A Comprehensive Vision and Strategic Outline for Ecological Renewal
Let’s get serious about the Florida environment. This first posting outlines the three major issues regarding the future of Florida, especially Southwest FL.
The title image is a view of Estero Park Preserve. I added the sign graphic.
Scenarios for the future
Risk/benefits of rewilding
Consequences of species intra- and interdependence
For centuries Florida has been famed for its vibrant and diverse wilderness. It is a living repository of species drawn from the Caribbean, the Gulf, and subtropical America. Yet the past two hundred years have seen this unique ecosystem ravaged. People introduced non-native species, relentlessly homesteaded, and transformed the landscape for agricultural and urban development. The result is a wilderness in crisis. It is fragmented, altered, and teeming with exotic species that out compete or hybridize with the native flora and fauna. This document series outlines a strategic plan for the future of Florida’s wilderness. It is an examination of possible scenarios. It presents the risk/benefit calculus of rewilding. It supports species interdependence. It has a step-by-step outline for ecosystem restoration.
Definition: Rewilding is comprehensive, often large-scale, conservation effort focused on restoring sustainable biodiversity and ecosystem health. (institute of Rewilding)
This is one example of tens of thousands of citrus groves abandoned and overrun by invasive species.
Babcock ranch preserve undeveloped wet prairie
Babcock ranch preserve undeveloped upland wood
Major Scenarios for the Future of Florida’s Wilderness
Florida stands at a crossroad, with three major possible scenarios for the trajectory of its wilderness:
1. Continuance as a Species Repository: For millennia, Florida has served primarily as a bank of species. Rather than an origin point for evolutionary novelties it has been a major exporter of species elsewhere. Rewilding under this scenario would focus on maintaining and nurturing native species. It preserves the region’s role as a living archive of biodiversity.
2. Generator of New Species: The widespread introduction of similar but non-native species—both intentionally has created a dynamic environment. Hybridization and adaptation of ornamental and agricultural plantings will unintentionally transform Florida into a generator of new species. Unpredictable and unintentional ecological outcomes will result.
3. Degraded Ecosystem: If rewilding efforts fail or are mismanaged, Florida will become an ecological cautionary tale. With native species in decline invasive species will become rampant. Ecosystem services like water purification, habitat provision, and storm protection will severely decline.
Risk / Benefit Considerations in Rewilding
The imperative to restore Florida’s wilderness must be balanced by a careful analysis of risks and benefits. Rewilding, while promising, is not without peril.
Genetic Integrity: Simply replacing lost native species with physically similar, but non-identical genotypes can backfire. A non-native genotype may outcompete local species or fail to provide for dependent mutualists, causing cascading ecological harms. Cloning or propagating exact native genotypes minimizes this risk while preserving ecological relationships honed over millennia.
Ecological Compatibility: The introduction of new or “replacement” species may disrupt established mutualisms. They may also create new competitive dynamics while further destabilizing the ecosystem.
Proof of Concept: Any rewilding project must proceed through careful. It demands experimentation, trial phases, and rigorous review of existing literature. These will all be needed to maximize chances of success and minimize unintended consequences.
Intra- and Inter-Dependence of Species
Ecosystems are intricate webs with species depending on one another for food, shelter, pollination, seed dispersal, and countless other functions.
Physical and Genetic Identification: Restoration begins with precise identification of native species, both morphologically and genetically. This enables accurate matching of replacement stock and helps avoid mismatches that could undermine restoration.
Codependent Species: Many native species are mutually dependent. For example the relationship between native bees.; wildflowers or wading birds and wetlands. Successful rewilding requires restoration of these relationships, not just individual species.
Environmental Conditions: Beyond the species themselves, restoration must account for the specific environmental factors. Soil chemistry, water availability, fire regimes, and more allow these relationships to thrive.
These are the topics of the postings to follow
Review of State Key Initiatives
Structured outline for rewilding
Maximizing existing objectives
Marketing the concept for large scale rewilding of Florida
Call to action
SUMMARY
This is not just about legacy. This is your own quality of life; your own property value; your own cost of living. What are you thinking about when you don’t support initiatives, don’t press your representatives and spread invasive species? There are only three choices. 1. Fix it; 2. live with it as is; 3. abandon it and live with the consequences.
Let’s know your thoughts. Leave a reply jn the comment box below or start a thread in our discussion board.
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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.
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.
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.
