Wet Hardwood Forests

Description

Wet Hardwood Forests are evergreen hardwood and/ or palm forests with a variable understory typically dominated by closed canopies of palms and oaks occurring on moist soils, with limestone bedrock often at or very near the surface. These hammocks are subject to flooding from runoff in upland sites and from overflow from adjacent river systems during the wet season.

Characteristics and indicators

Wet hardwood forests 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.

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Description

While wet hardwood forests are tolerant and dependent on occasional flooding to maintain community composition, an increase in long term hydroperiod may shift species vegetation towards more hydrophytic compositions such as a cypress dominated swamp. Increases in long term hydroperiods can occur through anthropogenic alterations such as impoundments or from increases in mean annual precipitation over time.

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Description

While wet hardwood forests are tolerant and dependent on flooding to maintain community composition, decreases in long term hydroperiod may shift species vegetation towards more mesic and xerophytic compositions. Slight decreases in hydrology in wet hardwood forests is reflected by the presence of drier vegetation such as saw palmetto and live oak. This decreases in long term hydroperiod can occur anthropogenically from drainage and ditching or from extended periods of drought.

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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/).

These species are common in areas where natural processes are interrupted via hydrology or fire regimes. The introduction of these species pose serious threats to endangered and threatened habitats and plants within Florida as they become outcompeted for habitats and nutrients.

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, biological, 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) and have been anthropogenically altered for commodity production.

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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., Immokalee 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 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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