Author: John Knapp

Cultural Insights from Japan’s Stunning Garden Landscapes. Part I

INTRODUCTION:

This is the first of a series of postings on gardens in Japan. It is the result of a three-week, September visit in the central area of the island of Honshu, Japan. It focused in the area between Kyoto and Tokyo (Fig 1). This is called the Golden Route. These are my interpretations of observations of this on-site visit supplemented by a review of some of the relevant literature. The gardens are a small sample of complex art forms generated by the Japanese over the past 1000 years. It involves a combination of art, history, philosophy, politics, wealth, power struggles, and a dynamically adaptive way of life. Approximately 15 sites were visited in and around the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Matsumoto, Nara and Tokyo. From my American and European experiences I found their visual impact emotively stunning. Much of the area seen reminded me of my home in Florida. It was so familiar but so foreign. This led me to ponder the contrasts and parallels of these eastern and western cultures. I was full of questions. I wanted to know what do the Japanese want us to think when we see their gardens ? What do the gardens tell us? What can we learn from the gardens?

There are many important factors that influence the gardens that include geology, geography, ecology, philosophy, and history. Surprisingly, there are similarities and parallels between Japan and America. Follow along with the Everglades Ark for a fascinating exploration.

Geology:

Japan is series of islands that act as a geologic barrier to the pressures of the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the “ring of fire” generated by four massive tectonic plates. Seventy five percent of the islands are mountainous that include volcanoes. It is subjected to the severest forces of nature including, earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, tropical storms, and lava eruptions. See Fig 1.

Fig 1. Honshu, Japan, geology and the area of travel
Fig 2. Japanese islands overlying US eastern seaboard

Geography:

The three larger islands of Japan lie, latitudinally, in a position similar to the eastern seaboard of the United States. If overlaped on the USA, they could cover an area extending from Main to Florida and from the Appalachian mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The Pacific typhoons are like the Atlantic hurricanes on the coast of North America. They are generated by the warm air and water energy in the western Pacific Ocean. They follow the Kuroshio current that runs northerly along Japan’s eastern coast. This is equivalent to the African Easterly Jet and the Gulf Streams. The water and air streams move northerly along both east coasts east coast.

The weathering of the mountains of both areas have similar erosive effects. Tropical storms slam into the mountains causing erosion of the weathered rocks which is washed downward to the sea. Gravel, sand, and mud flow down their eastern slopes to cover the bedrock topography of the east coasts. This action creates broad deep coastal planes of fertile sedimentary soils ideal for plant growth to flourish. In Japan there is an additional source of nutrients to enrich soil. These are the volcanic effluents which additionally characterize the mineralogy of the land. See Fig 2.

Fig 3. Earth’s most densely populated city seen from the Tokyo tower looks the same in all directions.

Population:

The population of 122 million in Japan is nearly equal to the east coast of the US. The most populous portion of these islands lies in an area similar to the US Carolinas . The Tokyo central part of the city (Fig 3) has 15 million where the population density is 6,363/km2 (16,480/sq mi). The metropolitan area has 41 million where the density is 3,000/km2 (7,900/sq mi). The buildings are generally less than 60 years old because of the effects of American bombing in WW II. The construction materials are mostly steel reinforced concrete and glass; not wood. This image begs the question; Where are the gardens? This series of postings shows how I tried to attain understanding.

WHAT IS NEXT:

In postings still to follow, we will discuss interactions of all these factors and the probable anthropologic significance of Japanese gardens. Additionally, we will confront a question. Can some part of Japanese ethnographic field work be extracted from study of the iconography of Japanese gardens ?

SUMMARY:

The soil, water and weather are fundamental to the materials and design of Japanese gardens. The area visited was subtropical. During the three weeks of the trip, the midday temperature averaged 950 F and the humidity was nearly 90%. The daytime sky was mostly cloudless. In the month of travel, the island experienced two typhoons. It was just like home in Florida! But it wasn’t.

If you wish to express your ideas please use the comment area below.

If you want to enter into a dialogue please use the discussion board and follow the group participation.

If you wish to be notified of future postings please enter your email and click on Subscribe.

