Subtropical Moist Hammocks of Miami Ridge / Atlantic Coastal Strip

Description

Moist hammocks are evergreen hardwood and/ or palm forests with a variable understory typically dominated by palms and ferns occurring on moist soils, with limestone bedrock often at or very near the surface. They are characterized by a closed canopy with a dominance of oak species and cabbage palms.

Characteristics and indicators

Moist hammocks are typically low in height, no greater than 80 ft, with a closed canopy and sparse to open understory. Epiphytes are vastly abundant growing on tree trunks and limbs. What species exist in the understory compose of hydrophytic grasses, sedges, and ferns.

Submodel

Description

This state refers to the alteration of the long term hydroperiod within a moist hammock system. While moist hammocks are tolerant and dependent on flooding to maintain community composition, increases in the long term hydroperiod may shift species vegetation towards more hydrophytic compositions. While slight increases in hydroperiods are seen in moist hammocks, reflected in the presence of hydrophytic vegetation such as cypress, large increases in hydroperiods may change the community altogether.

Submodel

Description

This state refers to the alteration of the long term hydroperiod within a moist hammock system. While moist hammocks are tolerant and dependent on flooding to maintain community composition, decreases in the long term hydroperiod may shift species vegetation towards more mesic and xerophytic compositions. While slight decreases in hydroperiods are seen in moist hammocks, reflected in the presence of mesic and xerophytic vegetation such as pines and saw palmetto, large decreases in hydroperiods may change the community altogether.

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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 are introduced to the state via people, weather events, or any other means.

Resilience management

This state can be found as a part of any other state and can completely replace the native habitat if not properly managed. Restoration to natural communities after exotic non-native invasion includes practices such as mechanical and chemical removal.

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.

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.

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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 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., Urban land, 0-2% 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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