This post describes one location in Bonita Springs, Florida, with interest in identifying native and invasive species this neighborhood area. The featured image shows Area #1. It was made November 3, 2023 at 8:30 AM. The trees variably shade the garden throughout most of the day.
Figure 1. Google map of location of observation site showing 21 observations centered in Area #1. Numbers indicate observation titles with lines leading to observation site.
The observation location is shown in Google map as the central light lavender spot in Fig 1. It is at the junction of a cultivated butterfly garden and a wilderness swamp area. Twenty-one observations were made at this point.
METHOD: Physical examination was done in a selected 40m2 area of a private easily accessible residential garden including a back yard intended to attract butterflies. This back yard also abutted a community wilderness swamp area. The identification of plants was facilitated by computer assisted-photographic identification. The identity of the plants was confirmed by the agreement of at least three independent search results. (See References)
OBSERVATIONS: Site #1, where observations were recorded, is pictured in two photographs. The first photograph is the feature image. It pictures the northward view of landscape showing the butterfly garden in the foreground. On the same day the second photo, is shown in Fig 2. This was photographed at 9:00 AM and shows that the proximating swamp area has greater light penetration. Considering the cotton mouth snake sightings, boot protection in this area is recommended.
Figure 2. Northward view of swamp wilderness in Site #1 at the terminal edge of the butterfly garden
PLANT OBSERVATIONS: Attached are two Excel pages which show two data files of the observations described in table1.
SITE SURVEY Excel file
PLANT IDENTITY Excel file
Observation #
Observation #
Cell Photo
Plant description
Camera facing direction
Site surface conditions
How many items
Site weather conditions
Date
Risk level to local environment
Time
Photo or Audio High resolution recording
GPS point
Observer name
Table 1. This summarizes the variables assembled from observations and entered into the database.
Observation data are assembled and listed into two “Numbers” files designated as A. and B. To correlate the information from both spread sheets use title numbers.
Survey and Catalogue Site #1contains: Observation number, hyperlink of full plant image, quantity, date, time, GPS location, light exposure, environmental location, location risk level.
Plant-Identity Site #1 contains: growth levels, plant type, hyperlinks to all photographs of plant and details of flowers, fruit, stems, common and scientific names, and observation notes A.
A. Survey and Catalog File Site #1 Spread Sheet. To view the full spread sheet use the slider at the bottom of the sheet to scroll laterally. To open the image file click once on the hyperlink text to choose open option; click again in the option text box to view images. For simplicity don’t click on-open-in-new-tab. To return, just click on the back button in your browser.
B. Plant-Identity Site #1 Spread Sheet. To view the full spread scroll laterally. To open the image file click once on the hyperlink text to choose open option; click again in the option text box to view images. For simplicity don’t click on view in separate tab. To return, just click on the back button in your browser.
To see the full data display follow this link: Epicollect5/Everglades Ark and view observation “Title” numbered 377 through 398.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, RISK LEVEL OF OBSERVED PLANTS TO LOCAL ENVIRONMENT :
TYPE
COUNT
PERCENT of 21
Native
13
62
Non-native
8
38
Highly invasive
4
19
Rapidly spread
9
43
Non-native subject to high range change
3
63
Native subject to high range change
6
29
Native subject to high range change, nuisance, noxious?
1
5
Table 2 The percentage of the described plant type was determined relative to the total count.
RESULTS:
In Area #1, within 60 feet of one another, 21 species of herbaceous plants and trees were identified.
The relative percent of non-native to native plants is consistent with the distribution of plant types in the State of Florida.
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 a nuisance. It is observation #380. The name is pepper vine (Ampelopsis arborea). It is not classified as noxious nor invasive.
DISCUSSION: The wide range of species was easy to observe in this defined space. There was sufficient space to allow for some freedom of movement. Walking into the swamp would have been more problematic. The sample is biased due to the more controlled cultivation of plants directly adjacent to the uncontrolled swamp. The cultivation of part of the study area may have selectively altered the usual development of variety in the mix of plants. A larger observation area might result in an alternative finding. Another limitation in this study was to measure the percentage of the individual plant species mass relative to the totality mass of the vegetation. There is considerable difference of opinion in assigning local environment risk levels to plants. The assignment of risk may not be current.
CONCLUSION: It was relatively easy to observe the wide variety of plants in this controlled area. This detailed experience helped to increase awareness of the variety of plant species in a very small sample area. The numbers of invasive species in this small area were surprising. Perhaps a more localized region may wish to determine the level of invasivity of local plants.
