Sandy over Loamy Flatwoods and Hammocks on Rises and Knolls of Mesic Uplands

Description

This state has vegetation consisting of having an open canopy of widely spaced pine trees with a low, dense, well-developed shrubby understory. They occur on on slight rises and knolls in surrounding lower elevation communities. The shrub layer consists primarily of shrubby oak species and species commonly seen in lower elevation communities. Forbs and grasses may be present but will not be dominant in this community, the ground layer is generally bare sand openings.

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Description

This state has vegetation consisting of having a low, closed canopy of mature oak trees with an open understory consisting of shrub characteristic to the reference state. They occur when fire has been excluded from the reference state for a long period of time, allowing for the shrubby oaks to mature in the overstory.

Resilience management

These hammock communities are the result of fire exclusion or lengthened fire return intervals combined with low intensity winter burning. Relatively incombustible oak litter will increase shading of the ground cover and decrease the growth of herbaceous species, while the oak grows and matures in the overstory.

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Description

Rangelands are described as lands on which the indigenous vegetation is predominately grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, and possibly shrubs or dispersed trees. Existing plant communities can include both native and introduced plants. Primary export from Florida ranges are cattle and have been present in the state since their first introduction by Spanish explorers in 1521. Native forage production is very good with proper management in this community, with only a slight effect on the community. Proper management will often result in an increase of grasses and reduction of shrubs while also maintaining proper fire intervals. Rangelands provide a diversity of ecosystems and also provide a diverse and significant production of economic benefits and ecosystem goods and services. Livestock production along with sustainable wildlife populations provide for the major direct economic benefits, but also tourism, recreational uses, minerals/energy production, renewable energy, and other natural resource uses can be very significant. Vital ecosystem contributions include clean water, clean air, fish/wildlife habitat, as well as intangible considerations such as historical, cultural, aesthetic and spiritual values. It is strongly advised that consultation with State Resource Conservationist and District Conservationists at local NRCS Service Centers be sought when assistance is needed in developing management recommendations or prescribed grazing practices.

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Description

Pasture is a land use type having vegetation cover comprised primarily of introduced or enhanced native forage species that is used for livestock grazing. Pasture vegetation can consist of grasses, legumes, other forbs, shrubs or a mixture. The majority of these forages are introduced, having originally come from areas in other states or continents. Most are now naturalized and are vital components of pasture based grazing systems. Pasture lands provide many benefits other than forage for livestock. Wildlife use pasture as shelter and for food sources. Well managed pasture captures rainwater that is slowly infiltrated into the soil which helps recharge groundwater. Many small pasture livestock operations are near urban areas providing vistas for everyone to enjoy. It is especially important as livestock managers continues to experience extraordinarily high fuel and other input costs.

Overgrazed pastures can lead to soil compaction and numerous bare spots, which may then become focal points of accelerated erosion and colonization sites of undesirable plants or weeds. It is strongly advised that consultation with State Resource Conservationist and District Conservationists at local NRCS Service Centers be sought when assistance is needed in developing management recommendations or prescribed grazing practices. This grassland / pastureland state correlates with the 2013 Florida Forage Suitability Group G155XB231FL (Sandy over Loamy Soils on Flats and Rises of Mesic Uplands).

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Description

The agriculture industry includes cultivated crops, aquaculture, and apiculture. Cultivated cropland includes areas used for the production of adapted crops for harvest. These areas comprise of land in row crops or close-grown crops that are in a rotation with row or close-grown crops. Many of the phases within this state can be seen on soils as crop rotations and cover crops to maintain or improve soil health. Primary exports from Florida consist of fruits, greenhouse and nursery products, sugar cane, and the signature export of citrus. Aquaculture includes the cultivation and maintenance of aquatic plants, aquatic reptiles, crustaceans, food/ ornamental fish, shellfish, and other miscellaneous species for harvesting. Apiculture includes the maintenance of honeybees and hives to provide beeswax, honey/ other edible bee products, crop pollination services, and sales of bees to other beekeepers. These areas have been modified resulting in land clearing practices and hydrologic management to fit the growers needs. It is strongly advised that consultation with State Agronomist and District Conservationists at local NRCS Service Centers be sought when assistance is needed in developing management recommendations.

Resilience management

Major natural resource concerns facing cropland include: (1) erosion by wind and water, (2) maintaining and enhancing soil quality, (3) water quality from nutrient and pesticides runoff and leaching, and (4) managing the quantity of water available for irrigation. For more specific information regarding cropland please contact your local NRCS office.

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Description

This state is important and used by silviculturists, landowners, land managers, and the public/private industry. Silviculture is land used in controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the diverse needs and values of landowners and society such as wildlife habitat, timber, water resources, restoration, and recreation on a sustainable basis. These are forestry practices that include thinning, harvesting, planting, pruning, prescribed burning and site preparation, for managed goals such as wildlife habitat creation or harvesting. Many managed silvicultural lands in Florida include tree plantations for growth of tropical ornamental species such as palms; and lumber, pulp, and paper species such as slash pine, longleaf pine, cypress, and eucalyptus.

Resilience management

This state is managed by silviculture prescriptions that will vary based on individual forest stand and management goals.

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Description

This state represents the dominance of one or multiple non-native or exotic species which out competes the native natural community and may significantly alter the composition and structure of the invaded stand by overshading the canopy and understory components and preventing regeneration of forest species.

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Description

These areas include soils that were intentionally and substantially modified by humans for an intended purpose, commonly for terraced agriculture, building support, mining, transportation, and commerce. The alteration is of sufficient magnitude to result in the introduction of anew parent material (human-transported material) or a profound change in the previously existing parent material (human-altered material).They do not include soils modified through standard agricultural practices or farmed soils with unintended wind and water erosion. When a soil is on or above an anthropogenic landform or microfeature, it can be definitely be associated with human activity and is assigned to a unique taxa, usually found as an "Urban land complex" within that communities' natural soil properties (e.g, Cassia fine sand-Urban land complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes).

Characteristics and indicators

Evidence of these areas include soils with manufactured items (e.g. artifacts) present in the profile, human altered-materials (e.g., deeply excavated or deeply plowed soil) or human-transported material (e.g., fill), and position on or above anthropogenic landforms (e.g., flood-control levees) and microfeatures (e.g., drainage ditches). Detailed criteria regarding the identification of anthropogenic (artificial) landforms, human-altered materials, and human-transported material are in the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy" (Soil Survey Staff, 2014).

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