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).
Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida
Ecological Community Descriptions
These descriptions were taken from
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1999. South Florida multi-species recovery plan.
Atlanta, Georgia. 2172 pp.
A more complete description of each community type is in that document.
High Pine
Longleaf pine savannas, characterized by a nearly continuous ground cover of
wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana) and widely spaced longleaf pines (Pinus palustris),
once covered most of the pre-settlement uplands of the southeastern United States
from Virginia to Texas and south to Central Florida. These savannas included
both high pine and pine flatwoods, similar plant communities at opposite ends
of the moisture gradient. Today the longleaf pine savanna is almost extinct,
the result of harvesting all original-growth longleaf pines and decades of fire
suppression. In South Florida, the high pine community is extinct except for
a few small, isolated fragmentary remnants that are not large enough to be selfsustaining
or to support the full complement of native species. Most South Florida sites
where high pine formerly occurred are now occupied by citrus orchards, strip
mines or other human development. Remaining high pine sites are small and have
been degraded by fire suppression. They now are dominated by invasive off-site
species such as sand pine (Pinus clausa), or by species formerly restricted
to the shrub layer such as turkey oak (Quercus laevis).
Florida Scrub Including Scrubby Flatwoods and Scrubby High Pine
Florida scrub is a plant community easily recognized by the dominance of evergreen
shrubs and frequent patches of bare, white sand. With more than two dozen threatened
and endangered species dependent upon scrub, the entire community is itself
endangered. Recovery of the community and its associated plants and animals
will depend upon land acquisition and effective land management. Florida scrub
in its various phases has been called xeric scrub, sand scrub, big scrub, sand
pine scrub, oak scrub, evergreen oak scrub, dune oak scrub, evergreen scrub
forest, slash pine scrub, palmetto scrub, rosemary scrub, and rosemary bald.
Florida scrubs may be classified as coastal or interior. Scrubs are often named
by the dominant plant species, as in rosemary scrub, sand pine scrub, palmetto
scrub, or oak scrub. Some authors have confused closed-canopy forests of sand
pine trees with scrub. Scrubs that are very recent in origin, usually a result
of man’s activities, are called pioneer scrubs. Communities intermediate
between scrub and pine flatwoods have been called dry or xeric flatwoods but
now are referred to as scrubby flatwoods. Communities intermediate between scrub
and high pine have been called southern ridge sandhills, hickory scrub, yellow
sand scrub, turkey oak scrub, turkey oak barrens, and natural turkey oak barrens,
but probably are best referred to as scrubby high pine.
Beach Dune, Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock
The beach dune and coastal strand communities in South Florida are the closest
communities to the high-energy shoreline. Within this high-energy zone, there
are a number of daily, naturally occurring events such as: wave action, sand
burial, and salt spray. Closest to the coast, the upper beach is regularly disturbed
by waves of high tides or storms and regularly recolonized by driftline annuals
and trailing perennials such as railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae). Above the
reach of annual wave action is the foredune, built by coarse, rhizomatous grasses;
primarily sea oats (Uniola paniculata), that thrive under constant burial from
sand blown off the beach. Beyond the zone of constant sand burial are the dwarfed
trees and shrubs of the coastal strand. The species growing in this zone are
kept at a low stature by salt spray, which kills the upward-growing leader shoots.
Species composition within the coastal strand communities that are located on
the Gulf and Atlantic coasts differ. These differences need to be taken into
account prior to restoration plantings. Maritime hammocks are low forests of
evergreen broadleaved trees found inland from coastal strand communities on
the Atlantic coast and from coastal grassland communities on the Gulf coast.
The canopy may be composed of trees with either temperate affinities (Quercus
virginiana, Sabal palmetto, Persea borbonia) or (usually on more calcareous
substrates) of trees with tropical affinities (Bursera simarouba, Ficus aurea,
Coccoloba uvifera). In both cases in South Florida the understory is composed
primarily of tropical shrubs and small trees. Although they share some widespread
coastal tree species, forests on nearby tropical coasts of the Bahamas, Cuba,
and the Yucatan Peninsula do not appear to have the same structure and composition
as tropical maritime hammocks in South Florida (Correll and Correll 1982, Sauer
1967, Moreno-Casasola and Espejel 1986).
