Local Flora Communities Quiz

Flora

all of the plants in a given area;the book or paper that describes all the plants of a given area

Taxonomy

theory and practice of grouping individuals into species, species into larger groups, and giving these groups names, producing a classification

Phylogeny

evolutionary history of a group

Phylogenetic tree

a hypothesis and diagrammatic reconstruction of that history

Bryophytes

nonvascular plants; Mosses, liverworts, hornworts

Lycophytes

seedless vascular plants; Strobili, microphylls, above ground stem, underground stem

monilophytes

ferns

sori

clusters of sporangia

indusium

flap of green tissue covering sori

fiddleheads

curled up leaves

Gymnosperms

Flowerless seed vascular plants; cycads, conifers

Angiosperms

Flower seed vascular plants

What shapes communities?

geology, climate, fire, human disturbance

Coastal Plain

low elevation, built by erosion of mountains, and fluctuating sea levels; both depositing sediment; warm, humid climate

Florida Platform

carbonate platform formed from ancient warm, shallow ocean depositing shells and forming limestone; Suwannee channel blocked deposits from Appalachian erosion onto platform; Later covered with sandy sediments

Floridan Aquifer

water percolates through soil and porous limestone forming aquifer system, clay from ancient river deposits holds water in aquifer

Karst Landscape

limestone easily dissolves from lightly acidic rainwater forming cavities and karst landscape features: caves, sinkholes, springs

Tertiary Northern Forests

northern continents once connected in Laurasia supercontinent, similar climate throughout once formed contiguous Northern Forest, remnants of this forest exist in FL

Florida humidity

moisture and storms from gulf and Atlantic as well as low elevation keeps Florida humid, in summer moist sea breezes encounter sun heated land causing air to rise and form thunderstorms

Climate changes and migration in FL

Migrations from humid Caribbean and central/south America, Migrations from arid west during dry Pliocene, Land expansion/retraction during glacial/interglacial with plant migrations and changes in flora and communities

Pleistocene

large climate/sea level changes during Pleistocene (2.5mya

Fire in FL

high lightening flash density in Coastal Plain and FL, Large expanses of open canopy habitats with pines, low shrubs, herbaceous groundcover feedback fire

Risks to FL communities

Agriculture, Urban sprawl, invasive species, climate change: sea level, salt water encroachment, drought, hurricanes, unsuitable habitat

Hardwood Community Characteristics

dense, closed canopy; increased organic matter from leaf litter; cool, humid, low wind, low light on floor and subcanopy; moist soil mix of clay, sand, and silt; near water table; less acidic than pine; rare/absent fire; large hardwood trees and shrubs

Upland Mixed Woodland Characteristics

transition between wet hardwood and dry pine communities; partially closed canopy; dry, loamy soil with less clay and more sand; occasional fire; Common species: Quercus falcata, white hickory

Upland Hardwood Forests Characteristics

Dense, deciduous, and diverse canopy, near limestone bedrock and water table, northern species present, mesic, nutrient rich, sandy, more clay soils, Common species: Magnolia grandiflora, Carya glabra, Acer floridanum

Mesic Hammock Characteristics

dominated by Quercus virginiana and Sabel palmetto, sandy soil, replaces historic pine in absence of fire

Xeric Hammock

dry sandhill, more dry adapted oaks and evergreen hardwoods

Hydric hammock

Evergreen, closed canopy of oaks and palms, sparse understory of ferns and grasses, low, wet soil close to limestone and water table, occasionally floods, common species: swamp laurel, Quercus virginiana, sabal palmetto, Juniperus virginiana, Acer rubrum

Alluvial Forest

river floodplains and terraces, flooded for portion for growing season, sand and river sediment soil, Common species: water hickory, Betula nigra, Acer rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana

Upland Pine Community Characteristics

above water table; dry, sandier, acidic soil; long leaf pine thrives; fire controlled open habitats; warm and humid

Long leaf pine adaptions

Grass stage that tolerates fire while it establishes root system. Tree quickly shoots up to grow above fire. They then slowly grow

What happened at end of last glacial period?

the climate in the Coastal Plain became warmer and wetter, currents shifted creating an onset of summertime and human populations spread throughout the region. Longleaf pine subsequently spread to its pre

Sandhills Characteristics

high elevation on ridges or sand dunes; far from water table; well drained sandy, dry, infertile soil; dominated by long leaf pine; frequent mild fires; common species: Pinus palustris, shrub oaks, grasses

Scrub Characteristics

high elevation on ridges or sand dunes; far from water table; well drained sandy, dry, infertile soil; infrequent, hot fires; no longleaf pine; reduced shrubby woody vegetation; common species: Pinus clausa, shrub rosemary, shrub oaks

Flatwood Characteristics

poorly drained silty/sandy soil with underlying clay layer and/or organic matter

Coastal plain

low relief and is sedimentary, slow moving rivers, wide alluvial valleys, high organic matter, varying moisture surplus, similar to northern post

Outer Coastal plain

level or gentle sloping to coast; lowlands, marshes, estuaries, river deltas, and many herbaceous species; marine and alluvial sediment deposits

Inner coastal plain

Hillier, many streams, sediment from ancient erosion of Appalachians

Nonforested Wetlands

Bogs, prairies, marshes

Bogs/prairies characteristics

seepage slopes or flat, low areas surrounded by fire

prairie

herbaceous species, carnivorous species, orchids, sedges, and other semi aquatic plants

bog

denser organic matter and less fire; woody shrub plants: swamp titi and sphagnum moss

Freshwater marshes

longer flooding; form in depressions, wider basins, and floodplains of rivers; frequent to occasional fire; herbaceous; high amount of peat in soil; river sediments if within river floodplain; Common species: semi

depression marshes

in sinkholes and seepage slope prairies within pine flatwoods, frequent fire; common species: Pitcher plants, orchids, sundews

Basin marshes

low areas atop sediment, collect rain, less fire

Forested Wetlands

hydrophyics trees; wet, silty, organic soils with peat/clay that drain poorly; sinkhole depressions or wider basins close to water table; flooded for portions of the year

Cypress/Tupelo Swamps

Deeper water with longer hydroperiod; Cypress and Tupelo trees dominate; aquatic sedges and grasses; Floodplains where water flows: Bald cypress; Basin and depression with still water: pond cypress

cypress dome

sinkhole depression where tallest trees are in center

Baygall

base of pine flatwood seepage slopes along river channels; shallow; poor drainage; clsoed canopy; thick, woddy vegetation; common species: sweetbay, loblolly bay, gallberry, magnolia virginiana

Upland Pine Communities

Ordway

Freshwater Wetland Communities

NATL

Upland Hardwood Communities

Alfred Ring

Learning Outcomes

How has geology shaped FL flora?

The Florida platform’s limestone foundation causes features like sinkholes and depressions, which can form habitats like swamps and marshes. Florida’s platform was covered with sand, silt, and clay. Since the continents were once connected there are remnants of the once contiguous northern forest in Florida.

How has climate shaped FL flora?

moisture and storms from the Gulf and Atlantic with low elevation keep Florida humid. Large climate shifts during the Pleistocene with cycles of global glaciation caused flora migrations in Florida. During the dry Pliocene migration of flora to Florida from the arid west occurred.

How has fire shaped FL flora?

Florida has a high flash density leading to more fires. Large expanses of open habitats with pines and low ground cover causes feedback for fire. This causes flora to have fire adaptions to survive.

How has human disturbance shaped FL flora?

Humans have altered Florida’s flora through agriculture, urban sprawl, bringing invasive species in, and contributing to climate change