References: Some of the sources used to assist in the identification of the observed plants.
This is a recounting of the first three exploratory walks into the perimeter of a Florida Marsh located in the Bonita Bay Slough.
Cover photo is a Saltmarsh Morning Glory (Ipomoea sagittat)
This is part of a series of Floridian environments and ecosystems including Wetlands.
Introduction:
The central wetland feature of the Bonita Bay Community property is a slough. It connects the Spring creek at the north end to the Imperial River to the south. I examined maps of this area that predate the roads, rail beds and towns since records were kept. The entire property including the marsh may have been tidal before the current community was built and made an east-west road across the center at the watershed divide. What remains is now a tidal marsh that appears to be otherwise unaltered for at least several hundreds of years and a wooded wetland in the developed community. The city of Bonita Springs and the highway now called Old 41 as well as the railroad bed were placed to avoid these marshes and swamps. In 1952, highway 41 was built and the marsh and lowland to the east of the highway were filled. The natural watershed to the BB community area was compromised. It is now fed primarily by the estuary of Spring Creek, the Imperial River and rainfall. The creek and river continue to accumulate water from the areas east of 41 but there is no obvious westward surface flow between these two streams. Included are some photographs of some of my observations. Irrigation water is pumped from wells east of highway 41 for community and golf course irrigation.
50 meters into the slough I met with an impenetrable wall of vegetation. I first thought that this would be a freshwater marsh, however, the flower on the left a Saltmarsh Morning Glory (Ipomoea sagittata) acknowledges this to be a saltwater marsh. It was the most beautiful find through all of the area explored.
Marsh exploration:
Visit 1.
Level 1 preparation for a walking trip: Action plan with driver drop-off and pick-up points and gear for a walk in the marsh included: bush pants, shirt, calf high waterproof swamp boots, hat, drinking water, cell phone, SLR camera, bug repellent, and sun block.
I began my walk at the south end at the center of the marsh. This was at the beginning of the artificially created east/west roadbed at the watershed divide.(See map) The vegetation was thick and dense, dominated by grasses, low shrubs and herbaceous plants. After two steps the depth of the water rapidly increased. While I was standing in eight inches of water, I probed the spot for my next step with my walking stick. It easily slipped to full 1 ½ meter length through an increasingly viscus mix of water, vegetation, and decayed plant material. I could not find any real hard bottom. I assume that the bottom is peat.
Foliage over my head as I stood in 10 inches of water.
I reported this unknown weed as a possible invasive.
Carefully using my walking stick to test for footing I treaded into the marsh. There were a few areas where the floating vegetation did support my weight. There were some spots where there was soil sufficiently high for secure standing. Avoiding the possibility of sinking into the water and muck to my chest, I cautiously advanced further in a very irregular line about 70 meters into the marsh. It all appeared to be a heterogeneous tangle of a great variety of grasses, ferns, bushes, and vines.
Visit 1.
I expected this area to be filled with wildlife and a variety of plants different from other environments in Florida. I have looked at the slough many times from a raised viewing platform and was always surprised by the sparsity of birds. I expected to see more diverse animals, however, when wading in the marsh I was again disappointed. For ninety minutes of observation, I saw only a pair of red winged blackbirds. There may be extenuating circumstances for this condition. Salt marshes are not known for bird nesting. Birds are concentrated at the Rookery Islands on the southern end of the slough, there may be predators in this northern end which the birds recognize and this results in their avoidance. The density of the dead vegetation or the deadly effects of hurricane Ian storm surge may have caused a die-off of the predated food supply.
The height of the vegetation was above my field of vision and there was no sign of an animal path or previous human activity. At one spot where the vegetation thinned, I could see the tree line which was approximately a quarter mile to my east. No other landmarks were visible. The abundant plant variety was very diverse; the animal live was not. I was surprised to find very few flying or crawling insects, no vertebrates except for a few birds. At 9:00 AM it was very quiet, no wind, no odor and very hot (38 C, 100 F) with 100% humidity. After 1 ½ hours, aided by my cell phone and dead reconning, I retreated approximately 70 meters back to my start point. I reviewed my findings overnight. The plants which I observed were more typical of a salt marsh. This deserved further investigation.
Saw grass in a salt marsh
Swamp Fern in salt marsh
Previous views during the past years from the observation deck suggested a rich variety of the marsh vegetation. Again, I was disappointed. The slough is filled with dead plant remains secondary to the saltwater infusion of hurricane Ian’s storm surge. Brush and tall grasses are grey-brown and toppled over horizontally to the water line. Some are continuing to sprout and flower but the overall color of the area is greyish brown.