References:

•Japan, DK Eyewitness, Penguin House, Dorling Kindersley, 2000

•The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, Benedict R., Houghton Mifflin, 1946, 1957, 1967. 2005

•Judgement at Tokyo, Bass G.J., Alfred Knoff, 2023

•Zen Gardens, Masuno S., Tuttle Publishing, 2012

•Japanese Gardens Revealed and Explained, Chard R., Zenibo Marketing, 2013

•Japanese Stone Gardens, Mansfield S., Tuttle Publishing, 2009

#Japan #weather # typhoon #subtropical #Honshu #mountains #soil #volcano #soil #ethnography #

On the Way to Honshu

The Ark is on its way to Honshu, the main island of Japan. The travel route is eastward from Florida. There will be a stopover in Germany for a few weeks. The most distant stop will be for three weeks in Japan. The return trip will be the reverse flight back to Germany and finally to Florida.

There are many items on the to do list that include visits to cultural and historic sights but also to ancient gardens, the wilderness around Mt Fuji and other mountain trails along the way. Major cities will include Tokyo and Kyoto. Many important sites will be missed however that leaves room for growth.

Japan has many geological features and meteorological characteristics similar to Florida. It should be interesting to compare and contrast the the two distant sights.

Posts on this topic will begin in October.

Map of Japan from World Atlas

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease: Threatening Caribbean Reefs, Wildlife and Ecosystems

This is a follow-up publication on Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. It describes the findings in the coral reefs in the Cayman Islands during a week in mid April, 2024. The travel to the island was reasonably easy and the accommodations onboard the live-aboard cruise were good. The conditions of the reef life and tropical fish however was disheartening. We have a big problem.

The featured image was made from a view of the sunset from the port on Grand Cayman island. The sunset may be symbolic of the future diving in the Caribbean. I hope that there is a recovery in the future.

As reported in four previous posts (Death in Paradise), there is a continuance of even greater proportions seen during this trip. I reported on the findings on the reefs around Roatan Island off the coast of Honduras two years ago. The condition of the reefs showed considerable loss of the polyp life because of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). It was quite extensive and showed nearly 70% loss of life. At night the coral showed a significant loss of fluorescence because of the large dead areas of coral polyps. During the day one could see the areas of exposed stony skeleton of the reef.

The reef at multiple sites of the Cayman Islands including Grand, Little and Brack, has been devastated by the disease. The population of the reef fish is also significantly diminished. I did not make a count of the fish or of the areas of dead coral. Because of the extent of the dead coral there was no reasonable way for me to make an accurate comparison. It was very distressing. With the option to make 20 dives I made only 12. There was nothing worthwhile to see. I would estimate more than 80% to 90% loss of polyp life. 

In conversation with other experienced divers on board the ship they said that they saw similar conditions across many of the Caribbean islands from Bonaire to the Mayan coast. Generally, they were unaware of the cause of the polyp depletion but said that it looked the same as in the Caymans. The less experienced divers were unaware of the problem and were happy to be in the warm water (85.5 degrees F). There was still some interesting wildlife but is was very reduced when compared to the concentration I had seen as little as 5 years ago. 

50% of central coral head is dead. All of the surrounding coral is dead.
Coral completely over run by SCTLD.
70% of brain coral is dead. Surrounding coral is lifeless.
nderwaterOther areas typical of the reefs showing the discruction of the polyps.
Lion fish (Invasive)
Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) It was good to see a lobster but formerly there were dozens.
Mating Flamingo Tongues (Cyphoma gibbosum)
Lettuce Nudibrank (Elysia crispata)
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) Critically endangered.
Rough file clam (Ctenoides scaber). Similar to the disco-clam seen in the Palau reefs.

There was still life in the Caribbean but it may be below the 100-foot depth accessible for divers and also for much of the live that requires light. The life forms that were readily apparent were mostly bottom feeding animals. Sponges and soft fans were still alive and did not seem to be affected by the SCTLD.

The effects upon the economy that are a result of reef polyp loss are not readily available, however, many of the recreational hospitality workers are questioning their future employment opportunities. I suspect that there may be some resistance in these businesses to make these issues more public.

There has been some publication of the research into the cause of the disease and it seems that researchers have identified an infection. “Results suggest that the bacterial community may be involved in SCTLD, but other members of the holobiont (i.e., viruses and Symbiodiniaceae) may contribute to lesion progression”.1, 2

Vectors and process of viral action is not yet publicized 3. One should not expect a recommended solution for a cure until much further research will be done. I anticipate that it may take decades and that the reef corals will not survive at the current rate of disease progress. This has a direct impact on the southwest coast of Florida.

If you have observed the effects of SCTLD in other areas of the Caribbean or other places in the world please engage in the SCTLD dialogue in the discussion board.

