Author: John Knapp

Cooperation of Wildlife and People: Bonita Bay Pond #47’s Ecological Success – Part #1

This is a story of cooperation among people and wildlife in the Bonita Bay community. This description is divided into three postings including the macro biology, micro biology and geochemistry. Pond #47 is in my backyard. The freshwater pond was inundated by sea water to a depth of 10.3 feet above MSL. The flood was a climatic challenge to the entire four square mile community property including all 64 retention ponds. The good news is that recovery is well on the way to near normal conditions.

This first of three postings shows the macro biologic content of the pond. This small body of water is in the Bonita Bay residential community in the city of Bonita Springs, Florida. It was artificially constructed nearly 40 years ago as part of a larger hydraulic system intended to manage the surface water of the community property. The property is bounded by Spring Creek to the north, Imperial River to the south, Bonita Bay to the west and highway 41 to the east. There are five animal phyla represented here and they are all thriving. There are also four plant phyla.

The featured picture is one of hundreds of halloween pennant dragonflies that were so full of beautiful color. I had to share it with all of you.

Fish:

Net casting was done to collect fish samples and to check the varieties. It shows the net hitting the water, the clarity and depth, and the light-colored ring patterns in the water are spawning nests created by resident tilapia in the sandy bottom. Other techniques included fly casting and spin casting with artificial bait. Six fish species were caught from the Anchorage Pond #47. They included Mayan Cichlid, Blue Gill, Tilapia, Largemouth Bass, and Snook. Numerous minnows were seen but not caught. Neighbors who regularly fish the pond suggest that there are more Tilapia and fewer Snook since the Ian hurricane. 

Blue gill on top, Tilapia (?) on bottom
Tilapia or Gulf Killfish (Non-Native)
Mayan Cichlid (Mayaheros urophthalmus) (invasive)
Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) (Non-native)

Reptiles:

Alligators and turtles live easily in the pond. The alligator population is variable and although it usually has one. During mating season there were at least two. The turtle population is greater than the alligators and from observation there are always at least four swimming near the surface. During the day these reptiles and crawl out of the ponds to lie on the banks.

Soft shell turtle  (Apalone ferox)
Mating alligators
We’re done.

Marine Crustaceans:

One marine crustacean type was found. Three Blue crabs were found in the water along the shore. These were probably brought in by the hurricane.

Blue crab (female), (Callinectes sapidus)

Birds:

The number and species of wading birds is highly dependent upon season and weather. The birds may select those areas of the shoreline which are favorable to their food and which may be protected from predators by alligators. Here are some of the birds in the shore line vegetation hunting and eating with the alligator in their midst. The osprey was standing quietly watching from the close by tree. These birds were seen in March/April. The birds included Great Blue Herron, white and tricolored Herron, Ibis, ducks, Wood Stories, Anhinga, and Osprey.

Blue Herron
Anhinga caught a Mayan Cyclid
Great White Herron caught a minnow
Stork and Herron ignoring one another
Tricolor Herron searching for fish
Ibis in group of about twenty
American Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) waiting in tree

Insects:

The most obvious insect which could be attributed to the pond were standing or feeding on the pound shore line. The dragonflies observed were exclusively the Halloween Pennants and were in the hundreds. The White Peacock butterflies were flying about in small groups or pairs just on shore near the grass.

Halloween Pennant Dragonfly, (Celithemis eponina)
White Peacock butterfly (Anartia jatrophae)

The diversity of the wild life supports the eutrophic designation of the pond. Further examples of this follow in the next two presentations. They include the plants and the microflora with geochemistry. Be sure to see them too!

This story is similar to the previous posting on a river restoration project found in Fulda, Germany.

If you wish to receive notifications please enter your email and click on subscribe.

To participate in discussion use the comments block.

See the discussion board to engage with like minded naturalists and photographers or to open a new topic to share your thoughts. https://evergladesark.com/2024/04/25/discussion-board/

#Pond #Recovery #fish #insects #crustaceans # dragonfly # butterfly # turtle # Herron # Mayan Cichlid #Snook # Blue gill #bass #Osprey #White Peacock #alligator

Discussion Board

Everglades Ark has introduced an opportunity for people with similar interests to participate with one another by sharing ideas and information on topics related to the natural sciences. These may include a wide range of subjects from novel views or technology applications, beautiful experiences, unanswered questions, problem statements, research findings, educational application of natural science, citizen science projects, or simply to share your enthusiasm on a NatSci subject of your choice.

To participate: Go to discussion board on the opening page header bar and click on Discussion Board. Register and log-in to participate. Click on the linked topic of your choice and scroll down to the Leave a Reply box and write a Comment in the space available.

Because we are all colleagues, courtesy and respect for one another is expected. Although not required but to add value to statements, scientifically cited references with links would be appreciated. All comments are monitored.

Wildflowers in SW Florida – Xeric Group

This group of flower images were made from observations during the last February, March and April. This is the second of a series on wildflowers of SWFL. These images represent some of the flowers which were seen in three distinct environments: uplands, pine and saw palmetto flats and costal flats. There is some crossover of plants which may be seen in multiple environments. For organizational simplicity the images have been separated into two groups: those that grow better in moist soil areas are in the mesic group, those that grow better in dryer soils are listed in the dry mesic and xeric group.

The images which are used here for illustration show the beauty and diversity of the native plants. As a supplement to these images there is a spread sheet posted under PAGES of this site which lists the plant growing requirements. If you wish, this information may be used to assist in selection of plants which you could plant in your own SWFL community or home garden. The images are associated with a Fig #. That number is the data key number listed in the first (Left) column of the spread sheet. Use that number to correlate the image to the data.

The featured image is Figure 22.  Pinebarren Goldenrod (Solidago fistulosa)

Figure 2. Nettle Leaf (Salvia urticifolia)
Figure 3  Florida Tickseed (Coreopsis floridana)
Figure 4 Nuttall’s Thistle (Cirsium nuttallii)
Figure 6. Simond’s Aster, (symphyotrichum simmondsii)
Figure 7  Southeastern Sunflower (Helianthus agrestis)
Figure 20 Flag pawpaw (Asimina obovate)
Figure 24 Tickseed (Coreopsis Leavenworthii)
Figure 26 Sweetscent (Pluchea odorata)
Figure 29. Rabbit bells (Crotalaria rotundifolia)
Fig 38. Rusty Lionia (Lyonia ferruginea)

There are definitely fewer flowering plants in the dry group. These flowers are less flamboyant in color, shape and size. The dominant chromas are in the middle of the visible light spectrum, the hues are in the lighter range and the values are in the middle zones. Their growth in single plants tend to be in dense florets and panicles. As groups of plants they tend to be distributed in patches of the landscape. This may be related to their propagation frequently by seeding.

For the gardeners be sure to check out the supplement to these images on the spread sheet in the Pages post on this site titled findings/Wildflowers in SWFL

References:

Real Florida Gardeners Guide lists native nurseries

Guide for Choosing Native Plants by Florida Wildflower Foundation

Pruning Notes for Native Plants by Grounded Solutions

Getting into the “Weeds:” An Introduction to Common Lawn Plants and Their Ecological Benefits

Plant This Not That book

Attracting Butterflies with Wildflowers by Florida Wildflower Foundation

Full Plant Reference List

Native Florida Landscape – Florida treasure coast

Estero preserve

Florida Soil

If you like it click on LIKE !

If you wish to be notified of new postings please enter your email and click on subscribe

If you wish to participate in discussion or make comments please use the comments box.