Visit 2.
If the heron were not so bright I would have missed it among the grey-brown weedy background.
This great white heron carefully stalked through the grasses in the marshes. The utility of the length of its neck and legs was clearly evident. It picked up some animal wrapped in green vegetation and swallowed the sandwich without hesitation.
The following day I returned for a second look with the same prep, and made additional photos and notes. The weather was unchanged. The second trip provided additional findings. I saw more feeding birds but none nesting and very few insects. It was especially interesting to watch a great white heron hunting in the depth of the marsh. Previously I saw them only on the shores of more open spaces. In the deep marsh I could see it using all its skills of crouching, deep water wading and stealth. It did indeed catch something, however, the identity was obscured by some green vegetation surrounding the small prey. After I returned home, I ordered a handheld refractometer to check the marsh salinity.
Visit 3.
Same prep was used plus 6 specimen bottles for water sampling The weather was unchanged. The sample times were between 8:45 and 9:30 AM. Water samples were taken at three surface points at five locations using a dip cup. See map in Fig 20. The samples were brought home and their temperatures were stabilized at 72F (23C). Using the handheld refractometer I gauged the salinity of my samples. The findings are reported in table 1.
I also sampled other wetland areas in the community properties to test the salinity at various locations. See the five locations on the map (Fig. 2).
Findings:
Table 1.
The lowest salinity at 3 PPT is water exiting from the south slough into the Imperial River. There is an apparent progression of lower salinity of the system water from northeast to southwest. The salinity of the Estero Bay east littoral area is 30 PPT higher than the upper Spring Creek.
SWS its the expected average salt water salinity of local sea water in the littoral zone.
Also found were numerous plants that were thriving despite the damage caused by the hurricane of 2023. These can be seen in the next posting. Florida Marsh Exploration. Part II
Discussion:
This is a saltmarsh without a north/south flow. The north and south arms of the slough have been blocked by the Bonita Bay boulevard. The two arms were continuous prior to the property development. The obstruction of the continuity has resulted in the formation of two very different environments. The north end of the slough is wide open to the Spring creek which is estuarial. The south end is connected to water retention ponds in the community with an exit to the Imperial River. The retention ponds collect the water which has filtered through the community swamps and wooded wetland. There is a narrow one-way gate that allows a very limited inflow from the river at the south end of the slough. This does not prevent an inflow from a salt water storm surge two feet above the high tide water line. From table 1 you can see a progression of salinity changes. I also learned that trial explorations are important in determining the level of preparation for venturing deep into unknown areas.
Level 2 preparation. for exploration of the marsh
Similar to level 1 preparation but use a kayak as a vehicle and/or working platform.
Level 3 preparation. for exploration of the marsh using a Full Immersion Preparation.
Have a companion. Make an action plan with driver drop-off and pick-up points. Gear should include: Two lengths of 50ft, ½in, 4 ply, hemp rope, carabiners, gloves, drinking water, folding knife, 3-meter foldable measuring stick, containers for wet samples, waterproof cell phone or a camera with over and underwater capability. Enter wearing a full 1mm diving wetsuit, with hood, boots, and sneakers. Prepare to change to dry clothing for an after-extraction at pick-up point.
The rope and carabiners are for emergency extraction. The wet suit is for buoyancy and skin protection. Hemp rope rather than climbing rope because it is less expensive. It is impossible to remove the salt and dirt and it may be discarded after a few uses.
I learned from this experience. The next trip preparation will be different.
Map with illustrated points of interest
Conclusions:
These observations are made during a very small timeline in the marsh and may not be representative of the yearlong parade of conditions. To better understand the marsh, multiple return visits are certainly forth coming. Test other entry points with level one preparation. Test other seasons with drier or wetter conditions. If a Kayak cannot penetrate the vegetation, plan for a level 3, immersive exploration.
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#marsh #salt water #heron #saw grass #Bonita Bay #slough #Morning glory #salt marsh #salinity #wetlands #Florida
We need a break form hurricane damage remediation. Some of these images and more were shown on previous postings. They are repeated here because many of these trees and flowers were damaged or lost during the hurricane Ian storm of 2022 and therefore are no longer available. We need a reminder of the past and promise of the future.
