Subtropical Freshwater Forested Wetlands of Everglades

Description

These occur as isolated areas of mineral soil or organic materials on knolls which support freshwater forested wetland species. These are the "Tree Islands" seen throughout the Everglades that rise above the sawgrass prairies and are subject to frequent flooding conditions during the wet season. They are dominated by a heavy canopy closure, causing deep interior shade, which help control the temperature and moisture retention. The vegetation is dense, heavy, strong wood, and shallow spreading root systems which adapt these species to harsh wind, periodic droughts, fire, and flooding conditions.

It is important to note there are multiple vegetative communities that may exist as tree islands (expressed in the submodel). They are all included in one ESD due to the similar management considerations, flooding frequency, soil components, geomorphic positions, and mapping constraints which may be amended with a higher detail survey in future projects.

Characteristics and indicators

These are the tree islands which rise above the landscape within the Everglades ecoregion. They are generally small in size and orientated in a north south direct in aerial images. During the dry season (November to June) the island may be completely dry and support understory vegetation. During the wet season, the surrounding sawgrass marshes may create flooding conditions which submerge the understory of these islands. These are highly protected communities and hold high cultural importance with the local Native American tribes.

Resilience management

Resilience for these communities is dependent on the specific vegetative community (described in the submodel). However, extended hydroperiods and fire frequency and intensity are the two most important factors in this environment. Extended hydroperiods may cause erosion problems to the mineral islands, destroying this community. Extreme fires may destroy the organic islands, with the absence of fire allowing expansion of the community. Typically once a mineral island is destroyed it cannot be restored, but may be replaced by an organic island (baygall / willow head). Hydrologic management would need to be addressed from the source of flooding, the extensive canals and ditches used to drain the Everglades Agricultural Areas immediately adjacent off the south side of Lake Okeechobee.

Submodel

Description

This state directly correlates with the Non-Forested Glades Marsh and Slough Wetlands Ecological Site and all information regarding this ESD should be referred to in R156AY220FL. This state becomes dominant in replacement of tree islands when they become destroyed. This can be due to hydrologic erosion of mineral soil tree islands by increased hydrologic flow due to human alteration or via destruction from intense fire during drought in the organic soil tree islands.

Characteristics and indicators

These are the sawgrass marsh and slough wetlands that are dominated by vast expanses of sawgrass with open drainageways throughout.

Description

This state consists of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Non-Native Category 1 Species list . More information on these species list can be found:

https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/63140/file/Florida%E2%80%99s_Pest_Plants.pdf

or by contacting the UF / IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/),

the UF / IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/),

or the FWC Invasive Plant Management Section (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/invasive-plants/).

This community will not represent every possibility of invasive species but rather the most common in these areas.

Characteristics and indicators

Non-native species include species that exist outside of Florida's natural range and introduced to the state by people, weather, or any other means.

Resilience management

This state can be found as a part of any other state and can completely destroy the native habitat if not properly managed. Restoration to natural communities after exotic invasion include practices such as mechanical, biological, and chemical removals.

Description

The following communities comprise the major land uses in the United States and the land uses receiving the majority of the conservation treatment that address soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources within the USDA.

This state may not occupy a large role in this ecological site, but areas in the northern Everglades ecoregion have been extensively altered and managed for range, agriculture, and silviculture in present day uses. Any conversion to these communities have been done over a large landscape setting, primarily the Everglades Agricultural Area. Often the small tree islands will be destroyed and the area will be managed based off the (drained) highly organic soils of the surrounding glades marsh (R156AY220FL).

Characteristics and indicators

These land uses consist of areas that are not completely naturalized (i.e. native habitat) but are not completely altered by anthropogenic means.

Submodel

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 a new 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 formed 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., Macks Camp muck, ponded-Urban land complex, 0-2% slopes, occasionally flooded).

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).

Submodel