Mesic Temperate Hammock
Mesic temperate hammock is a closed canopy forest, dominated by temperate evergreen
tree species, primarily live oak and cabbage palm, that is naturally protected
from fire by its position on the landscape. Tropical species are common in the
shrub layer and become increasingly important in the canopy at the southern end
of its range. Canopy tree dominants are relatively constant in mesic temperate
hammocks throughout the South Florida Ecosystem. Live oak and cabbage palm are
consistently present, and are joined by water oak (Quercus nigra), laurel oak
(Q. laurifolia), hackberry (Celtis laevigata), red maple (Acer rubrum), and other
temperate hardwoods at many sites. Hammocks at the northern boundary of the South
Florida Ecosystem are more diverse and may contain species such as pignut hickory
(Carya glabra), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and southern magnolia (Magnolia
grandiflora) that do not occur further south (Bridges and Reese 1996). Hammocks
at the border of the tropical zone often contain tropical species such as strangler
fig (Ficus aurea) and trema (Trema micrantha) (Austin et al. 1977, Cox 1988).
Although canopy composition is relatively constant in mesic temperate hammock
throughout its range in Florida, shrub species composition is variable across
the range of this community within South Florida. A unifying factor is the presence
of at least some shrub species considered tropical in even the most northern locations
within the South Florida Ecosystem (Bridges and Reese 1996).
Tropical Hardwood Hammock
Tropical hardwood hammocks are closed canopy forests, dominated by a diverse
assemblage of evergreen and semi-deciduous tree and shrub species, mostly of
West Indian origin. At least five major types of hammocks can be described here:
(1) rockland hammock “islands” on limestone substrate in or on the
edges of pine rockland or marl prairie communities on the Miami Rock Ridge and
in Big Cypress National Preserve; (2) Keys rockland hammock on limestone substrate
Making up the dominant forest type in the Florida Keys; (3) coastal berm hammock
on storm-deposited berms in the Sand Keys (west of Key West), the Florida Keys,
and along the northern shores of Florida Bay; (4) tree island hammock in the
Everglades marsh and surrounding marl prairie and rocky glades; and, (5) shell
mound hammock on aboriginal sites. Tropical hardwood hammocks here also include
the more open coastal rock barren and sinkhole communities as classified by
the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI and Florida Department of Natural
Resources 1990). Coastal rock barren is a rare community occurring in tiny patches
in the Florida Keys (FNAI and Florida Department of Natural Resources 1990).
Sinkholes are found in areas of karst limestone, primarily in hammocks on the
Miami Rock Ridge.
Pine Rocklands
Pine rocklands are unique to southern Florida and the Bahamas. In Florida they
are found on limestone substrates on the Miami Rock Ridge, in the Florida Keys,
and in the Big Cypress Swamp. Pine rocklands are dominated by a single canopy
tree, South Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa), a diverse hardwood
and palm subcanopy, and a very rich herbaceous layer. The flora of pine rocklands
is composed of a diverse assemblage of tropical and temperate taxa. Many endemic
plant taxa are also found in this community.
Mesic Pine Flatwoods
The mesic pine flatwoods habitat is dominated by a slash pine or longleaf pine
overstory with an upland understory. Mesic pine flatwoods are distinct from hydric
and xeric pine flatwoods in the tendency toward midstory dominance by saw palmetto
and scrub species such as fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), tarflower (Befaria racemosa),
rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea), cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), and wax myrtle
(Myrica cerifera). Impacted mesic pine flatwoods are dominated by the exotic invaders:
Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia),
downy rosemyrtle (Rhodomyrtus tomentosus), ear-leaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis)
and melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquinervia). Understory includes a wide variety of
grasses (Agrostis, Andropogon, Aristida, Dichanthelium, Eragrostis, and Panicum
spp., etc.), pawpaws (Asimina spp.), gopher apple (Licania michauxii), legumes
(Cassia, Crotalaria, Galactia, Rhynchosia, Tephrosia spp., etc.), milkworts (Polygala
spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), and a wide variety
of composites (Aster, Chrysopsis, Emilia, Eupatorium, Liatris, and Solidago spp.,
etc.).
Hydric Pine Flatwoods
The hydric pine flatwoods habitat is dominated by a slash pine (Pinus elliottii
var. densa) overstory with a wetland plant understory. The wetland understory
can be any, or a variety, of wetland plant community types ranging from wet prairie
to hatrack cypress. Hydric pine flatwoods are distinct from mesic and xeric pine
flatwoods in the absence of understory dominance by saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)
and more xeric species such as pennyroyal (Piloblephis rigida), pawpaw (Asimina
spp.), and prickly pear (Opuntia spp.). Mid-story plants of hydric pine flatwoods
include cypress (Taxodium spp.), cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), wax myrtle (Myrica
cerifera), dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), and red bay (Persea palustris), as well
as species characteristic of mixed hardwood swamp forest and cypress forest of
South Florida: red maple (Acer rubrum) and buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).