The freely available image is featured as the opener is copied from a Cindy Shuder-Sandine Facebook posting and attributed to a military reconnaissance photo. It shows hurricane Ian as it landfalls on Fort Myers beach 20 miles from where I live. It speaks a thousand words.
The flowers of the Bauhinia tree are stunningly beautiful with lavender petals and veiny traces of red made to attract the eyes of the beholder. The flower has male anthers full of pollen. In fact, in an ecstatic burst it releases its stamens full of thousands of pollen grains. The sensuous perfume attracts hummingbirds and bees. These hungry messengers dip into the sweet deep recesses of the flower and pick up the pollen and can carry it into the receptive flower of a female tree. In fact, it has its own female calix organelle within the same flower. It should be able to self-pollinate. But wait! The flowers bear no ova. It cannot reproduce sexually. It is baren. There will be no fertilized seeds. All that blossom is for enjoyment only. Most people who casually look at the gorgeous orchid like flower are unaware of the frustration of the tree which must propagate from cuttings at the whim of gardeners and lovers of the flowers.
HongKongorchidtree (Bauhinia blakenia)
The flowering trees have many secrets from most people. Flowers of some trees may never be seen by seasonal residents. They may bloom during the hot and humid seasons. An example of this is the Flamboyant Royal Poinciana tree. It blooms in the summer when our population is much smaller than that of the tourist season. Of all flowering trees, it has the most breathtaking beauty of riotous red and orange blossom.
Flamboyant Royal Poinciana, AKA Flame TreeFlamboyant Royal Poincieana, yellow
Contrarily, some residents are unaware of the lack of some blooms during their absence. An example of this is the Golden Trumpet tree which shows its fertility in yellow colors for three weeks during spring break. The benefit of our climate is that it is tropical. The weather provides an opportunity to have a continuous parade of seasonal flowers in Florida. There is never a time when something is not blooming.
Golden Trumpet (Tabebuia chryaotricha)Pink Trumpet, (Yrebebuia heterophylia)
Through the years, resident and community efforts have enhanced our neighborhoods with many plants. The trees are the most outstanding because of their height and spread of their branches. They also hold that secret prize. In certain seasons they burst out with colors and shapes that are beyond wordy description. The images that were captured in these photographs are beautiful and pictures are indeed worth a thousand words. Beyond the visual impact they give us a breath of perfume and an earful of rustling music as their leaves clatter against one another. These images are just a sample of the dozens of flowering trees in our neighborhood of SWFL
Manolia
The flowering trees are appealing not only to us but also to a menagerie of animals from insects, reptiles, and birds. Most of all the flowers of the male plants are attractive to the female plants. The resulting reproductive products of fruits, nuts and seeds can be delicious as well as nutritious to a wide range of creatures.
Mexican Wild Olive (Cordia boissieri)
The colors of the flowers seem to be the most fascinating aspect of their appearance. The approximation of contrasting or complimentary hues and chromas is at times so obvious and sometimes so surprising. Sometimes it is shocking and other times it is soothing. There never seems to be an unpleasant combination. They seem to be more alive and sensuous than their cousins with less showy highlights like the oaks or even more so than the conifers.
Purple Glory AKA Princess flower,
It is such a treat to explore the streets, lanes, gardens, and wilderness to find something new or to see a variation of something familiar. Walking or bicycling provides an excellent opportunity to see and stop to appreciate the details and odors. It is a chance to see which other plants and animals are associated with the flowering trees. These cohabitations can be as intriguing as the flower. It can lead to an exploration of the details of environmental impact and an appreciation of ecological systems. I hope that you are inspired to go out and look for the trees and inspect them and perhaps appreciate their mysteries, of colors, shapes, timing, and scents.
The flowering trees shown here originate from all over the world including Africa, South and Central America, China, and India and more. Untold secrets of these trees are yet to be discovered. What species of butterflies and moths are attracted to the various trees. Do the non-native trees interact or communicate with the native plant population? Are the plant defenses and pheromones compatible with the local insect population and microbial biota? There is still so much to discover.
Pride of India (Lagerstroemia speciosa)Coral Bean Pink Shower (Cassia)Plumeria, hot pink Rose of Venezuela (Brown macrophyllia)White Silk Floss (Celia speciosa)Red Silk Floss (Ceiba speciosa)African Tulip (Spathodea campanulate)CassiaJacaranda (Jacaranda mimisifolia)Malibar Chestnut AKA (Pachira aquatica) (Money Tree), Scrambled Egg Tree (Glaucous Cassia)
Feature image is a pride of Cheetah (Acinonyxjubatus) including female and her three cubs in Kenyan scrub.
