Category: Environment

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

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#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

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#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

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#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.

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#Fulda #hydrology #Fulda Gap

Native and Invasive Plant Species in Local Area #2

This is a record of the observed plant life in Area #2 which is adjacent to Area #1. The purpose was to identify invasive species in a neighborhood wetland area. This allows us to compare the adjacent sites of Areas #1 and #2. The results show the unintended consequences of water managemant. The two observation sites are within ten feet from one another but are extraordinarily different.

The feature image is a view of the landscape of area #2

The observation location of Area #2 is shown in Fig 1.  It is in the swamp beginning nine feet north of a junction of a cultivated butterfly garden and a wilderness swamp area. This swamp is part of the slough that runs through the community property joining Spring Creek to the Imperial River. The slough has been engineered to use this as a retention pond for excess water. Six observations were recorded because they are the sum of all the viable species in this two acre area. There were no viable native plants to be found.

Fig 1. This is a Google map illustrating the location Area #2. The black numbers indicate the observations. #22 is the site of Area #1 from the previous post.

METHOD:

Potentially invasive species were harboring in this neighborhood area. Visual observation of plant life was done. Observational data was gathered using the Epicollect5/Everglades Ark database.

Physical examination was done in a selected two acre area. It is a community property that is an extension of the swampy slough which transverses the community between the Imperial River and Spring Creek.  This area was difficult to access as it required wading through the wilderness swamp area. The observations were made between the 3:00 and 5:00 PM, between rainstorms, on November 16, 2023. The water level was elevated because of the recent precipitation. The identification of plants was later confirmed by computer assisted photographic identification. The identity was confirmed by the agreement of at least three independent search results.

OBSERVATIONS:

The site #2 sample of Carolina Willow behavior.

Carolina Willow, native but spreads and alters environment
C. Willow leaves
C. Willow sprouts from deadfall

FINDINGS:

Observation data was extracted from the collection site as a cdf and placed into two “Excel” files designated as A. and B. Title numbers correlate the information from both spread sheets. 

  1. Survey and Catalogue Site #2  contains: Observation number, hyperlink of full plant image, quantity, date, time, GPS location, light exposure, environmental location, location risk level.
  2. Plant-Identity Site #2 contains: growth levels, plant type, hyperlinks to all photographs of plant and details of flowers, fruit, stems, common and scientific names and observation notes. 

Survey and Catalog File Site #2 Spread Sheet and Plant Identity Site #2 are spread sheets enclosed in the accompanying file with their respective names. Swipe laterally to see the full sheet. Click on the hyperlinks to see the plant images.

Survey and Catalog File Site #2:

created_attitle1_Observation_2_Cell_Photo3_Camera_facing_dire4_How_many_items5_Date_default6_Time_defaultlat_7_GPS_point_observatlong_7_GPS_point_observataccuracy_7_GPS_point_observat8_Kingdom9_Plant_Identity137_Site_surface_con138_Site_weather_con139_Other_location_i140_Risk_level_to_lo141_Event_Note142_Photo_or_Audio_o144_Observer
2023-11-16T19:35:40.716Z404404https://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=c2789940-7a8f-4a22-ab9a-b94b154df297_1700163199.jpgE1011/16/202314:33:3126.340419-81.8171537Plant1Wet soilOvercastSwamp  Photo recording file with same Observation dateJohn Knapp
2023-11-16T19:28:50.961Z403403https://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=9624a326-e90f-4471-90d9-ae535daa201e_1700162784.jpgD10011/16/202314:26:3526.340415-81.8172344Plant1Dry soilOvercastSwampInvasive, Established, Non native Photo recording file with same Observation dateJohn Knapp
2023-11-16T19:25:36.756Z402402https://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=feb1d4ad-d9f7-48d4-abda-effaf50fe892_1700162538.jpgN111/16/202314:22:2926.340417-81.8172786Plant1In or on waterOvercastSwampEstablished, Native, Non-Invasive Photo recording file with same Observation dateJohn Knapp
2023-11-16T19:19:06.973Z401401https://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=77f89e49-3b60-4798-a904-2d6d9eec8446_1700162191.jpgE311/16/202314:16:4626.340481-81.8173284Plant1In or on waterOvercastSwampNative, Invasive, Range change Photo recording file with same Observation dateJohn Knapp
2023-11-16T19:14:36.040Z400400https://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=e481bade-4434-4fd7-9254-0a672f845895_1700161912.jpgD10011/16/202314:12:0226.340481-81.8173335Plant1In or on waterOvercastSwampNon native, Invasive, Range change, Introduced NoJohn Knapp
2023-11-16T19:09:09.705Z399399https://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=ef647515-46e6-4285-9343-1e440e094796_1700161625.jpgD10011/16/202314:07:1726.340482-81.8173767Plant1Wet soilBright indirect sunSwampNon native, Introduced, Invasive, Nuisance, Range changeCategory I invasive climbing vineNoJohn Knapp
Site survey, interactive spread sheet. Click on hyperlinks to see images.