#Xeric #wild flowers #native plants #noninvasive plants #

Wildflowers in SW Florida – Wet, Mesic Group

Here are images of flowers made from observations during the last three months. This is one of a series on native wildflowers of SWFL. These images represent some of the flowers which were seen in three distinct environments: uplands, pine and saw palmetto flats and costal flats. There is some crossover of plants which may be seen in multiple environments. For organizational simplicity the images have been separated into two groups: those that grow better in moist soil areas are in the mesic group. Those that grow better in dryer soils are listed in the xeric group.

The featured image is a Dixi Iris and a visiting Monarch butterfly

The images which are used here for illustration show the beauty and diversity of the native plants. As a supplement to these images is a spread sheet in the Pages post on this site titled findings/Wildflowers in SWFL. which lists the plant growing requirements. If you wish, this information may be used to assist in selection of plants which you could use in your own SWFL community or home garden. The images are associated with a Fig #. That number is the data key number listed in the first (left) column of the spread sheet. Use that number to correlate the image to the data.

Fig1. Water Pimpernel; Limewater Brookweed  (Samolus ebracteatus)
Fig 5. Dixie Iris (Iris hexagona)
Fig 8. Winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum)
Fig 9.  String Lily (Crinum americanum)
Figure 10. Scarlet hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus)
Fig 11. Pickelelweed (Pontederia cordata)
Fig 12. Lizard’s tail (Saururus cernuus)
Figure 13. Mexican primrose willow, (Ludwigia octovalvis) INVASIVE!
Fig 14. Dancing Lady Ginger, (Globba winitii)
Fig 17.  Spanish needles (Bidens alba,  Asteraceae)
Figure 18.  Caesarweed (Urena_lobata)
Figure 21. Tickseed  (Coreopsis floridana)  State of Florida Flower
Figure 23. Big yellow milkwort (Polygala rugelii)
Fig 27. Water Hyssop or Herb-of-Grace (Bacopa monnieri)
Fig 28. Salt marsh morning glory (Ipomoea sagittate)
Figure 30. Grassy Arrowhead (Sagittaria graminia)

Figure 31. Fragrant Flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus)

Fig 32. Saw Grass (Cladium jamaicense)
Fig 33. Coastalplain St.John’s-Wort (Hypericum Brachyphyllum)
Fig 34. Princess flower (Tibouchina grandiflora) (Not native, escaped house plant)
Fig 35. Brazilian Plume (Justicia carnea) (Not native, escaped house plant)
Fig 36. Orange Milkwort – Polygala lutea
Fig 37 Hog plumb (Ximrnia americana)
FIG 38. Rusty Lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea)
Fig 39. Meadowsweet (Spiraea cantoniensis)

There are definitely more flowering plants in the music group than the xeric. These flowers are flamboyant in color, shape and size. The dominant chromas are in the ends of the visible light spectrum, the hues are in the more saturated range, the values are in all zones and they may be multi-chromatic. Their growth as single plants tend to one bloom. As groups of plants they tend to be distributed in patches of the landscape. This may be related to their propagation frequently by rhizomes.

For the gardeners be sure to check out the excellent PAGES Excel spread sheet for the Wildflowers of SWFL data on these beautiful images.

If you like it click on LIKE!

If you wish to be notified of new postings please enter your email and click on subscribe

If you wish to contribute a comment of engage in a discussion please use the comments block.

References:

Real Florida Gardeners Guide lists native nurseries

Guide for Choosing Native Plants by Florida Wildflower Foundation

Pruning Notes for Native Plants by Grounded Solutions

Getting into the “Weeds:” An Introduction to Common Lawn Plants and Their Ecological Benefits

Plant This Not That book

Attracting Butterflies with Wildflowers by Florida Wildflower Foundation

Full Plant Reference List

Native Florida Landscape – Florida treasure coast

Estero preserve

Florida Soil

#Mesic #wild flowers #native plants #iris #lily #hibiscus #milkwort #sedge #grass #tickseed #morning glory #lyonia #Meadowsweet #willow

Life – The lessons from SWFlorida Wilderness.

Sunset in mid summer on Bonita Beach in SWFL.

Wilderness health determines human health. Public wilderness health programs are needed to reduce pressure on the remaining wildlife and all other resources. We need to continue to develop new technologies that assist in adaptation to environmental changes without over demanding the resources. This is an essay combining physics and biology.

The featured image is the sun in hand near sunset. Please also see the previous post on Sand, wind, Water and Fire.

Energy and the second law of thermodynamics:

You can’t beat physics. Probably the most delimiting aspect of physics is thermodynamics. Life anywhere needs energy to live and reproduce. Ultimately the sun is the source of all power on earth. Cells, especially in plants, import the free energy from the sun and use nutrients and a complex chain of chemical reactions and specialized compartments to sustain life. This metabolic reaction, organized by DNA, supports internal organization, self maintenance and reproduction. This is net organization. It is an alternative to an increasingly chaotic environment. The unusable waste and heat is the entropic result of metabolism. The growth and storage of resources in organic molecules of plants plus reproduction are the valuable byproducts of life. Animals use a similar but more consumptive process in exchange for mobility and associated behaviors.

This schematic shows cell biology and the level of organization as the process of life proceeds. The ending relative degree of order falls below the start point because the cell uses energy and nutrients to create order in the cell. The resulting byproducts of metabolism are less ordered than the cell and less than the start point.

As long as the sun shines, and plants and animals consume less energy than the storage rate, the system is static or even increases order by creating a surplus of stored energy. Contrarily, if consumption is greater than the storage rate, energy is depleted and entropy increases. Currently humans are over consumptive. We are depleting the reserve energy resources with the untoward results of increased chaos. To cope with this we have some biologic tools that might help us. They are Darwinian in concept. These include four characteristics; genetic variance, species differentiation by inheritance, selection by survival of the fittest, and time. These tools can be used to adapt to the changing future. They are simple but require overwhelming cooperation.

Here is what we could do to change biology:

Preserve the genetic diversity of life. It will save time when we need life forms with special properties. Use or develop plants and animals which are survivalists for specific purposes. It is easier to maintain tough species forms rather than vulnerable species. Live in communities which are located in geologically and climatically stable environments. These areas demand less energy for maintenance.

To counteract the probable climate change and chronic over-demand, we could re-engineer plants and animals. If the rate of genetic mutation of selected genomes is increased and we environmentally promote inheritance by natural selection we could reset the consumptive rate then we could stop increasing chaos and rebalance the physics. Enhance species could replace those which cannot adapt to change. Effectively we could counteract our hyper-consumptive behavior and re-terraform Earth to promote survival of the wilderness. This would select for our survival and aim for survival of all. There are other helpful green power resources that are currently employed but they require substantial energy to build and deploy.

This is all a fantasy and another reality will probably develop. The power of the sun and the adaptive capacity of DNA are the two things that will not change. Change will happen. it is difficult to predict and it is impossible to prevent. One must plan for survival and learn to go with the changes.

If you like it click on like.

If you wish to engage in a dialogue or provide further information use comments.

If you wish to receive notification of new posts please enter your email and click on subscribe.

References:

Cell Thermodynamics and Energy Metabolism

Eukaryotic metabolism

Cell energy metabolism: An update

#sun #thermodynamics #genomic engineering #change #entropy

Raptors Observed While Exploring SW Florida Preserves

While exploring six SW Florida preserved areas, the osprey, forest hawks, eagles, vultures, and owls were readily observed.