References: Where 2. and 3. are specifically related to work done in Florida reefs.

1. A meta-analysis of the stony coral tissue loss disease microbiome finds key bacteria in unaffected and lesion tissue in diseased colonies

2. Microbial Community Shifts Associated With the Ongoing Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Outbreak on the Florida Reef Tract

3. Viral-Like Particles Are Associated With Endosymbiont Pathology in Florida Corals Affected by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

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

Please feel free to comment on the content of this posting in the comments section below.

#SCTLD #Stony coral tissue loss disease #coral #turtle #nudibrank # Flamingo tongue #coral polyp #file clam

Bonita Bay Residential Community Pond: Hydrology, Geochemistry, and Microbiology Insights – Part 3

This small body of water is in the Bonita Bay residential community in the city of Bonita Springs, Florida. It has been discussed in the first two parts of this presentation. It was artificially constructed as part of a larger hydraulic system intended to manage the surface water of the four-square mile community property. This submission focuses on the details that are the foundation of the recovery.

The feature image shows an alligator taking a closer look at the pond.

The soil:

The base soil type is Anclote and Immokalee Sand and is consistent with the slough which divides the east and west portions of the property. The pond area was a mesic depression prior to development of the property. 

The water:

The pond is ground water sourced and linked to the surrounding ponds with underground conduits and to the slough by an above ground weir. This design maintains the water distribution level through a gravity driven cascading water flow. 5.5 million gallons of water is recirculated every day through a series of pumps and filters which supports the water level and provides grey water irrigation throughout the property. These pond hydrologic and geographic charts are from the Lee County Land and Water Survey.

Chart of water depth
Point of maximum depth.
Areas of submerged aquatic vegetation
Chart of bottom hardness

The chemistry:

The ponds are regularly sampled for chemistry and the specimens are sent to the State of Florida for analysis. Here are the results for pond #47 from our BBA Water Committee. The last chemical analysis report on this area was 1/23/2021. Note that the total phosphates and ortho phosphates are elevated above the acceptable standards. 

Statement of Pond chemical analysis supplied by Bonita Bay Community Association:

Hydrology, Geology and Biology graphic summary

The microbiology:

A sample of surface pond water in a small area of surface growth these microscopic specemines were found.

Spyrogyra ?
Desmosdesmus maximus & Mesotaenium
Gastrotrichs
Euglenia ? 
Nauplius larva of a cyclops copepod 
Diatom

These microbiological organisms are normal. The most important finding was the absence of unwanted forms such as cane toad eggs, mosquito larvae, or invasive aquatic plants.

Statement of Pond Condition:

When surveyed on 04/10/2021, the water level was at 0.3 m (NAVD’88) for a water volume of 13,670 m3, a planar surface area of 7,130 m2 and a perimeter of 420 m. The mean depth of the pond was 1.9 m for a maximum depth of about 3.5 m in the central portion of this triangular pond. On 06/19/2021, the water was slightly brackish and hard with an adequate pH. The water column was thermally well mixed and the dissolved oxygen was about 6.9 ppm (adequate level) until about 1 m where a steady drop of dissolved oxygen occurred until it reached anoxia near the bottom (i.e., no dissolved oxygen). The sediment accumulation in this pond was moderately thick with 33% organic content. Based on the nutrients analyses, the pond was nutrients rich (eutrophic). The copper concentration was not determined in this pond. Although there are no standards for sucralose concentrations in the water, based on the range of sucralose concentration found at the BBCA ponds studied, pond 47 was found to have moderate levels of sucralose concentration which ties its nutrient loading to the use of reclaimed water. The pond was surrounded by lawns with some rooted vegetation near the edge of the water. Banks were also quite steep. There were some aquatic plants around the periphery of the pond with a higher density in the northeastern littoral zone which likely limited the nutrient loading into this pond.

Recommended Land management plan:

1. Sediment mapping: map the sediment including thickness and nutrient analysis by depth. 2. Dredging: Not currently necessary but depends on sediment map results. 3. Flocculation: Treat to mitigate nutrients in the water column and in the sediment.  4. Circulation: Not currently needed. 5. Aeration: Not currently needed. 6. Planting: Shoreline shows minor erosion. Verify plant recovery in 2025. 7. Shoreline restoration: Not currently needed 8. Restrict lawn fertilization of neighboring grass and ornamental trees. 9. Advocate reduction in lawn size and support native plant gardening.

