South Florida Vegetation Classification Scheme Crosswalks
Crosswalks for 5 vegetation classification schemes used
in south Florida: 1. Everglades Vegetation Classification System (EVSC, South
Florida National Parks), 2. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
(FFWCC), 3. Florida Gap Analysis Project (FLGAP, US Geological Survey), 4. Florida
Land Use and Cover Classification System (FLUCCS, Florida Department of Transportation
and Water Management Districts), 5. Multi-Species Recovery Project (MSRP, US
Fish and Wildlife Service).
Draft Report
Vegetation Classification System for South Florida National Parks
David Jones 1, Marguerite Madden 2, Jim Snyder 3, and Ken Rutchey 4
April, 2002
1 Park Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science, The University of Georgia
2 Everglades National
3 Big Cypress National Preserve
4 South Florida Water Management District
Based on a review of several vegetation classification schemes developed by
researchers of Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, including
a classification scheme devised by Craighead (1971), the following Vegetation
Classification System was developed by the South Florida Natural Resources Center,
Everglades National Park (ENP), the Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science
(CRMS) at the University of Georgia, Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY) and
the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for use in mapping the vegetation
of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National
Park (BISC) and the SFWMD Water Conservation Areas.
Major Vegetation Types
Forest
Scrub
Savanna
Prairies and Marshes
Shrublands
Exotics
Additional Categories
Special Modifiers
Under these major vegetation types are hierarchically arranged Plant Communities
(classes) which are defined by typical dominant species. The species listed under
these classes and subclasses were derived from South Florida Research Center Reports
(1980-1983) for Everglades and Big Cypress National Parks, Craighead (1971), and
Davis and Ogden (1994). The communities used in this classification system were
selected from among those compiled in a summary report of all plant communities
outlined by Craighead (1971) as well as those reported in vegetation studies published
by the South Florida Natural Resources Center from 1980 to 1983.
Major Vegetation Types and Associated Plant Communities
F FOREST
High-density stands of trees with heights over 5 metres.
FM Mangrove Forest
FMa Black (Avicennia germinans) Mangrove
FMl White (Laguncularia racemosa) Mangrove
FMlb White Mangrove or Buttonwood Forest
This class signifies that it is uncertain whether vegetation is white mangrove
(Laguncularia racemosa) or buttonwood forest (Conocarpus erectus), since signatures
on the aerial photographs are very similar. Field checking is required to correctly
identify the species.
FMr Red (Rhizophora mangle) Mangrove
FMx Mixed mangrove
Specific mixtures of mangrove species, when identified, will be distinguished
as subgroups.
FB Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) Forest
Conocarpus erectus with variable mixtures of subtropical hardwoods.
FT Subtropical Hardwood Forest
Lysiloma latisiliquum, Quercus virginiana, Bursera simaruba, Mastichodendron foetidissimum,
Swietenia mahagoni, among others.
FO Oak-Sabal Forest
Quercus laurifolia, Q. virginiana, Sabal palmetto.
FP Paurotis Palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) Forest
FC Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto) Forest
FS Swamp Forest
FSh Mixed Hardwood Swamp Forest
Quercus virginiana, Q. laurifolia, Acer rubrum, Sabal palmetto, Fraxinus caroliniana.
FSc Cypress Strands
Taxodium ascendens, T. distichum; cypress domes are treated as a subgroup. Cypress
strands (especially in BICY) may contain an understory of species such as Annona
glabra, Chrysobalanus icaco, and Fraxinus caroliniana.
FSd Cypress Domes/Heads
Taxodium ascendens, T. distichum ; cypress growing in a depression such that trees
in the center are tallest and give the characteristic dome shape. Delineated domes
may contain a fringe of short cypress (less than 5 metres).
FSt Cypress
Taxodium ascendens, T. distichum ; cypress moderately to densely distributed with
an open canopy. Cypress domes may be located within these communities.
FSx Cypress-Mixed Hardwoods
Taxodium ascendens and T. distichum with variable mixtures of subtropical and
temperate hardwoods; predominantly in BICY.
FSa Mixed Hardwoods, Cypress and Pine
Mixture of various subtropical hardwoods with Taxodium distichum with occassional
Pinus elliottii var. densa.
FSCpi Cypress-Pines
Taxodium distichum with Pinus elliottii and a mixed hardwood scrub understory.