The featured image is a vulture. Bcause of its scavenging behavior most people don’t think of it as a raptor. I saw this one in full pursuit flight along the shoreline hummock of the Delnor Wiggins-pass park.

Most birds are generally carnivores. They prey on animals. As insectivores they feed on soft, small insects in their various developmental stages. Some feed on small non insect animals. Raptors however are exceptional, carnivorous predatory, hunters. Their target prey are other vertebrates. Powerful, skillful, and relentlessly hunting, they are specifically designed for their task. All raptors have hooked beaks, sharp talons, large acutely sensitive eyes and bodies aerodynamically designed for power and speed. Some specialize in aquatic species such as fish and others can feed on other birds and mammals which can be equal or greater than their size and weight. 

EAGLES:

This mated pair of eagles were attending to their two chicks high in a slash pine nest. in the CREW preserve near the northern entrance

They are highly regarded by many people as exemplified by the US and Florida whose legislatures selected the Eagle as their State bird; athletic teams such as the falcons, eagles; hawks military equipment such as eagles, osprey, hawks, raptors.

American bald eagle
Mated pair of eagles

HAWK:

This hawk was readily available and posed perfectly perched on the branch. Its nest was high in a Cyprus tree about 150 meters away from my location. It is predictably found in the same area of corkscrew swamp in the spring. It hunts readily flying through the forested area where it is difficult to follow with a camera and difficult to separate from the foliage.

Red shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Hawk in Cyprus tree nest

Owl:

These two owls were such a surprise to find. The Great Horned owl was perched in a tree in the twilight and difficult to see however as it called out I wandered through the brush until I spotted it. it was quite dark. With auto focusing on the camera and photoshop used to brighten the exposure you can see what I found.

The screech owl was sitting in a bird box someone had thoughtfully placed along a trail. It was in full daylight that I saw its head in the opening of the shelter. As I moved side to side it watched me despite its nearly closes eyes.

Great Horned owl (Bubo virginianus)
Eastern Screech owl in nest box (Megascops asio)

These birds are always on the hunt for anything edible. They are opportunistic feeders on small animals and roadkill.

OSPREY:

One of my favorite birds, the osprey is endlessly fascinating to watch. This nest was in a high tree adjacent to the stream on the southern edge of the Estero Bay State Preserve. It was the only bird which I saw during the hours spent in the southern end of the preserve. It was working the river for fish. After it catches its prey, it sits in a tree with the catch pinned under one foot and munches through its meal

The osprey (Pandiion haliaetus) checking me out as it launches into its hunt for fish.
Fresh catch in its talons this osprey was flying on the way from the stream to its perch for a mid day lunch.

The raptors were the most constant species of birds found in all the sites.  Perhaps this is because they are large, have a wide range territory for hunting, and were seasonally present during daylight hours. Regardless of these parameters they were thrilling to see. One could spend hours simply watching and studying their behavior. They inspire streams of contrary images; graceful but powerful, swift but accurate, savage but caring, camouflaged but beautiful, rapacious but selective. Hopefully we will capture videos of each of the species and present them later. We will spend more time on these birds in later posts.

If you like this post click on like.

If you wish to receive notification of new postings please enter your email address and click on subscribe.

#eagle #owl #hawk #osprey # raptor

Feathered Friends Found on Our Tour of SWFL Preserves

We had an opportunity to explore three distinctly different areas in Southwest Florida. Discussion of these focused on upland systems that ranged from the interior of the Everglades to the Gulf of Mexico costal planes. The earlier posts described the geography and associated plants. Animals were also found. Here are some of the feathered vertebrate species: Avians. The animal classification will follow the previously posted bird Clades. The important lesson learned here is animals predate on each other and share the environment by mutual specialization. We will discuss the significance of this concept after we have a chance to see the animals. There are some general observations which may be time or seasonal related conditions. During exploration of the various locations the song birds were less frequently found in the flatwoods. Additionally, the waterfowl were never found in the pine or scrubby flatwoods. The raptors were found in all explored areas.

The featured image is a nesting American Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) with chick. This very large nest is in a hardwood, upland Slash pine near a creek.

THE BIRDS:

There were three types of birds which I photographed. All of them are wonderous in their appearance, behavior, songs, and interactions with their surroundings. To really appreciate them you must go into the field, be patient, watch and listen. I could not photograph all I saw and this is not an encyclopedia of all that are present. The following posts are an opportunity to show what to expect to see when you are there. They will have more selected photographs of some of these magnificent animals.

Waterfowl:

Including: Spoonbill, Storks, Egret, Herron, Anhinga, Duck and others

This pair of Wood Storks were feeding deep in a swamp

Raptors:

Including: Hawk, Eagle, Falcon, Osprey, Owl and others

Red Shouldered Hawk has a nest in a hard wood upland portion of Corkscrew Swamp.

Songbirds:

Including: Cat bird, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Finch, Warbler and others.

Black and White Warbler eating insects found under Cyprus bark in Corkscrew Swamp

Some birds were out of range of the telephoto lens, some were covered by foliage, some were too fast or not in focus and some were not to be found because of seasonal changes. I did my best but we are not done. Further exploration will provide an opportunity to see more, enjoy the spectacle and photograph the events.

References:

Wood Stork

Red shouldered hawk

Black and White Striped Warbler

If you like it click on like!

If you wish to receive notifications of new postings please enter your email and click on subscribe

If you wish to participate in discussion please use the comments box.

#Florida birds #birds

Sand, Water, Wind and Fire – Interpreting Findings From Exploring SW Florida

The ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that made up everything. These were earth, water, air, and fire. The powerful image of these are readily apparent when walking through our wilderness. They form a landscape which we call an ecosystem.

The feature image is a composite of the elements which make up the four elements of a world view that lasted for three thousand years of human civilization. This concept was not challenged until the 17th century, not questioned until the 18th century, not recodified until the 19th century and not defined until the 20th century. Yet, when walking through our wilderness, it is easy to see why the simplistic view was so persistent.

In previous posts you saw the following scenes during our explorations of southwest Florida. Notice that all observations were based on sand. The most frequently found life forms have been the plants. The Slash pines, Saw palmetto, Ferns and grasses. are the toughest most productive species. They may not be the first responders but they are always the last survivors. They may not be keystone but they may be the cornerstone species

Sand supports plants and animals even those emerging from the sea.
Together with the energy of the sun, water is the stuff of life on our blue planet.
Wind is the great mover of everything from sand and water to fire.
In the flats and the hummocks, fire is both the destroyer and creator.

There are commonalities among the ecosystems we have explored in SWFL. What we see are the four elements of water, sand, wind and fire. We looked at hardwood hummocks, flatwood pines and scrubs and beach pine ecosystems in SWFL. The dominant surface has been sand but this is a specific old sand that doesn’t stick together because of its blunt, rounded surfaces and corners. Water has also been a constant factor in all of these environments. It has ranged from swamps to marshes, streams and ponds of fresh water to high salinity coastal ocean water. The size and shapes of the sands and the plants which live in them has been shaped by wind and selectively cultivated by fire. In casual observation we may not be aware of it however, on a daily basis, they are all in constant flux.

Hardwood hummock generated by the survivors allowing angiosperms and animals to specialize.
A marsh is unable to support trees or dry soil dependent animals but is filled with saw palmetto and other survivors.
Flatwood pines and scrub work together to provide the canopy.
Costal flatwood stabilize the sand against flood, wind and fire.