Exotic plant invaders primarily include Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius)
and melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquinervia). Understory includes ferns (Nephrolepsis,
Osmunda, Thelypteris spp., etc.); arrowhead (Sagittaria spp.); a wide variety
of grasses (Agrostis, Andropogon, Aristida, Dichanthelium, Eragrostis, Muhlenbergia,
Panicum, Paspalum, Schizachyrium, and Sporobolus spp., etc.); an amazing diversity
of sedges (Bulbostylis, Carex, Cladium jamaicense, Cyperus, Dichromena, Eleocharis,
Fimbrystylis, Rhynchospora, Scirpus, Scleria spp., etc.); yellow-eyed grasses
(Xyris spp.); pipeworts (Eriocaulon spp., Lachnocaulon spp., and Syngonathus flavidulus);
day-flowers (Commelina spp.); rushes (Juncus spp.); lilies, iris, and amaryllis
(Aletris, Crinum, and Hymenocalis spp., Iris hexagona, Lillium catesbaei, etc.);
cannas (Canna spp.); ground orchids (Calopogon spp., Eulophia alta, Spiranthes
spp.); smartweeds (Polygonella and Polygonum spp. etc); sundews (Drosera spp.);
legumes (Cassia, Crotalaria, Galactia, Indigofera, Rhynchosia, Tephrosia spp.,
etc.); sorrels (Oxalis spp.); flaxes (Linum spp.); milkworts (Polygala spp.);
spurges (Chaemaescye, Euphobia, Poinsettia, Stillingia spp.); mallows (Hibiscus,
Kosteletzkya, Sida spp., etc.),;chocolate weeds (Melochia spp.); St. Johnís
worts (Hypericum spp.); meadow beauties (Rhexia spp); evening primroses (Ludwigia
spp); celeries (Eryngium, Hydrocotyle, and Oxpolis spp., etc.); starflowers (Sabatia
spp.); milkweeds (Asclepias spp.); bladderworts ( Pinguicula and Urtricularia
spp.); and a wide variety of composites (Aster, Carphephorus, Cirsium, Coreopsis,
Emilia, Eupatorium, Flaveria, Heterotheca, Liatris, and Solidago spp., etc.).
Epiphytes are also common, including airplants (Tillandsia spp.); ferns (Ophioglossum,
Phlebodium aureum, Polypodium, and Vittaria spp.); and orchids (Encyclia tampensis,
Epidendrum rigidum, etc.). During the wet season, periphyton is a major component
of the understory vegetation of hydric pine flatwoods.
Dry Prairie
Dry prairie is essentially treeless, a pyrogenic landscape with a ground cover
diverse in regionally endemic plant taxa and dominated by Aristida beyrichiana
(wiregrass), scattered, low, stunted Serenoa repens (saw palmetto), and low-growing
Quercus minima (runner oak). The typical dry prairie has a mixture of upland
and wetland plants, with the most conspicuous indicator of this mixture being
the cooccurrence of Quercus minima and Xyris elliottii. Five natural community
types of dry prairie are tentatively identified [dry (sub-xeric) type, dry-mesic
sandy type, mesic type, wet-mesic alfic soil type, and wet-mesic spodic soil
type] based upon quantitative vegetation analysis of dry prairies. Each of these
community types tends to be correlated with variation in hydrologic regimes
(seasonal variation in water table) and edaphic conditions, with ground cover
composition similar to that of pine flatwoods and wetland pine savannas in south-central
Florida.