Typical daytime lion setting with an ATV trying to navigate around them. We passed them several times during the day and they never moved.
Lions spend a remarkable portion of the daylight hours sleeping. I saw this typical behavior in the Florida Naples Zoo but I didn’t expect to see it so frequently in the wilderness of Africa. I expected them to be walking about and hunting and / or engaged in group activities. Seeing them sleeping up to 20 hours per day was a rude awakening. During the best daylight hours where photography would be easy, these critters were usually completely out of it. They would be sleeping in the roads and pathways without any care for traffic trying to pass. They were communally grouped, sleeping together among family members. Occasionally, they might be seen finishing off a meal from last night’s hunting but in general they were boring subjects
In the twilight hours, however, with the sun just at the horizon, the scene was dramatically different. Despite the near darkness, fog, and distance I was able to see the spine-chilling hunt of the packs in action. The pursuit could have been taken from a professional soccer coach’s play book. Each pack member had their position to play – scouting, blocking, hunting, and a final charge for the throat. Without team play all 16 lions would go hungry.
When visiting the local Naples Zoo, I imagined an animalistic sense. It was as if the captive animals knew the truth of their sheltered, human dependent relationship. At the zoo the animals pace around in their enclosures. There is nothing to hunt. There is no territory to defend. There are no mates to pursue. No families to care for. See out previous blog on the Naples Zoo. This is in contradiction to the animals seen in the African wilderness. There they were busy surviving as hunter, prey or both. On safari the animals are indifferent to the viewer. It is a sense that the people are not there because they are in a vehicle. The vehicle was of no importance. It was simply a noisy passing distraction.
From our nearly three-week visit, several species stood out as apex predators. These included lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, crocodiles, and eagles. Each of these meat-eating animals is magnificent in color, shape, skill, and speed. These animals need a large area under their dominion. The area could easily range from 20 to 400 square kilometers. Lion prides and dog packs hunted using carefully laid out strategies and roles. Of the cat and dog, it is difficult to suggest that one is superior to another as their hunting behaviors were very similar. What do they do the rest of the time? They sleep and just hang out.
Male Lion (Panthera Leo) Naples Zoo, Florida, mid afternoon
Male Lion, Okavango Delta mid afternoon with a full belly lying in the shade.
Cheetah pair Naples zoo lying in the mid afternoon shade
Cheetah mom and two cubs, Kenya savanna mid afternoon lying in the shade of an acacia tree during the heat of the day
Leopard, Naples Zoo, late afternoon
Leopard, ( Panthera pardus), Okavango Delta, Botswana, late afternoon. Lying on a branch after hanging its Impala catch in a branch.
Rescue panther in Naples Zoo. So few remain; we need to take better care of our Everglades.
African black panthers have not been photographed in 100 years until recently. The term black panther is most frequently applied to black-coated leopards (Panthera pardus) of Africa. I did not see this African animal.
A melanistic color variant of the African leopard – was filmed in Lorok, Laikipia County, Kenya, on remote cameras set up as part of a large-scale study aimed at understanding the population dynamics of leopards. Dramatic night photos of this are available at the link mentioned here. (*)
Murphy is a Floridian rescue greyhound (Canis Lupus Familiaris) He sleeps most of the day. He might be able to survive for a day or two on the African savanna before finding a friendly human. He is an excellent hunter and can outpace a cheetah on the long run, clocked at 45 to 50 mph for at least 275 yards and 35 mph for 7 miles. The best African animal survivors are pack animals, and the domesticated dog has lost this complex behavior instinct important for family group survival.
Wild dogs ( Lycaon not Canine), Maasai Mara, Kenya. Just rising from their nest to begin their hunt.
There were some Florida animals in the wild that were directly comparable to those seen in our African safari. These are birds and reptiles. The two apex predators that I saw most often were the Sea Eagles (Osprey) / African Sea Eagles as well as the Florida alligator/African crocodiles. The lizards spend most of their time cruising the water and lying on the shore waiting and watching for an opportunity to eat. The birds, on the other hand, were busy and exceptionally photogenic.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetu) (aka fish eagle), Florida, Everglades. Half eaten fish in talons after plucking it from the Gulf
Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) Okavango Delta, Botswan. Going out to fish in the near by river.