The pond was significantly refurbished in 2020. The water level was reduced to 25% of filled. The soil was supplemented and recontoured to eliminate a steep drop at the water line that was the result of erosion. All house roof runoff was diverted by mandated gutters and downspouts. The downspouts were directed underground into the pond. The shores were remediated with contouring, installation of a soil retaining mesh and generous planting of aquatic vegetation at the new shoreline. The pond was allowed to refill naturally. Hurricane Ian, which occurred in September 2022, was a very destabilizing climatic event which significantly altered most of the ponds in Bonita Bay Community. Ten feet of sea water inundated lake #47. The height has returned to normal and the chemistry is slowly recovering. The selected soil stabilizing plant life surrounding the pond was thought to be lost but after two years is now slowly regrowing. The next  State reported sampling will be done in 2025. 

Summary:

The pond appears to be recovering well from the hurricane event two years ago. The foundation has been well preserved. I expect that the physiology of the ecosystem will stabilize at the levels near those reported in 2021. Sediment mapping is overdue considering the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. There may be some improvement in the shoreline vegetative growth. It is remarkable that this totally artificial body of water provides so much to help to support all this diverse wildlife. The related sixty community ponds have responded equally well to similar care. This is an excellent example of cooperative natural growth and human intervention to produce a beautiful eutrophic environment.

If you wish to be notified of new posts enter your email and click on Subscribe.

If you wish to contribute to this subject please use the comment box.

Please feel free to participate in the discussion board. You may engage in a current discussion or start a new topic.

#eutrophic #ecosystem physiology #microbiotics #hydrology #geology #nutrients #nutrient rich #phosphates

Revival of Pond Plants and Ecosystem Post-Hurricane Ian – Part Two

The plants of pond #47 are slowly recovering after hurricane Ian. This is part two of a three part series describing the slow recovery of the artificial pond that was created as part of a community wide system. Be sure to read part one of this series. The ten foot high storm surge from hurricane Ian brought seawater with its salt content and fish and other marine life. Because salt water is heavier than fresh water it sank to the bottom of the pond displacing a substantial portion of the fresh water. The ocean water is toxic to the fresh water species because it dehydrates the cells of salt intolerant plants and animals. This has been recovered by the inflow of fresh ground water and water filtered by community supplier. Now the water has a very low percentage of salt. My refractometric test for salinity tested on 5/1/2024 shows a near normal specific density of 1.002. We will discuss this in the next posting describing pond geochemistry.

The pond is surrounded by grassy lawns which are tended by the gardeners and home owners. At the water’s edge soil retaining mesh and plants have been added to prevent erosion. Most of these plants were thought to have been lost from toxic levels of salt. In the intervening two years they have begun to make a strong come back. They hold the soil, provide shelter for the marine animals and a feeding ground for the wading birds. Look at the previous post to see the birds feeding in grass and reed areas of the pond.

Pond plants

Net casting in pond to capture fish sample. This photo also shows round bright areas where Tilapia fish made nests
Soil retaining mesh submerged can be seen here. This was placed before the storm as part of the pond remediation.

Aquatic plant species used to reduce soil erosion.

Long view of pond looking from southeast to northwest.
Lance leaf Arrowhead, (Sagittaria lancifolia), Native, AKA Duck Potato.
Needle rush (Juncus roemerianus), Native
Horsetail spike rush (Eleocharis equisetoides) Native

Lawn, grass, Live Oak trees with marsh rushes and tubers surround the pond. They stabilize the soil and provide shelter and food as the basis of the ecosystem pyramid. It is only recently that the survivability of this plants was confirmed. Presence of these plants supports the concept of corner stone species. Without these plants the insects would not lay eggs. The fish would not feed on the insect larvae. The birds would not feed on the fish. This is further reflection of the eutrophic quality of the pond system.

Perhaps you have seen similar recoveries. Recall the experiences of the recovery of the Fulda river in Germany. Let’s hear about your experience! If you wish to contribute to the discussion please use the comment box.

The third of the three related postings on this pond will appear soon. It will describe the hydrochemistry and the micro aquatic inhabitants. Be sure to subscribe to follow along.

Also, feel free to use the discussion board to participate in one of the ongoing discussions or to introduce a new topic.

If you wish to be informed of new postings, lease enter your email and click on subscribe.

#Pond recovery #ocean water #Lance leaf Arrowhead #Needle rush #Horsetail spike rush #cornerstone species #

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

Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