FSb Bayhead
Magnolia virginiana, Annona glabra, Chrysobalanus icaco, Persea borbonia, Ilex
cassine, Metopium toxiferum, among others.
S SCRUB
Low-density areas of trees and shrubs with heights under 5 meters.
SM Mangrove Scrub
The vegetation matrix in which the scrub occurs should be noted, e.g., within
Eleocharis marsh.
SMr Red (Rhizophora mangle)
SMa Black (Avicennia germinans)
SM1 White (Laguncularia racemosa)
SM1b White Mangrove or Buttonwood Scrub
This class signifies that it is uncertain whether vegetation is scub white mangrove
(Laguncularia racemosa) or buttonwood scrub (Conocarpus erectus), since signatures
on the aerial photographs are very similar. Fieldchecking is required to correctly
identify the species.
SMx Mixed scrub
Sparse and high-density subgroups/modifiers can be distingished.
SC Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) Scrub
SP Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) Scrub
SH Hardwood Scrub
Includes species such as Metopium toxiferum, Persea borbonia, Myrica cerifera,
Ilex cassine, Magnolia virginiana, Myrsine floridana, Conocarpus erectus, Chyrsobalanus
icaco and others. Often contains a moderate to heavy component of mixed grasses.
Scrub oak (Quercus virginiana) is often included in areas of BICY.
SS Bay-Hardwood Scrub
Mixed association of bayhead swamp species, buttonwood scrub and hardwood scrub
species such as Myrica cerifera, Chyrsobalanus icaco, leather fern (Acrostichum
danaeifolium), Conocarpus erectus and Cladium jamaicense. Minor species include
Metopium toxiferum, Ilex cassine, Persea borbonia, Sabal palmetto and Cephalanthus
occidentalis. Occurs in the transition zone between saline and fresh environments.
SV SAVANNA
Low-density (open canopy) trees in a matrix of graminoids.
SVPI Pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) Savanna
SVx Slash pine mixed with palms
Pinus elliottii var. densa, Serenoa repens, Sabal palmetto; typical of BICY.
SVPIh Slash pine with hardwoods
Pinus elliottii var. densa, Rhus copallina, Guettarda scabra, Bumelia salicifolia,
Tetrazygia bicolor, Dodonea viscosa, among others; typical of EVER.
SVPIc Slash pine with cypress
Pinus elliottii var. densa dominant with Taxodium distichum interspersed.
SVC Cypress (Taxodium distichum and T. ascendens) Savanna
SVCd Dwarf cypress
Cypress of stunted growth less than 5 metres in height.
SVCpi Cypress with pine
Taxodium distichum and T.ascendens dominant with mixed Pinus elliottii var. densa.
SVPM Palm (Sabal palmetto) Savanna
P PRAIRIES AND MARSHES
PG Graminoid Prairie/Marsh
Contains grasses, sedges and rushes. The extent of periphyton cover is expressed
as a modifier for all appropriate subclasses.
PGj Black rush (Juncus roemerianus)
PGc Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense)
The modifier 't' is used to distinguish tall sawgrass, e.g., PGct.
PGm Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia filipes)
PGs Cordgrass (Spartina spp.)
PGe Spike rush (Eleocharis cellulosa)
PGp Common reed (Phragmites spp.)
PGa Maidencane (Panicum hemitomon)
PGw Maidencane-Spike rush
Mix of shallow open water, Eleocharis spp. and Panicum hemitomon which can include
sparse associations of low stature Cladium jamaicense, Typha spp., Sagittaria
lancifolia, Pontedaria lanceolata, Nymphaea spp., etc. typical of SFWMD impounded
conservation areas.
PGx Mixed graminoids
Specific mixtures of graminoids, when identified, will be distinguished as subgroups.
PE Non-graminoid Emergent Marsh
Pontederia lanceolata, Sagittaria spp., Nymphaea odorata, Typha spp., with Ludwigia
repens and Utricularia spp. as possible submergents.
PEb Broadleaf Emergents
PEf Floating/Floating Attached Emergents
PEa Leather Fern
PEo Other Mixed Non-Graminids
Other non-grass species such as Mikania, Polygonum spp., Cicuta mexicana.