Although geologically, climatically and biologically diverse, these observations are consistent with those made in other parts of the world including our exploration of the equatorial and central Africa, Central Europe, Central and South America, the subarctic tundras of Canada and central and costal China. They all have cornerstone species which are tough and prolific.

Our persistent global view of our environment is delusional. It seems constant and simple. This perception is in conflict with the reality of global changes that are revealed only with fact based uber-human insights. From discovery of subatomic structure and molecular biology to views of earth from outer space and massive data and computational power we see that our earlier concepts were so shortsighted. Geologic and fossil records suggest that life with RNA began 2 to 3 billion years ago. RNA/DNA is the ultimate survivor. It persists in its myriad forms and is the foundation of all life today. If we allow ourselves to have a humbling experience we can see that although humans are now the dominant animal species it is a fleeting, precarious existence where we are so vulnerable to extinction. The next most dominant animal species is insects. Unlike insects we use and abuse the resources with intention or without it. The insects with the plants which occupy this land have a remarkable vast history of slowly changing physiology and appearance. Over time, they mutate, procreate, selectively survive and change to meet the planet which in turn reciprocates the change. They are aware only of earth, water, wind and fire. Still, they will out survive us.

Time line for the universe, suggesting the early existence of an RNA world of living systems.*

In the enormous scale of time, animal species and angiosperms have frequently changed. Birds and mammals which we enjoy today have developed only in the recent 65 million years since the last extinction; hominoids only in the last 1 million. In SWFL these plants are generally angiosperms like saw palmetto, slash pine, ferns and grasses including palms. The plants are quick to recover from wind and fire but genetically are very slow to change. They are the ultimate survivors with predecessors that date back hundreds of millions or perhaps a billion years almost unchanged. Some animals are ancient too, like the reptiles, insects and many marine animals. Relative to these ancient plant and animal species, all that we see alive today including humans are invasive species with which the plants have accommodated. We are continually faced with our own changes and that of the world around us. Of the species that are with us today, in time, most will disappear. The survivalists on land, like insects, gymnosperms, and reptiles will persist.

Interpretative summary;

Change is inevitable. Those who are able to accommodate to change are survivors. If the speed of accommodation to change is insufficient then to avoid extinction, the ability to recover from stress is imperative . There are some unavoidable extinction events. If you don’t like them, try not to create them.

So what:

We should rethink our relationship to the environment. We need to assimilate and cooperate with the changes. Resistance is futile. In a following post we will explore a futurist view of what will eventually be done. Evolutionarily the agent acting against physics and thermodynamics has been life. Life has survived by accommodating to everything during the last 3.5 billion years. Using the free energy from the sun, DNA collects and stores information, builds resources of energy storage and construction materials. With these it generates and executes algorithms that protect and promote self replication. For our survival we will do the same. This process is in our genes; in fact it is our genes.

References:

*Molecular biology of the cell,. Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, et al. York: Garland Science; 2002.

Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, et al.

If you like it click on like.

If you wish to engage in a dialogue or provide further information use comments.

If you wish to receive notification of new posts please enter your email and click on subscribe.

# sand #water #wind #fire #interpretation #change #

Costal Hummocks – Part 2, Plants at Work

Nature Prevails in these two fashions. Some deeply rooted plants at some distance from the water line survive and hold the soil forming hummocks with their roots. This is a continuation of the previous post describing the effects of the hurricane Ian. The hummocks also contain the roots of herbaceous plants which are rapid growers that tolerate the sea water conditions. Together this army of plants are hard at work here: plants begin to trap and fix into place wind born sand.

The feature image simultaneously captures three concepts. The red severe weather warning flags are fully horizontal showing that there is a persistent 25 to 35 mph wind; the water and dunes are closed to the public; the pure white sand is flat and extends deep into the inland beyond any berm area. These are all signs that this is a distressed area that is a long way from a return to its former condition. The contributing factors are water and wing storm damage, persistent wind blowing onshore reducing the ability to hold sand; no plant roots have developed to stabilize the beach. Public access to the dune area would compromise the fragile environment and endanger its future.

This chart shows the Delver-Wiggins Pass State park. The red line is the only available walking path. The remaining park area is closed to the public at this time. There has been so much damage that the park service wants the public areas to recover without an interfering visitors who may simply walk on the new plants and retard regrowth.

The yellow lines describe the areas of interest which I was able to photograph using a long focal length lens. It was a very windy day with very few people on the beach.
Still holding their own
Surviving old growth trees on islands of high ground hold the soil and provide the plants an opportunity to enter into the battle against the sea.
Gumbo Linbo recovering
Strangler fig tree (Ficus aurea)
Vines racing outward from the hummocks.
Sea Grapes and Railroad vines start at the hummocks
Sea grapes (Coccoloba uvifera) (no flowers, no fruit).
Railroad vines ((Ipomoea pes-caprae) (no flowers).
Important second defense plants, grasses are difficult to identify from a distance, perhaps saw grass, sea oats and a reed.
Long leaf yellowtop, (Flaveria linearis).
Yellow joy weed (Alternanthera flavescens)
Tickseed (Coreopsis Leavenworthii)

The mangroves in the wetlands do not appear to be as resilient as the plants on the berms. They are suffering from the high salinity which is still retained in the water of the swamps. These areas need more rain and better drainage to dilute the salt and flush the system.

Mangroves in the swamp behind the tropical hummock.
15 months and still not a lot of growth
Return of the black mangrove

Discussion about the future:

For the last 50 years this parkland has been tended and enjoyed by many people. It has been subjected to two cat-4/cat-5 hurricanes. Expensive rehabilitation was constantly used to reconstruct the beach berms, hummocks and swamps. Perhaps preventive measures would be a better alternative to this practice. Simple measures such as avoidance of cleaning beaches of detritus on beaches which trap sand and add nutrients for plant growth. There are more aggressive approaches. As seen in the illustration below***, these methods could include sand fences, sand entrapping peers and more demanding but effective projects such as offshore islands, and breakwaters, reinforced dunes, rip rap walls, mangroves, and fewer public use beaches. These may not be popular however they will hold the sand and protect the hardwood hummocks and the mangrove forest. This will not stop rising ocean water however, it will provide improved mitigation from the saltwater surge damage to private and commercial property and the lives of the tens of thousands of people who live, work and recreate here.

There are hundreds of references on the topic of beach dune restoration but fewer references discussing beach erosion preventive measures. Depending on wind and water beaches come and go. Because of our interference in natural cycles we may be a little late to consider let nature take its course.

References:

**Dune Restoration and Enhancement

Florida dune restoration

Surrogate wrack helps beach restoration

If you like this, click on LIKE!

If you wish to engage in a discussion or express your thoughts please use the comment area.

If you wish to be notified of future posts please enter your email and click on subscribe

#Costal #beach #erosion #rehabilitation #

Costal Hummock – Part 1, Effects of Hurricane Ian

We are exploring, the Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park which was substantially affected by hurricane Ian one year ago. This costal park has three characteristics including  beach dune, tropical hummock and mangrove swamp that provide habitat for wide variety coastal plants and animals. Most visitors look at the tree line and walk away. They are attracted to the beach. This park is nearby the urban population of the city of Naples, Florida which is within easy walking distance of the entrance. Currently however, the tropical hummock and swamp areas are closed to the public. This adventure is a post-storm exploration of the beach dune. The beach took the full force of the cat 5 hurricane force 150 mph wind and was inundated by a wall of water 13 feet high traveling at a speed of 60 miles per hour*. Unlike the other places we explored, this ecosystem is on the front line to battle for survival against the sea.