Florida alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) waiting for a raccoon or turtle.
Kenyan crocodiles (Crocodylus suchus) waiting for wildebeest
No doubt about it. The birds worked throughout the day. The African Sea Eagles and their cousins, Florida Osprey, were constantly searching and bringing fish back to eat or to feed their brood in the nest. The surprise was to see that these unfettered bird species which are different species but so similar in their size, behavior, and call.
We will spend additional time describing these bird and cat predators. The Zoo is wonderful to visit and see these animals. It is a good place to sharpen your camera skills for animal portraiture. It is a great place to show the real-life animals to children. Zoos are excellent for research and help preserve endangered animal stock. In the wild these same creatures are daily interacting with one another and their environment. There are no barriers separating them. They all struggle for survival. They pay no attention to people. If you want real understanding of the life in a giant working and evolving ecosystem you need to go out and experience it. We live in the Everglades reserve area. This is one of our National and State treasures. If you simply drive a few miles and walk into the Florida reserve area with a guide you may have an experience similar to ours in the Okavango Delta of Botswana
When visiting the Zoo I have a better appreciation why the animals are sleeping and just hanging out most of the time. It is just their nature to do so.
With this season we are nearing the completion of the annual cycle of the flowering trees before departing to Africa and Europe. We started this series in the first week of December of 2021 with Trees of Christmas. It has been a remarkable adventure to learn about and collect images and data for the flowering trees in South West Florida (SWFL). Nearly every hue and chroma of the rainbow has been represented in the flowers ranging from deep indigo to brilliant intense reds. See more details about them on our Epicollect5 website. The trees all have exotic origins from Europe, Africa, India and Central/South America. Perhaps we will find some similar trees in Botswana’s Okavango delta and the plaines of Kenya. If all goes as planned we will be there in August of this year.
The featured image is a Purple Glory.
Many of the Blooming Trees of Late Spring are still in flower and in part include the Royal Poinciana, Jacaranda, Plumeria, and the Mexican Tulip. Missing is the Bauhania which had been blooming since Christmas. It has, at last, given up the last flowers.
Royal Flamboyant Poinciana. Still one of my favorite flowering trees, it is repeatedly throwing out new blossoms and filling the neighborhood with a spectacular display of color.
Here are the last of the newly blooming trees which I found on my last walk about.
Pride of India (Langerstroemia Speciiosa). Native to South Eastern Asia including India.Australian umbrella (Scheffera actinophylla). An evergreen tree native to Queensland Australia. Toxic to dogs and cats when eaten or touched by the sap.Not as big as a standard tree the Princess flower tree is also known as Purple glory. It has some of the most intense purple flowers.Purple glory (Pleroma semidacandrum) is native to Brazil.
All of these blossoms are found less frequently as the summer progresses. The neighborhoods and wilderness are definitely less colorful. The remaining flowers will probably last for two months. We will look again after returning from the safari. The interesting plants now include palms and pines. Next year adventures will focus on the palm trees more closely showing the varieties of colors, leaf patterns and fruiting bodies. We will finish the series by making the autumnal blossoms posting during the end of October.
After returning from Africa I hope to post a number of articles comparing the landscape, water features, plants and animals to those in SWFL. I expect these to be very interesting and hope that you are also interested.
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Is a palm tree not a tree? In categorizing plants and animals for the Everglades Ark Epicollect5 data base I was conflicted in assigning the characteristics of trees to palms. I have called them palm trees forever but they really look different from oak, olive or other trees. Checking out the definition of a tree resulted in an ambiguous answer.
Featured image: In a spin about palms
Definition of tree: From a technical standpoint, palms fit American Forests’ current definition of trees, as they are woody plants with an erect perennial stem or trunk, at least 9.5 inches in circumference at 4.5 feet above the ground. They also have a definitively formed crown of foliage and a height of at least 13 feet.
This still didn’t satisfy my curiosity. I still wondered why they were so different. Here are photographs of tree aspects to show the physical differences:
Tree landscape view
Olive tree, rigid and arborized branches standing adjacent to palm
Palm tipped by heavy wind storm
Leaf patterns
Central vein with alternating branched secondary veins
Radial symmetry of straight palm leaves with straight unbranching veins
Photomacrograph leaves
Here is a demonstration of reticular veining ~35X
All straight, parallel veining without branching ~35X
Photomicrograph of leaves
Branching veins becoming progressively smaller as they branch ~600X
Straight, parallel veins even at the microscopic level at ~800X
Common biology of both di and mono cotyledonous plants. Both have chloroplasts for metabolism and stoma
Stoma are more randomly disbursed in the leaf surface. The stoma are on the underside of the leaf in the dicot group ~800X
Xylem and phloem circulation and stoma for respiration. The stoma are on the upper side of the leaf ~800X
Tree roots
Broad and deep root system of dicotyledon, olive tree adjacent to monocotyledon palm.