Cutthroat Grass Communities
Cutthroat grass (Panicum abscissum) is a central peninsular Florida endemic
species, found in scattered locations from Orange County south to Palm Beach
County. However, it seems to dominate natural communities almost exclusively
within Polk and Highlands counties, in association with the sideslopes of the
central Florida Ridges. Cutthroat grass communities are mostly associated with
areas of slight to strong groundwater seepage; however, not all cutthroat grass
communities are well-developed seepage slopes. Cutthroat grass communities fall
into several community types-a cutthroat grass seepage slope complex with 11
microhabitat zones, cutthroat grass mesic flatwoods and dry prairies, cutthroat
grass wet flatwoods, cutthroat grass depression marsh margins, cutthroat grass
ecotones between flatwoods and drainageways, cutthroat grass wet prairies, and
slash pine/cutthroat grass “basin swamp.” Each of these can be characterized
by differences in landform, topographic position, hydrology, soils, and dominant
or characteristic plant species. The cutthroat grass seepage slope complex consists
of distinct vegetation zones which vary in hydrology, soils, and species composition,
ranging from dry cutthroat grass with only subsurface soil saturation, to mixed
herbaceous seepage slopes with a constant year-round water table at the surface
of the deep muck soil. Cutthroat grass communities require frequent fire for
Freshwater Marshes and Wet Prairies
For this account, higher elevation areas that tend to have shorter durations and
lower depths of flooding are classified as short-hydropattern prairies, while
areas of lower elevation are called long-hydropattern marshes. Within both general
categories, there are natural mosaics of subtypes related to depressions, elevations,
bedrock surface exposure, soil types, and fire regimes. Therefore, South Florida’s
freshwater marshes and wet prairies are best thought of as a complex mosaic that
varies over time through natural succession and human-made influences (Weller
1994). In South Florida, some marshes and wet prairies are found as isolated features
in the landscape, or as zones (e.g. littoral zones) along significant gradients
in topography and elevation around the many lakes and river systems in the northern
portions of the study area (Gilbert et al.1995). Other freshwater marshes and
wet prairies are found along minimal gradients of topography, hydrology and soil,
like those found in the Everglades and Big Cypress ecosystems. Some physiographic
features, such as creeks, sloughs and seeps have, themselves, been included as
marsh types (Davis 1943). The single largest, and best known freshwater marsh
and wet prairie complex within South Florida is the Everglades. Isolated small
freshwater marshes and wet prairies are found throughout South Florida.
Flowing Water Swamps
Flowing water swamps are seasonally inundated forested wetlands located along
or within drainage channels. They include the floodplain wetlands along clearly
defined rivers, as well as the strands and sloughs that characterize shallower
and more diffuse flowways. Typical strand swamp vegetation includes cypress, red
maple (Acer rubrum), cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), strangler fig (Ficus aurea),
swamp bay (Persea palustris), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), royal palm (Roystonea
regia), coastal plain willow (Salix caroliniana), wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera),
myrsine (Rapanea punctata), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), poison ivy
(Toxicodendron usneoides), swamp lily (Crinum spp.), leather fern (Acrostichum
spp.), and royal fern (Osmunda regalis). The canopy plants are mainly temperate,
while the understory and epiphytic plants are generally tropical. The deeper sloughs
are characterized by a subcanopy of pop ash and/or pond apple abundantly festooned
with tropical epiphytes.
Pond Swamp
Pond swamps are seasonally inundated forested wetlands located around or within
landscape depressions. They include the lake border swamps and major wetlands
within large landscape basins, as well as smaller cypress domes and gum ponds.
The dwarf cypress savannas that cover vast shallow basins in the Big Cypress subregion
are also categorized as pond swamps. Dome swamps have small young pond cypress
trees towards their outer edges, grading into larger and older bald cypress towards
the interior, giving a dome a distinctly rounded cross-sectional profile. (Because
pond cypress Taxodium ascendens and bald cypress Taxodium distichum can be recognized
as clearly different in these field situations, the two names are used here. Although
some authorities persist in considering these different species, most ecologists
now regard them as morphological variations reflective of different growing conditions.)
The typical central pond creates the doughnut shape that characterizes these systems
on aerial photographs. Basin swamp structures vary. In theory, a mature system
would have the wide variety of tree sizes characteristic of an old-growth forest,
but logging has altered the structure of almost all such swamps. The shallow and
diffuse type of basin swamp that covers most of the Big Cypress Swamp is characterized
by scattered stunted bonsai-like ìhatrackî or ìtoyî
cypress, which are seldom over 3 to 4.6 m (10 to 15 ft) tall, though they are
old trees and may have large buttresses. Typical dome swamp plants include pond
cypress, red maple (Acer rubrum), dahoon (Ilex cassine), swamp bay (Persea palustris),
sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), coastal plain willow (Salix caroliniana), wax
myrtle (Myrica cerifera), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), St. johnís
wort (Hypericum spp.), chain fern (Woodwardia spp.), poison ivy (Toxicodendron
radicans), laurel greenbrier (Smilax laurifolia), Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides),
and fireflag (Thalia geniculata). Dominant basin swamp plants include blackgum
(Nyssa sylvatica var. sylvatica), cypress, and slash pine (Pinus elliottii). Other
typical plants include red maple, swamp bay, sweetbay, loblolly bay (Gordonia
lasianthus), Virginia willow (Itea virginica), wax myrtle, buttonbush, laurel
greenbrier, and Spanish moss.