Wiggins Pass in Bonita Springs, Florida is flanked by two parks Delner-Wiggins Pass park is on the southern flank. The GPS coordinates are marked.

The first visit, in February of 2023, was to observe the condition of the beach sand. Because it was only three months since the storm, I was expecting severe erosion however I was surprised to find that in some areas, the beach dune was gone. I took samples of the sand to see what the chief constituent type of particles were present. I also looked at the size and shape of the beach.  If you wish, please check out the Everglades ark, Epicollect5/Florida Beach Sites to see what was found in the park at observations #84 and #85. As you can see it was worn silica and shell fragments. There was no undergrowth.

History**:

Wiggins Pass, situated north of the park, is the outlet for the Cocohatchee River. in the late 1800s Joe Wiggins, the first homesteader, ran an apiary and trading post where he traded goods with Seminole Indians and settlers. Collier County acquired the land through the philanthropic generosity of Lester J. and Dellora A. Norris, hence the name ‘Delnor.’ In 1970, the state of Florida purchased the land from Collier County for a state park, which opened in 1976.

During the approximate twenty years of 1950 to1970 the river was frequently dredged to improved boater access into the Gulf. This included the destruction of the adjacent mangroves in the area. Additionally, the placement of the dredging “spoilage”  was dumped as berms along the channel. This action destroyed the natural barrier and filtration of the water and additionally blocked the natural hydrological circulation throughout portions of what was the mangrove forest. Through determined effort much of this damage was repaired. This required substantial rewilding of the area including removal of the berms, redirecting water flow to natural drainage, removal of non-native species such as Australian pines, Brazilian pepper, Wedelia and others, encouraging the return of native plants, planting sea oats, cordgrass, paspalum, and others to stabilize the beach after hurricane Ivan, forming corridors for return of animal species and encouraging the protection of endangered terrapins and crocodilians species as well as numerous birds and mammals Probably the most difficult process was the legislative effort and funding to make this area a State Park.

The Walk-about:

This post shows the observations of  the recent second visit of this beach 15 months after hurricane Ian. The two visits are exactly one year apart. Starting from the guest parking lot and walking west to the beach the first sight is the water however the tropical hummock and mangroves are more interesting.

Keep Out! And don’t disturb the plants. The fence line is there to remind the public to help support beach regeneration.
“Renurished” surface of the inter hummock areas are completely sterile.
These mounds of sand are a fraction of the sand imported and used to refill the depleted beach**.
Completely uprooted deciduous tree.
Remnant of the hummock near Wiggins Pass
Tha palms are not immune to the surge
The high ground hummock level with the sea

The tropical hummock is sitting at the shore of the former dunes. The hurricane winds ripped across the shore and the entire beach and miles inland were inundated by a an ocean surge that exceeded the tops of many of the trees. It hammered and then droned most of the trees with sea water. The dunes were gone. The hummocks were in the ocean and in some places the ocean surge uprooted the trees. With the help of the DNR, the State forest service and cooperation of the public, the dunes and hummocks will regenerate the beach dunes and prevent further erosion.

The surviving hummock plants are the resource for replanting the new sand on the beach
The railroad vines spread like spider webs across this new surface.

The radial outgrowth of the railroad vines from the hummocks is progressing toward the waterline. They are supported by the sand however the sand has almost no nutritional value. These plants apparently derive their sustenance from roots in the hummock and transport that until the plants gain a foothold in the sand. 

The plants will rebuild and anchor the beach dune.

You can see from these images that the park service had added sand to completely rebuild the beach. The new sand is pure silica without any minerals or shell fragments. This was imported from open pit sand mines in the interior of the State. This action may placate the public demand however, I believe that this has questionable value for the environment. **

Discussion :

Instead of plant control by fire as seen in previous four posts, this shows the dramatic effects of invasion by the sea. The ocean leaves very little behind. The effects of drowning, the sledgehammer like force of the surge, the toxic effects of hyper-salinity followed by the bacterial burden from decaying plants and animals are all combined and are deadly. In this area the loss of property by ocean invasion is far greater than loss from fire especially in the urban areas.

In the next posting you can see the effects of plants in the regeneration of the area.

References:

*NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORT HURRICANE IAN

**Delnor-Wiggins Pass, history

**Adding Sand to Beaches?

Mangroves

Hardwood Hammocks (hummocks) in SWFL

If you like it click on like !

If you wish to receive notifications of future posts Enter your email address and click on subscribe

If you wish to comment or engage in dialogue please use the comment section.

#Wiggins Pass #Ian #hurricane #beach #costal hummock #mangroves #railroad vines #palm #sea grapes

Pine Flatwood / Scrubby Flatwood – Part 2

The purpose of this post is to show the details of the scrubby understructure of the flatwood pine of the Estero Bay State Preserve in Estero Florida. Additionally one can see the management of of the ecosystem with prescribed burning. in the first post about this site post we saw the general terrain of the pine flatwood of the State Preserve. Now we can compare this understructure to a previously explored Florida’s hard wood hummock.

The feature image is the Florida State flower. The Tickseed (Coreopsis Leavenworthii)

Scrubby flatwoods are characterized by an open canopy of widely spaced pine trees and a low, shrubby understory dominated by scrub oaks and saw palmetto, often interspersed
with areas of barren white sand.*

This image shows the size of the saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) scrubby flat.
Hog plumb (Ximrnia americana)
Florida wax myrtle (Morella cerifera)

Off the trails, it was very difficult to make any headway. I was insufficiently prepared for the hazards. Because of the dangerous anatomy of the saw palmetto growth, it was nearly impossible to walk. The stems of these palmettos were edged with saw like teeth. Without brush pants, shirt, gloves and boots it was impossible to venture by foot deep into the off-path areas without injury. There may be interesting animals living in this dense razor-sharp growth, however, that will wait for another day. In the future we will investigate these plants and this territory in more detail. I also walked into some of the previously prescribed burn areas. 

Possible cogon grass. Seeds not visible. If it is this grass, it is invasive.
Bushy bluestem grass (Andropogon glomeratus)
Flag pawpaw (Asimina obovata)
Hog plumb (Ximrnia americana)
Florida wax myrtle (Morella cerifera)

There were also recently burned areas already showing extensive recovery. In these areas it is easy to see the root structure of the saw palmetto. They are like palm trees lying horizontally just below the surface of the soil. The fronds sprout horizontally from the roots. Without the herbaceous portion of the plants, it was much easier to walk off the path and see the regenerative behavior of the plants.

Roots and pinecones densely littered the surface and were robustly sprouting new growth. I could see no erosion of the soil caused by the surge in the areas with the saw palmetto roots. The burned areas were very interesting. It was evident that the green tops of the saw palmetto burn easily, probably because of their high oil content. The saw palmetto plants burn even when they are green. The surviving palm and pine trees were scorched and trunk surface burned but in the pines not down to the cambium and not into the tree crowns. Prescribed burning is an important part of the control measures for this area and deserve more attention. 

Laurel dodder (Cassytha filliformis) Probably invasive vine.
Tickseed (Coreopsis Leavenworthii)
The rich deep brown chromyl spectra of the charred forest ranging from deep chocolates to subtle cafe-au-lait plus the broad textural variety in this setting retains the promise of plant regeneration.

