Florida Waterwise Landscapes - Alliance for Water Efficiency
Florida Waterwise Landscapes - Alliance for Water Efficiency
Florida Waterwise Landscapes - Alliance for Water Efficiency
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Prairies<br />
DRY PRAIRIES — Similar to pine flatwoods without<br />
the pine overstory; dry prairies occur in central and<br />
southern <strong>Florida</strong>. Sandy, acidic soil is present, often<br />
with hardpan and a high water table, becoming<br />
inundated only after heavy rain. Dominant species<br />
are wiregrass and broomsedges.<br />
MARL/ROCKLAND PRAIRIES — Wet grassy areas on<br />
alkaline soils intermixed with <strong>for</strong>ests on porous<br />
limestone with an understory of palms and shrubs.<br />
WET PRAIRIES — Often intermingles in ecotones<br />
with pine flatwoods, with few sparse pines, if any,<br />
allowing the sun through to stimulate a flourishing<br />
of herbaceous flora. Wet prairies are inundated by<br />
water 50–150 days of the year.<br />
Scrub<br />
Consists of <strong>Florida</strong>’s rarest plants and animals.<br />
The land area of this endangered habitat was reduced<br />
by more than 90 percent during the 20th century,<br />
leaving fragments, often in degraded condition.<br />
Infertile, sandy, excessively drained soils are high<br />
aquifer recharge areas, making scrub a particularly<br />
important ecosystem. These <strong>for</strong>ests consist of scrub<br />
sand pine, small scrub oaks, rosemary shrubs and<br />
scrub palmetto.<br />
SCRUB CYPRESS — Occurs in south <strong>Florida</strong> with<br />
thin marl soils over limestone; dwarfed pond cypress<br />
with sedges and grasses. Adjacent to the Everglades;<br />
often flooded.<br />
Cypress Swamp Forests<br />
Inundated by water most of the year. Can border<br />
rivers and lakes or be isolated; dominated by bald<br />
cypress in flowing systems and pond cypress in<br />
stagnant systems.<br />
Wetland Forests<br />
SWAMP FORESTS — Flooded most of the year along<br />
rivers and basins; characterized by pond cypress, bald<br />
cypress, red maple, water hickory, ashes and tupelo.<br />
11<br />
HYDRIC HAMMOCKS — Moist sites flooded<br />
occasionally, with evergreen and deciduous<br />
hardwoods of red maple, loblolly bay, water oak,<br />
<strong>Florida</strong> elm and cabbage palm.<br />
Freshwater Marsh<br />
Shallow wetlands that contain a variety of grasses<br />
and sedges on peat soil which may be dry during<br />
certain conditions. Common plants found are<br />
grasses, saw grass, pickerelweed, arrowhead and<br />
water lilies.<br />
Coastal Saline Wetlands<br />
<strong>Water</strong> levels in coastal wetlands are under the<br />
constant influence of tides, thus the degree of salinity<br />
varies from salt water to brackish.<br />
COASTAL SALT MARSHES — Mostly occur in north<br />
and west <strong>Florida</strong>; characterized by grasses and rushes.<br />
MANGROVE SWAMPS — Occur in central and south<br />
<strong>Florida</strong> coastal areas that flood, then drain, creating<br />
thick, nutritious muck.<br />
Pine flatwoods