Histisol Floodplain Marshes and Swamps

Description

This state is characterized by a hydroperiod of four to eight months and is typically dominated by hydrophytic grasses and sedges along vast open expanses. Communities closer to the flooding waterbody will have slightly longer hydroperiods than sites found furthest from the flooded waterbody. Shorter hydroperiods are found furthest from the waterbody and are less frequently flooded. They are continuously wet but rarely inundated soils on slightly higher elevations. Relatively longer hydroperiods support more homogenous grassland communities. The main drivers in this community consist of hydrology and fire regimes, relying on short fire return intervals of 1 to 2 years to maintain its grass and shrub community.

Characteristics and indicators

This state is characterized by large expanses of grasslands and shrublands found on histisols adjacent to a waterbody that floods.

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Description

The natural (native) vegetation of this state is mainly dominated by Bald Cypress and Pond Cypress (Taxodium distichum and T. ascendens, respectfully). Occasional fire contributes to the maintenance of a cypress dominated community; without fire, hardwood invasion and peat accumulation create a mixed hardwood and cypress swamp, and under certain conditions the stand may convert to a hardwood forest. Along the floodplain of a river or creek, an even-aged stand of cypress trees may be present throughout. These organic soils create a unique environment that increases species diversity and structural development in forested wetland communities.

Characteristics and indicators

This state is characterized by nearly pure stands of cypress trees (Taxodium spp.) that are distinguished by buttressed trunks. They have smaller, younger trees along the periphery of the swamps furthest from the waterbody contributing to its flooding conditions. These will often form an even-aged stand of cypress trees of relative width and height.

Resilience management

This state is maintained by both stressors from water and fire. Inundation ranges from 100 to 300 days per year which only allow hydrophytic tolerant species to survive. Drainage of this site can allow for the invasion of non-native and exotic species and transition the site to a more mesic hardwood community. Fire may be rare in this community, naturally extinguishing itself along the fringes of swamps found adjacent to pyrogenic communities. Interior swamps are very rarely subject to fire due to extreme soil saturation, but is possible during periods of extreme drought, causing peat fires and transitioning the area to a nonforested community.

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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 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 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 soils) 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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