Prescribed burning:

Prescribed burn area showing the exposed sand surface with very low mineral and organic soil content
This view of the postburn area shows the root system holding the soil from erosion
Remnant of the saw palmetto growing from the remaining root
The surface of the slash pine scorched  but not burned through to the cambium

The areas with prescribed burning seen a year ago also experienced a heavy flood surge  from hurricane Ian. These areas have recovered. There are scorched trees and some deadwood, however, most of the scrub has regrown. It is difficult to distinguish the destruction of the trees from fire or from flood. There were also recently  burned areas already showing extensive recovery. In these areas it is easy to see the root structure of the saw palmetto. They are like the trunks of palm trees lying horizontally just below the surface of the soil. The fronds sprout vertically from the roots. Without the herbaceous portion of the plants, it was much easier to walk off the path to see the regenerative behavior of the plants. Roots and pinecones densely littered the surface and were robustly sprouting new growth. I could see no erosion of the soil caused by the surge in the areas with the saw palmetto roots. The burned areas were very interesting. It was evident that the green tops of the saw palmetto burn easily, probably because of their high oil content. The saw palmetto plants burn even when they are green. The surviving palm and pine trees were scorched and surface burned but not down to the cambium on the pines and not into the tree crowns. Prescribed burning is an important part of the control measures for this area and deserve more attention. 

Rabbit bells (Crotalaria rotundifolia)
Costal plane stagger bush (Lyonia fruticose)

Discussion:

The scrubby flatwood and the flatwood pines or the Estero Bay Preserve are very different from the C.R.E.W. Cyprus Dome walking trails. The concept off highlands in Florida are evident in the CREW when you consider the major differences in flora between the two Preserves. Subtle changes in land height make a remarkable difference in vegetation. One could almost exchange the term ‘Highland’ for “Dryland’. In fact, “High Land” designation could practically be made on the basis of vegetation rather than measurement. That relative dryness provided by a few centimeters on height changes the entire biology of the environment. The height advantaged trees are also phototrophic. They grow toward the light and therefore at their climax are broad leafed and wide spread. The plants of the flats are are geotrophic,. They grow high and narrow. They are not competing for the light once they rise above the scrub. This height advantage allows them to bring the crown of needles out of fire harm’s way. When comparing the role of fire in the two environments, fire in the hardwood climax forest is calamitous while fire in the flats are regenerative. I suspect that the nutrative value of soil in the planes areas will also make an important differences in plant selection.

Tougher clothing is an imperative for exploring the saw palmetto scrub. 

If you enjoyed this click on like.

If you wish to engage in dialogue use the comments link.

Iff you wish to be notifies of new posts enter your email and click on subscribe.

References::

*Scrubby flatwood

Saw Palmetto Control: Individual Plant and Broadcast Application

A Study of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Saw Palmetto Berry Extract

Typical yields in harvestable areas range from a low of 200 lbs. to more than 1000 lbs. of berries per acre.https://patents.google.com/patent/US6669968B2/en

Saw Palmetto Market     https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/saw-palmetto-market

Saw Palmetto Berries    https://fenuccio-j.medium.com/saw-palmetto-berries-996329cbec20

Forest Herbicide Workshop   https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/media/programsifasufledu/florida-land-steward/events-calendar/Minogue-2021-Forest-Herbicide-Webinar-Pine-Mgmt-FINAL.pdf

Harvesting Saw Palmetto  https://sustainableherbsprogram.org/explore/plants-in-commerce/saw-palmetto/harvesting-saw-palmetto/

Sustainability of Saw Palmetto   https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/132/table-of-contents/hg132-feat-sawpalmetto/

Saw Palmetto Structure  https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2021/03/04/saw-palmetto/

#flatwood #saw palmetto #prescribed burn #

Pine Flatwood / Scrubby Flatwood – Part 1

Here is our chance to see and compare exploration experiences These are observations of a Pine flatwood in Estero Bay State Preserve, Florida which we will compare to an observed hummock system. In theory, this flat should not be here in South West Florida because the karst is close to the surface however other soil conditions are present.* We explored a Florida hard wood hummock in the last two post.  Part one of this observation shows the general landscape**. Part two will show the details of the smaller scrub plants.

The feature image is the Florida State flower. The Tickseed (Coreopsis Leavenworthii)

The Florida Estero Bay Preserve comprises 11,300 acres (17 square miles) and is part of the Estero River delta.  It has a complex assembly of plants and animals. There are two entrances. The southern River Scrub entrance was chosen because it opens into a scrubby flatwood pine area. Often this area is wet, however, today the specific area of interest was the dry scrub area.  February is among the seasonally drier months and the plants should be typical of the reserve’s description.

This feature image is emblematic of a SWFL Pine flatwoods. They  are characterized by:
Low, flat topography
Relatively poorly drained, acidic, sandy soil
Plant growth composed of open pine woodlands with frequent fires

The last time I was here was in February 2023, three months after hurricane Ian flooded this area with salt water to a depth of more than twelve feet. I then reconnoitered the area for just an hour with the intention to revisit with good preparation. On this day I was surprised to find the area reasonable vital however, some of the grasses and palm trees were still quite distressed. 

February  2023. The only live oak in the area was easy to see, but could not be found Feb 2024. 
February 2024. This slash pine did not survive the hurricane and flood surge.

The walk-about:

For nearly five hours I walked through a five-mile portion on and off the trails in the southeastern portion of the preserve. The trails were well marked, wide and relatively easy to hike. Off the trails, it was very difficult to make any headway.  I was insufficiently prepared for the hazards of the flats. Because of the dangerous anatomy of the saw palmetto growth, it was nearly impossible to walk. 

Savanna like flat covered with saw palmettos. Slash pines were about 10 meters apart.
The Scrub flat seen a year ago is in recovery. The palm has scorched bark.
This pine flatwood area was burned last year and has made an excellent regeneration. In the middle of the picture the lower leaves of the palm burned however, the crown is still intact.
This area was burn after hurricane Ian, The defoliation is is the result of both storm surge wind damage and prescribed burn. Many of the plants suffered and died as as result of the salt water immersion.

This return visit was exactly one year after the last. This area is very open and bright. The savannah like landscape was covered with low growth saw palmetto and grasses. This was regularly punctuated by sabal palm and slash pine trees. The difference between this pine flatwood and the hardwood hummock of the C.R.E.W. could not be more dramatic. When compared to the hardwood hummock, the flats had very few large gymnosperms such as the  live oak trees. There were no hummock islands of bunched trees. While this walk-about was during midday there were few insects or birds. It was very quiet. One mated pair of ospreys were flying through the trees near the river. They occasionally ventured into the flats. 

Tidal swamp land with brackish water tolerant plants including mangroves.
Pond too deep to pass.
Turn around and walk back.

Unburned flood tidal marsh areas were not explored; however, they seem to be fully covered with mangroves. Photos of that area show the limit of the walk to the northwest.

Riverbank of part of the Estero River delta with mangrove.
One of the two ospreys
Chart of Estero Bay South – Ecosystems, 
walking detail. Red line is the walking trail.

Discussion:

The hardwood hummock had a range of elevations. The high ground was about 10 inched above the pond level. Contrarily, this ecosystem is very flat and at this time of the year is dry. The hardwood hummock had live oak trees with some pines and palms. The flatwood area at this location is populated almost exclusively by slash pines with a few palms and oaks. The understory is scrub consisting mostly of saw palmettos. Walking toward the wetlands, some hardwoods were in the ectotone between the flats and the wetland mangroves. .

There is much more to see in this preserve. During dry periods, the southern portion could be traversed on the  paths by bicycle. Go to part two of this exploration!