Plant Identity Site #2:

uploaded_attitle10_Observation_11_Choose_best_PLANT13_If_CULTIVATED_or_28_If_FERN_which_ord29_Which_growth_stag36_Which_fern_specie43_If_Climbing_which44_Which_plant_growt45_Flower_present46_Flower_photo47_Seed_present49_Leaf_or_Stem_pres50_Leaf_stem_photo51_Bark_present52_Bark_photo53_Common_Name_54_Observation_notes55_Scientific_Name
2023-11-16T20:05:38.000ZCultivated or herbaceous404Cultivated or herbaceousSwamp understory    Under growthYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=0846278e-45d7-41f0-b2d7-b614fe483de1_1700163273.jpgNOYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=0846278e-45d7-41f0-b2d7-b614fe483de1_1700163295.jpgNo Great BougainvilleaVery large spreading, sharp thornsBougainvillea spectabilis
2023-11-16T20:12:17.000ZCultivated or herbaceous403Cultivated or herbaceousSwamp understory    Under growthYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=3423cf53-590f-4087-91e1-e237a1b4b3bc_1700162844.jpgNOYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=3423cf53-590f-4087-91e1-e237a1b4b3bc_1700162886.jpgNo Tropical Whiteweed Ageratum conyzoides
2023-11-16T19:52:25.000ZFern (POLYPODIOPSIDA)402Fern (POLYPODIOPSIDA) PolypodialisSporophyteGiant Leather Fern Under growthNO NOYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=e247ff50-daa9-48d3-afa2-ee21f9a08426_1700162687.jpgNo Leather fern Acrostichum danaeifolium
2023-11-16T22:00:21.000ZWoody401Woody     OvergrowthNO NOYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=fd1b96e3-8a57-4d2b-97d8-66052782d7c2_1700162282.jpgYeshttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=fd1b96e3-8a57-4d2b-97d8-66052782d7c2_1700162298.jpgCarolina or Costal plane willow Salix caroliniana Michx
2023-11-16T22:07:48.000ZCultivated or herbaceous400Cultivated or herbaceousSwamp understory    Under growthYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=4d6cdf14-85cd-4224-974f-ee276600930f_1700161978.jpgNOYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=4d6cdf14-85cd-4224-974f-ee276600930f_1700162023.jpgNo Bitter melonNo fruit at this timeMomordica charantia
2023-11-16T22:17:30.000ZClimbing399Climbing    Twinning, Tendrilll shootsUnder growthNO NOYEShttps://five.epicollect.net/api/media/everglades-ark?type=photo&format=entry_original&name=aaa74fb5-767c-4994-9fc7-d7598f0fe2df_1700161705.jpgNo Arrowhead Syngonium podophyllum
Plant identification, interactive spread sheet. Click on hyperlinks to see images.