PC Cattail (Typha spp.) Marsh
PH Halophytic Herbaceous Prairie
PHg Graminoid
Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), smutgrass (Sporobolus spp.) and keys grass (Monanthocloe
littoralis).
PHs Succulent
Very salt tolerant species such as saltwort (Batis maritima), glasswort (Salicornia
spp.) and sea purslane (Sesuvium spp.).
PPI Prairie with Scattered Pines
Sparsely distributed Pinus elliottii var. densa in a matrix of graminoids, at
the pinelands-glades ecotone.
SB SHRUBLANDS
SBs Willow (Salix caroliniana)
SBf Pop Ash (Fraxinus caroliniana)
SBm Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
SBb Groundsel bush (Baccharis spp.)
SBc Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
SBl Primrose (Ludwigia spp.)
SBy Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)
SBa Pond Apple (Annona glabra)
SBt Cypress (Taxodium ascendens, T. distichum).
E EXOTICS
For sparse to low-density stands, modifiers are used to indicate (1) the vegetation
matrix in which the exotic occurs, and (2) the original vegetation replaced by
the exotic, when applicable.
EM Cajeput (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
EC Australian Pine (Casuarina spp.)
EO Lather Leaf (Colubrina asiatica)
ES Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius)
EA Shoebutton Ardisia (Ardisia elliptica)
EL Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum)
EJ Java Plum (Syzygium cumini)
ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES
W
BCH
MUD |
Open Water
Beaches
Mud |
Cultural Areal Features
| HI |
Structures and Cultivated Lawns |
Human Influence (HI) includes structures (e.g., buildings, fishing and hunting
camps), parking lots and cultivated lawns.
HIp
HId |
Pumping Stations
Disturbed Fish Camp Site |
Human influence site common in SFWMD that has been disturbed by former fishing/hunting
camp. Although buildings are no longer present, an unusual mix of introduced
and exotic species persist.
RD
C
ORV
|
Major Roads (greater than 30 m wide)
Major Canals (greater than 30 m wide)
ORV Trails |
Cultural Linear Features
Dash
Dash-Dot
Brown
|
Secondary roads (less than 30 m)
Secondary canals (less than 30 m)
ORV trails (less than 15 m wide)
a. Primary
b. Secondary
c. Tertiary |
SA Spoil Areas
SAd Artificial Deer Islands
SPECIAL MODIFIERS
Hurricane Damage Classes
-1 Low to medium (0% to 50% damage)
-2 High (51% to 75% damage)
-3 Extreme (> 75% damage)
Other modifiers
-4 Low Density (Scattered Individuals)
-5 Human Influence
The Human Influence modifier can be added to a vegetation class to indicate evidence
of human disturbance.
-6 Abandoned agriculture
-7 Altered drainage
-8 High density ORV trails
-9 Periphyton
-10 Treatment Damage (e.g., herbicide treatment)
-11 Other Damage (e.g., freeze damage)
-12 Ponds
-13 Exposed Rock (i.e., pinnacle rock)
References
Bell, C.R. and B.J. Taylor, 1982. Florida Wild Flowers. Laurel Hill Press, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina, 308 pages.
Craighead, F.C., 1971. The Trees of South Florida. University of Miami Press,
Coral Gables, Florida, 212 pages.
Davis, S.M. and J.C. Ogden, 1994. (Eds.) Everglades: The Ecosystem and Its Restoration.
St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, Florida, 826 pages.
Duever, M.J., J.E. Carleson, J.F. Meeder, L.C. Duever, L.H. Gunderson, L.A. Riopelle,
T.R. Alexander, R.L. Myers and D.P. Spangler, 1986. The Big Cypress National Preserve.
National Audubon Society, New York, New York, 444 pages.
Duncan, W.H. and M.B. Duncan, 1988. Trees of the Southeastern United States.
University of Georgia Press, Athens, 332 pages.
Hilsenbeck, C.E., R.H. Hofstetter and T.R. Alexander, 1979. Preliminary synopsis
of major plant communities in the east everglades area vegetation maps supplement,
Report of the Department of Biology, University of Miami, 36 pages.
Long, R.W. and O. Lakela, 1971. Flora of Tropical Florida, Unversity of Miami
Press, Coral Gables, Florida, 962 pages.
Nelson, G., 1994. The Trees of Florida. Pineapple Press, Inc., Sarasota, Florida,
338 pages.