Root ball of monocotyledon, palm exposed by erosion
Tree cross sections
Tree rings show annual growth and suggest weather conditions. Specialized bark system.
No rings and no mechanism to repair. Bark is a remnant of leaf system.
Tree behavior to injury
Progressive but not yet complete healing of dicot tree
There is no mechanism for healing in palm trees.
Flowers
All dicots have five petals to their flowers
No petals but other monocots have three petals
Here is a list tabulating differences in the characteristics between the tree types.
Aspects:
Palm
True tree
Roots
shallow multiple small distributed
deep, branching with tap root
Trunk
the trunk is actually the stem which bends
thick, rigid
Branches
no branches
multiple arborizations
Leaves
veins beginatthebase, run parallel to the length of the leaf, stoma on upper leaf surface
central veins with multiple arborizations to leaf periphery, stoma on lower side of leaf
Outer surface
stumps of old growth leaves, no structured interior wood
specialized bark covering wood
Trunk core
fibrous without annular rings
woody, highly structured interior nutrient flow system
Comparison of plant distinguishing characteristics
A palm tree is really a palm grass.1 They are monocotyledons. Genetically they are similar to other grasses like bamboo. They are resistant to storm damage fracture because of their lack of a woody interior structure but are more subject to uprooting because of their shallow roots.
Grasses are flowering plants that are members of the monocot class that also include corn, rice, lilies, orchids and palms. Now that I understand what a palm is I can more freely post palm types, flowers and fruits. Later I will show the microscopic view of tree anatomy pointing out differences between monocots and dicots.
This subject opens a wide spectrum of ideas regarding plants. We have already broached the idea of cotyledons. There is much more to explore including the microscopic examination of cross sections of plants and their appendages or stems, roots and flowers as well as angiosperms vs gymnosperms and the role of sexual vs asexual reproduction and seed development.
The micrographs shown here are all done with simple direct bright field and transmitted light. Just wait until we get into cross sectional, stained, transmitted plane, and polarized light illumination!
The Epicollect5 database will be modified to reflect this altered view of classification.
Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja) and Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) share the limited water in the marsh during this dry period before the monsoon season. They both feed in the shallow marshes but do not compete for the same prey. The Spoon Bills are bottom filter feeders while the Storks pick up insects and small fish. The Spoon Bills spend much more time preening than the Wood Storks. I find this particular group appealing because of the stark difference in the feather colors and behaviors of the two species. The spoonbills are so much more flamboyant than the severe storks. Both are iconic birds of SW FL. The feature image is an overview of the flock of birds including the spoonbills, wood storks as well as snowy egret and maybe a blue heron.
“I hope you don’t mind me drying my plumage here.” I emphasized the visual line of interest here.“There! Now I’m all clean and dry. Arn’t I beautiful?” I really like the reflections in the water in this image.“Eeeks! Goodness Chickie! Can’t you do that somewhere else? I just got done doing my feathers!”At last some peace and quiet in this stand of isolated mangroves that has water at this period of high tide.
With diminished water and a protracted drought, water dependent birds are crouded together. These conditions make photography interesting. The birds may be more remote and thereby technically more difficult to photograph. The more compact group with more variety improves opportunities to observe bird behavior. The best approach I had for the group image was still at a distance of 150 meters. The image was just at the limit of the hand held 300mm lens that I had in my bag. I casually followed one bird through the afternoon and in the late in the day it sought an isolated area away from the flock. The fill-in-flash picked up the brilliant colors.
Make a comment: Which bird images do you prefer, roseate spoonbills or flamingos?
4 responses to “Wild African Predators and Their Cousins In Florida”
That was a fascinating article! I had no idea that those animals slept most of the day. Thanks for sharing.
When visiting the Zoo I have a better appreciation why the animals are sleeping and just hanging out most of the time. It is just their nature to do so.
Hi Sherry! I hope that you find these entertaining as well as informative. They take a lot of work/time.
[…] The featured image is a male lion, “King of the beasts”. See our previous post on African Predators. […]