Seepage Swamps
Seepage swamps are forested wetlands characterized by saturated soils rather than
periodic inundation. They include baygalls at the base of seepage slopes, bayheads
in peat-filled depressions or at the downstream ends of Everglades teardrop islands,
and hydric hammocks on low sand or limestone rises within periodically inundated
wetland systems. Baygalls and bayheads are dense evergreen forests or shrub thickets
with a spongy understory of sphagnum moss and ferns. The canopy is composed of
tall, densely packed, generally straight-boled evergreen hardwoods dominated by
sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), swamp bay (Persea palstris) red bay (Persea borbonia),
and loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus). There is typically a more or less open
understory of shrubs and ferns and a ground surface of sphagnum mats interlaced
with convoluted tree roots. Hydric hammocks are open forests dominated by cabbage
palms and laurel oaks (Quercus laurifolia) mixed with other hardwoods. They often
have minimal understory and a floor carpeted by fallen palm fronds. In baygalls
and bayheads, the typical plant species include: red bay, sweetbay, loblolly bay,
red maple (Acer rubrum), slash pine (Pinus elliottii), wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera),
dahoon (Ilex cassine) gallberry (Ilex coriacea), Virginia willow (Itea virginica),
buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), coco plum (Chrysobalanus icaco), laurel
greenbrier (Smilax laurifolia), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), cinnamon
fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), chain fern (Woodwardia spp.), netted chain fern (Woodwardia
areolata), and sphagnum moss. Typical hydric hammock plants include cabbage palm,
laurel oak, red maple, swamp bay, sweetbay, water oak (Quercus nigra), dahoon,
myrsine (Rapanea punctata), sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), wax myrtle, saw palmetto
(Serenoa repens), poison ivy, royal fern (Osmunda regalis), peppervine (Ampelopsis
arborea), rattan vine (Berchemia scandens), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia),
and several species of ferns.
Mangroves
Mangrove ecosystems are a mosaic of different types of forest, with each type
providing different physical habitats, topology, niches, microclimates, and food
sources for a diverse assemblage of animals. This community type includes black
mangrove, white mangrove, red mangrove, and buttonwood.
Coastal Salt Marsh
Salt marsh plants are salt-tolerant or halophytic species that have developed
biological and physiological mechanisms to adjust to a range in environmental
conditions. In South Florida, these plants have adapted to tolerate the stresses
of salinity changes, periodic inundation, and extremes in temperature that are
unique in the South Florida environment. Although most salt marsh species have
a broad range of distribution in the intertidal zone, their abundance differs
depending on the unique hydrological and physical characteristics discussed above.
Salt marsh plants normally distribute themselves along the elevation gradient
from the creek bank to upland depending on their tolerance and adaptability (Montague
and Wiegert 1990, Wiegert and Freeman 1990). Along the upper edge of the high
marsh, common species include marsh elder (Iva frutescens), saltbush (Baccharis
halmifolia), seaside golden rod (Solidago sempervirens), seablite (Sueda linearis),
and Christmas berry (Lycium carolinianum). Numerous species are found in the high
marsh above the mean high water level: salt grass (Distichlis spicata), saltwort
(Batis maritima), glassworts (Salicornia spp.), leather fern (Achrostichum aureum),
sea oxeyes (Borrichia sp.), cordgrasses (Spartina spp.), coastal dropseed (Sporobolus
virginicus), key grass (Monanthochloe littoralis), salt jointgrass (Paspalum vaginatum),
and seablite. Typical species located from the low to high marsh are smooth cordgrass
(Spartina alterniflora), black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus), and sea lavender
(Limonium carolinanum). In the salt marshmangrove transition zone, dominant mangrove
species include red (Rhizophora mangle), black (Avicennia germinans), and white
(Languncularia racemosa) mangroves, and the mangrove-associated buttonwood (Conocarpus
erectus) (Tomlinson 1986).
Seagrasses
Seagrasses are vascular plants that can form dense vegetative communities in shallow
water estuaries (Day et al. 1989). These plants have evolved the ability to carry
out their entire life cycle completely submerged in the marine environment.
Nearshore and Midshelf Reefs
The term nearshore reefs is meant here to include all solid physical substrate
below the mean high water line (MHW) and seaward of Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of
Mexico shoreline which may be vulnerable to fill deposition and turbidity (loss
of light penetration through the water column) associated with beach nourishment.
The zone has been defined by the State of Florida Department of Environmental
Regulation (DEP) as the area landward of the 4 m (13.1 ft) depth contour. This
definition would exclude solid subtidal substrate within bays and estuaries. Rock
outcrops or rock substrate could be considered synonymous; however, artificial
reefs constructed of other materials could also be located within this zone. Midshelf
reefs include those reefs between the 4 m (13.1 ft) isobath and the practical
limits of dredging operations or about the 20 m (65.6 ft) depth isobath. The general
term hard bottom has also been applied to these deeper reef areas. This term includes
the solid substrate and epifauna which occupies the substrate.