hemisphaerica''), and

American persimmon ''Diospyros virginiana'' is a persimmon species commonly called the American persimmon, common persimmon, eastern persimmon, simmon, possumwood, possum apples, or sugar plum. It ranges from southern Connecticut to Florida, and west to Texas, ...

(''Diospyros virginiana''). The understory is sparse, with trumpet creeper (''Campsis radicans'') and greenbriers (''Smilax'' spp). On xeric sites, common species are sand live oak (''Quercus geminata''), southern live oak (''Q. virginiana''), longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris''), pineland threeawn (''Aristida stricta''), and southern dawnflower (''Stylisma humistrata'').

Highlands freshwater marsh

Floridian highlands freshwater marsh The Floridian highlands freshwater marsh is a wetland community found on the Florida peninsula. These are upland marshes occurring in shallow peat-filled valleys, the basins of dried lakes, and the borders of existing lakes. The vegetation mosaic i ...

es are highland

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found at ...

es found in shallow peat-filled valleys, the basins of dried lakes, and the borders of existing lakes. The vegetation mosaic includes a range of mostly herbaceous plant communities, varying based on water depth. Deep water supports various submerged and floating plants. Meter-deep water supports emergent

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s, typically in dense, monospecific stands, such as

bulrush Bulrush is a vernacular name for several large wetland grass-like plants *Sedge family (Cyperaceae): **''Cyperus'' **''Scirpus'' **'' Blysmus'' **''Bolboschoenus'' **''Scirpoides'' **''Isolepis'' **''Schoenoplectus'' **''Trichophorum'' *Typhacea ...

(''Typha latifolia''), pickerelweed (''Pontederia cordata''), and American lotus (''Nelumbo lutea''). Shallow areas submerged only during the wet season support more

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

es, including maidencane (''Panicum hemitomon'') and southern cutgrass (''Leersia hexandra'').

Subsidence Subsidence is a general term for downward vertical movement of the Earth's surface, which can be caused by both natural processes and human activities. Subsidence involves little or no horizontal movement, which distinguishes it from slope move ...

and drainage pattern changes make these habitats shift and change over time. Soils can be mucky, loamy, or sandy, but they are generally above permeable subsoils that create standing water much of the year. These marshes may also be called meadows or prairies.

Nonriverine basin swamp

Southern coastal plain nonriverine basin swamp Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

s occur in large, seasonally-flooded depressions away from rivers. Sites are often forested in trees such as

bald cypress ''Taxodium distichum'' (bald cypress, swamp cypress; french: cyprès chauve; ''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a wide r ...

(''Taxodium distichum''), swamp tupelo (''Nyssa biflora''), and sometimes

slash pine ''Pinus elliottii'', commonly known as slash pine,Family, P. P. (1990). Pinus elliottii Engelm. slash pine. ''Silvics of North America: Conifers'', (654), 338. is a conifer tree native to the Southeastern United States. Slash pine is named after ...

(''Pinus elliottii''). Characteristic shrubs include buckwheat tree (''Cliftonia monophylla''), swamp cyrilla (''Cyrilla racemiflora''), laurelleaf greenbrier (''Smilax laurifolia''), and fetterbush lyonia (''Lyonia lucida'').

Animals

Notable animals of the Florida scrub include the

Florida scrub jay The Florida scrub jay (''Aphelocoma coerulescens'') is one of the species of Aphelocoma, scrub jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird Endemism in birds, endemic to the U.S. state of Florida and one of only 15 species endemic ...

(''Aphelocoma coerulescens''), the endemic

Florida mouse The Florida Mouse (''Podomys floridanus'') is a species of rodent in the Cricetidae family. It is the only species in the genus ''Podomys''. It is found only in the United States. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland. It is threatened by ...

(''Podomys floridanus''),

sand skink The Florida sand skink (''Plestiodon reynoldsi'') is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae, the skinks. It is endemic to Florida in the United States. Taxonomy and etymology It was described as a new genus and new species by Leonhard Stej ...

(''Neoseps reynoldsi''), bluetail mole skink (''Plestiodon egregius lividus''),

Florida scrub lizard The Florida scrub lizard (''Sceloporus woodi'') is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is endemic to Florida, the United States. Etymology The specific name, ''woodi'', is in honor of taxidermist Nelson R. Wood (died ...

(''Sceloporus woodi''),

Florida worm lizard ''Rhineura floridana'', known Common name, commonly as the Florida worm lizard, graveyard snake,:fr:Coleman Jett Goin, Goin CJ, Olive Lynda Bown Goin, Goin OB, :de:George Robert Zug, Zug GR (1978). ''Introduction to Herpetology, Third Edition''. ...

(''Rhineura floridana''), and the

gopher tortoise The gopher tortoise (''Gopherus polyphemus'') is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide ...

which is an important

keystone species A keystone species is a species which has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance, a concept introduced in 1969 by the zoologist Robert T. Paine. Keystone species play a critical role in maintaini ...

Notes

External links

* {{cite web , first=N. D. , last=Deyrup , author2=Wilson, C. B. , year=2000 , title=Discovering Florida Scrub: Exploring science in a native ecosystem , publisher=

, url=http://www.archbold-station.org/discoveringflscrub/ , access-date=2007-03-05 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202173423/http://www.archbold-station.org/discoveringflscrub/ , archive-date=2007-02-02

External links

Archbold Station.org: An introduction to Florida scrub
Temperate coniferous forests of the United States Ecoregions of Florida Forests of Florida * * Nearctic ecoregions

Plant communities

Florida peninsula inland scrub

Longleaf pine sandhill

Oak dome and hammock

Highlands freshwater marsh

Nonriverine basin swamp

Animals

See also

Notes

External links

External links