All of the master data file can be found on the Epicollect5/Evergladesark web site.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Risk level to local environment, statistical analysis:

Descriptive Level of Risk COUNTPERCENT of 6
Native233
Non-native466
Highly invasive583
Rapidly spread466
Non-native subject to high range change117
Native subject to high range change117
Non-native subject to high range change, nuisance, noxious? 117
Tabel 1. Listing level of risk, the number of plants in the group of six, the percentage of the the six plant types

RESULTS:

  • Within 100 feet of one another, multiple examples of 6 species of herbaceous plants and trees were identified. These were the only species of green plants in the area. There were no other observable viable plants.
  • The remainder of the vegetative remains were brown and appeared to be non-vital. This is consistent with the observations made during the year after hurricane Ian. 
  • The relative percent of non-native to native plants is very high when compared with the distribution of plant types in the State of Florida.
  • It appears that the native population is less capable of regeneration when compared to the native species.
  • Range change represents the capability of plants to spread into neighboring areas either actively or passively. This seems to be the dominant criteria to include in the invasive status by most authorities.
  • One plant is native, capable of great range change, and is classified as capable of changing the environment. It is observation #401. The name is Costal Willow (). It is not classified as noxious nor invasive. 
  • One plant is non-native, introduced, invasive, nuisance, range change capable. It is the arrowhead, observation #399

DISCUSSION: 

This narrow range of species was difficult to observe in this poorly defined space. Walking into the swamp was problematic. A larger observation area resulted in very different findings. The sample was not biased. A continuing limitation in this study was to measure the percentage of the individual plant species mass relative to the totality mass of the vegetation. 

Site #2 is significantly different from site #1. Site #2 has a significantly high percentage of brown and brittle plant remnants which have been unchanged in the last year. One year ago, hurricane Ian’s flood surge covered everything in site #2 with 15 feet of salty ocean water. This resulted in the death of most of the plants in this spot. The community has 24-inch deficiency of standard rainfall. The observed area #2 has not experienced a dilution of the salt because of the relative drought and the lack of water circulation. Although the native plant species are reputed to be more salt tolerant this does not appear to be seen here. The Carolina willows are 25 to 30 feet high and are therefore mature. The fallen limbs of these trees are generating new sprouts. The herbaceous plants may be spread from areas in higher ground from runoff and from wind dissemination. Contrarily, area #1 stands on higher ground, is plumbed for irrigation and is, in part, a tended garden. 

There is considerable difference of opinion in assigning local environment risk levels to plants. The assignment of risk may not be current. The Carolina willow is a native plant species and is a good example of good things gone bad as a result of mismanagement by unintended consequence. Seedlings and small saplings cannot survive variable water levels in marshes with alternating conditions of dry and wet. However, once plants become larger, willows can survive droughts and tolerate floods and are very difficult to eradicate. Stable water levels created by water management projects allow the Carolina Willow to spread and thrive. As a result, the Willow thickets use tremendous amounts of water, leaving less available for wildlife. They also block out other plant species and thus by changing the environment are regionally classified an invasive species.

This is also a practical application of the Epicollect5/Evergladesark data file.

CONCLUSIONS: 

It was relatively difficult to observe the variety of plants in this uncontrolled area. This detailed experience helped to increase awareness of the lack of variety of plant species in a larger sample area. The numbers of invasive species in this small area were surprising. The extent of apparently dead vegetation was distressing and the fact that the only viable organisms were invasive species suggests that the future native plant population for replacement of the dead plants is not promising. These plants will continue to seed or spread to all of the surrounding local gardens. Wholesale extermination of the invasive species, removal of the non-viable plant remnants and replanting of the area with salt tolerant native species seems to be the only alternative to the existing condition.

For comparison Check out Area #1 I n the previous post.

References: Some of the sources used to assist in the identification of the observed plants.

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#invasive plants #swamp #slough #Carolina willow

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