References:

*Natural Resource certification

**Scrubby pine flatwoods

If you like it, click on like!

If you wish to participate in dialogue enter your comments below.

If you wish to be alerted to new postings enter your email and click on subscribe.

#pine flatwood #scrubby flatwood #prescribed burn #tidal marsh #surge #saw palmetto, #ecotone

Florida C.R.E.W. Hardwood Hummock – Part 2

This is a description of the grassy and herbaceous undergrowth of this small part of the C.R.E.W. Together with the Part 1 post, the purpose of this presentation is to reduce the confusion of seemingly random plants and to help you understand why you see the what and why of the plants you see when you explore this type of wilderness area.

The featured image shows the “American beauty berry” in the understory. It was found along the trail to the live oak hummock on the path in the C.R.E.W. Cyprus Dome Cypress Hummock. This is second of a two part presentation of this area. The part one has the GPS location, charts and maps and describes the walk-about of the Corkscrew Reserve Environmental Watershed.

Perhaps the best way to understand the hydrology and geology for an area is to look at the plants. They have adapted themselves to use the area without the need to follow the resources like the animals. In fact the animals seek out the plants for survival. In these two presentations you can see the variances in plant anatomy and physiology through a series of locations. The plant adaptations have taken eons to reach the characteristics that make them identifiable as genus and apecies. The plants have the ability to adapt to the changing environment using two tools. These include plant succession and genetic mutation. Succession occurs when an ecosystem changes gradually or even catastrophically. This may cause the plant climax species to expire. Opportunistic species then overtake an available environmental niche. Mutations are genetic changes that take place at a known rate and this may result in variations which are better adapted to survive in an ecosystem. These mutations can be cumulative and can be perpetuated in the genome of subsequent progeny by inheritance of the variance.

Two signs of animal activity. The bear has slashed through the outer surface of a palm to feast on the honey made by a nest of bees.

This is a view into the scrub before the pond. From this distance the green mid-growth seems to be mangroves.

 Here is a scene off the path toward the marsh with reeds and sedges and other grasses.
Southern live oak
Thorn apple bush (Crataegus alabamensis) with the thorns as an identifier.
Possible Florida alligator weed with changing colors
Polygala lutea
Lyonia ferruginea
This view is in the periphery of the transition zone with no oaks but many palms and saw palmetto dominating the understory.
Coastal plain grass-leaved-goldenrod (Euthamia caroliniana) (I think)  
Shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites)
Little Bluestem, (Popotillo Azul)
Meadowsweet at the edge of the hardwood hummock. Identification of this would be better if the blooms were fresh.
This is a sample of plants in the late transition zone. Note the oak tree litter which acts as a plant inhibitor. Though the “beans” contain no caffeine, they can be roasted and consumed as a coffee-like beverage.*
Bull thistle (Crisium vulgare), Invasive
Rosary pea (Abrus precatorius),  invasive, highly toxic.
Beauty berry (Callicarpa americana). The berries are edible to humans, although should be consumed in small amounts. Raw berries are edible, but generally are used to make jellies and wines.**

Observation of a confined area environment is a complicated but fun puzzle. The area should be visited during multiples of seasons, time of day intervals and length of observation to begin to grasp a comprehensive understanding of the area and begin to understand the reasons for classification and to understand the interactions of the plants and animals. Even simple identification is difficult when the plants are not blooming or in leaf. From this first time visit it can be discerned that there is a progression of plant types and land elevations in this small area. At the end of this presentation there is a simplified map of the area under observation. 

This image of the understory in the oak hummock canopy shows the more dense plant undergrowth. This may occur because the oak tree litter is less prevalent and because some plants are less susceptible to the shedding of oak allelopathogens..
This is a sample of plants in the late transition zone. Note the abundance of oak tree litter which acts as a plant inhibitor.
No oak tree litter here and hence no trees, however, there are many herbaceous plants. That is a Fritillary Butterfly.
These plants support a wide variety of animals which are specifically dependent on select plant species as are these butterflies. The butterfly here is a Queen. Check out the earlier post on Queens.

This simplified chart shows the four major ground areas that were observed. The hardwood hummock is about ten inches higher than the scrub flats. The scrub flats are about two inches above the level of the pond water.

The undergrowth depends upon water, sunlight, soil minerals and a range of allelopathic inhibitors. Be sure that you check out part 1 of this series. This understory is very different from that found in the Estero River Scrub Preserve State Park. We will go there in the near future.

Here is a recommendation. Go out into the nearby wilderness area. Pick a quiet spot and try to identify the type of environment classification you see or identify the undergrowth plants. It can be a fun and an educational challenge! Share your experiences or photos in the comment box below.

Reference:

Wild Coffee1

Wild coffee 2

Wild Weeds – American Beautyberry

If you like this, click on like.

If you with to receive notifications of new postings please enter your email and click on subscribe.

If you wish to participate in discussions or to add to the content please use the comment block.

#hummock #succession #mutation #climax species #herbaceous understory #CREW #allelopathic #oak hummock #scrub flats #hydrology #geology

Florida C.R.E.W. Hardwood Hummock – Part 1

Let’s go to see Florida upland hardwood trees at a hummock in the CREW. The second part of this blog will focus on the herbaceous plants of the area.

The cover image shows the landscape at the northern end of trail. It is a live oak hammock.

The word hummock is sometimes written as hammock. There is some controversy regarding the origin of the word and the use of the word in context helps to facilitate understanding. In Florida it describes a fertile area that is easily distinguishable from the surrounding Pine Flatwoods and is characterized by broadleaved trees (here, primarily Laurel and Live Oaks) and often cabbage palms and vines. Another term used is ”upland” which may be only a few inches above the flat plane scrubland. In this observed instance the upland may be 5 to 10 inches above the nearby plane.

The C.R.E.W. is an eponym for the Corkscrew Reserve Ecosystem Watershed. It includes more than 60,000 acres and is the largest watershed in Southwest Florida. The plants in this watershed filter, trap and metabolize compounds in the water that may be toxic in downstream waterways, resevoirs and aquifers. The watershed also provides habitat for wildlife and recreation for guests.

This exploration of the Oak-Palm Hammock in the Cypress Dome Hiking Trail of the CREW Land and Water Trust was done on February 1, 2023.

Note the GPS location to geolocate via google maps.

The walk-about:

I walked northward along the green and yellow path. The general terrain varied from wetlands through mesic to xeric elevated land and extensively through the grass and brush undergrowth. I did see a black bear and continued to keep warily looking for him as we both moved northward. There were no bear citing photo opportunities, however, there were other signs of his behavior. 

The trail is part of a diverse woodland ecosystem alongside a broad marsh area. It begins with an open grassy area and gradually parses into pine and palm flatwoods. This area shows signs of extensive fire damage with considerable succession regrowth. There were signs of fire that may have been not a prescribed burn. Extensive scorching up the trees including the tree crowns at least 30 feet above the floor were evident. Many of the trees including the slash pines were burned completely to ground level leaving only stumps. There were, however, numerous scorched trees and palms which survived. 

Throughout this morning and mid-day walk with numerous stops the area was remarkably silent. There were no birds, very few insects, and the only mammal was the distant black bear. The air was also very still with a temperature of 58 to 65 degrees F. There was a very gradual rise in ground elevation. This was hardly perceptible except for the reduction in moisture of the ground and the gradual change in the flora.  Here was an increased density of slash pines and mixed sabal palms. The understory was shorter than the mesic areas near the pond. These uplands may be as little as 10 inches higher than the flats.

This flat scrub has grasses and the dominant tree is the cabage palm. If you look closely you can see the palms have been burned up to and into the crown of leaves.
This shows a grassy transition area that was not burned .
The grassy palm area transitioned to an oak and palm hummock
The walk progressed up the hillock where palmettos were no longer a significant part of the undergrowth. The pine trees have been totally displaced by the succession oak tree growth.
In this live oak hillock undergrowth of herbaceous plants has nearly disappeared. This area is relatively small, however, it follows all of the classic descriptors of a hardwood hummock.
Only native live oaks were growing in this area. The very short undergrowth of grass suggests that fire is not an important controlling factor for reproduction or inhibition of growth in the understory.

Discussion:

The understory of this live oak hammock shows no scorched or burned trees. Yet, there is very little undergrowth even in the areas of bright sunshine. Without testing I suspect that this is the result of chemistry.  The trees may release biochemicals that influence the germination, growth, survival, and reproduction of other plants. These allelochemicals may have beneficial or detrimental effects on the organisms and more widely the ecosystem. These trees may release phenolic compounds with which I have had experience. They may be like the black walnut trees on the family farm in Michigan. I suspect also that the generous load of fallen leaves and fruit of these trees will also acidify the soil upon their decomposition.* Along with a less mesic soil, this allelofication and acidification of the understory may significantly alter the growth of herbaceous plants and grasses. This provides less fuel for fire. The growth and reproduction of these trees does not depend upon fire. They have their own survival advantages.

The concept of allelopathic competition between and among plants suggests that grasses might also reduce the growth of small oaks similar but opposite to the effect seen when the oaks are mature. I could not find published reports of this potential phenomenon.

This map represents my view of the area in the reserve that I walked. It is a landscape map of terrain that represents the change in vegetation. The red line is the marked trail of the combined green and yellow trails in the visitor map. The areas marked with colored crosshatching are approximations of growth areas.  

What’s next?

Future visits to this area could be in the months of April and May and at an earlier start time when the plants may be in bloom and when the animals will be more active. Additional equipment should include a small shovel for examination of the soil and more specimen collection should be done for chemical analysis and microscopic examination. More time could be spent if there were less construction traffic. The eastward section of this reserve area was not explored at this time. It may have another diverse plant library including the cypress dome. With permission, the adjacent private property north of the fence line could also be explored.

Thank you for your interest in this blog. Please continue to part two of this series of observations of Florida Hardwood Hammocks. Its focuses on the scrub and understory.

References:

*Determination of Allelochemicals in the Environment surrounding ceratiola Ericides

If you like this post, click on like!

If you wish to receive notifications of future postings please enter your email and click on subscribe.

If you wish to participate in discussion or have questions please use the comments box.

#hummock #succession #mutation #climax species #herbaceous understory #CREW

Lessons for SWFL from the Fulda River, Community Garden Project

This is a recounting of the re-wilding of a portion of the Fulda River valley in the city of Fulda, Germany. We have been to Fulda in the past. See the post on Chrysanthemums. The city of Fulda is geographically, historically, culturally, and politically important. At one time it was the most important place on earth. During the height of the Cold War tens of thousands of NATO and Warsaw pact troops faced each other with troops, tanks, canons, and nuclear weaponry ready to engage in what would have been the start of WW III. That was in the valley nearby area called the Fulda gap. We have learned a lot from the experiences of Fulda and today we have a lesson of a different nature. It is a lesson of peace, beauty, and imagination. It is a lesson of water and land conservation. It is the bio-diversification and restoration of a portion of the swamps and river of the valley. It is the creation of a garden park and habitat for wildlife. It reflects cooperation rather than confrontation.

The feature image is an abandoned rail-line learning to the Fulda Gap

The Fulda River is one of the headwaters of the Weser River. It flows northwestward through central Germany for about 224 Km. (Fig 1.) The Fulda River is an important recreation area for the city of Fulda. It has  been engineered several times over the past years, however, there has been a water area with a persistent overgrowth of cyano/alginate bloom in two accidently created retention ponds. Historically this area was a meadow and an open pit mine which had a clay base suitable for making masonry bricks. The open pit mine was not remediated, it simply filled with ground water. The meadow is in a depression which was also infiltrated by ground water forming a second pond. (Fig 2, Ponds adjacent to but not fed by the Fulda River) ground water supplying the lakes is a runoff from the nearby farmland. It is rich in organics with high concentrations of potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll. The retention ponds are fed by groundwater and without flow were stagnant. A growth of algae covered the surface of the ponds thereby depleted the oxygen content of the water (Fig 5). It was toxic to the fish and other plants. In the summer months with much less precipitation, algae growth increased and oxygen percentage was very low. Fish in the ponds died. The only surviving result was an ugly mass of blue-green algae. 





Fig 1. Map of the central area of Germany with the country map as an insert and the Fulda river indicated in red in the larger portion of the image
Fig 2. Google map of the Fulda river in blue and the pond area in dark green.

The city hosted the Landesgartenschau from April through October 2023. This was an important regional horticultural show for the State of Hessen, Germany. Prior to the show the mess in this area needed to be resolved. It would seem reasonable to solve the polluted water problem by simply circulating the fresh water of the Fulda River through the two ponds and thereby improving the water supply. This well intended effort would have had terrible consequences. With testing and surveying and due consideration of alternatives, a more effective management was employed. The testing found that the water of the retention ponds had an assay of mineral and organic compounds equivalent to the neighboring farmland ground water. The surrounding farmland has been treated with animal manure and fertilizers and has the remnants of decayed vegetation. The river was very different. The Fulda River water is high in phosphates and low in other nutrients because it originates in the Rhön region mountains. Introduction of the pond water would have contaminated the downstream river.

Fig 4. Detail of pond continuous remediation areas


Fig 3. Schematic of reengineered combined ponds

The derived solution to the problem of the stagnant ponds was ingenious. It included connecting the two ponds, installing a multi-port hydraulic line (Fig 3) through the length of the resulting lake and connected to a pump to recirculate the water and placing  pond overflow gutters. These two methods direct the flow through a large stone/gravel pack over the southern banks to filter and re-oxygenation the water. (Fig 4)The surface algae is filtered and removed from the lakes and placed into a land fill area. The two water types are not comingled and soon the pond was clean, safe, and suitable for swimming (Fig 6). Separated from the pond, the undisturbed river flood plane is not toxic and native German beavers have been reintroduced into the river wilderness to facilitate the control of the vegetation.


Fig 5. Pre-remediation ponds overgrown with algae
Fig 6. Pond in September 2023 after remediation

The horticultural show was a wonderful display of crops, gardens, and my favorites which are the flowers and the wilderness. Here are some examples.

Blue = Ageratum, Red = Zinnia
Dalia pinnata
Sedum h.
Pelargonium L.
Signs of beavers at work

The lesson for Florida to be learned from the Fulda River water management is this. 

  1. Research and think before acting.
  2. Combining community stagnant retention pond water with river water must one done with careful thought and planning.
  3. Reducing the nutrient value of the pond water by removing the pond plants and algae is effective.
  4. Aeration of water by the natural process of tumbling-through-stone is an effective re-oxygenation method. 
  5. Use of wiers, gutters and pumps is sometimes necessary to facilitate the process.

If you like it click on like

If you wish to receive notifications of new postings please enter your email and click on subscribe.

If you wish to make a com meant please use the comment box.

#Fulda #hydrology #Fulda Gap

Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