BIODIVERSITY OF THE PRESERVE

The biological diversity of the Preserve is the result of its earlier history as part of the Everglades along with its establishment of a natural area with the planting of native species by students, faculty and staff. The initial establishment of vegetation has attracted animals, and they have brought seeds that have added even more species to the Preserve. Part of the plant diversity in the Preserve (see the following table) is a result of this earlier history and much of it is also the result of plantings. Part of the flora consists of exotic species not native to south Florida. This provisional list of 203 species includes a good number of native shrubs and trees that were planted in 1978 and in following years.

These plants provide the habitat and food for a variety of animals. We provide a complete list of the butterflies observed in the Preserve, compiled by Tom Pliske. The butterfly list is large, some 45 species, reflecting the variety of plants on which these species lay their eggs and obtain nectar.

We were not able to include complete a list of vertebrate animals in time for the charrette, but include a list of the birds. Ninety-five bird species have been observed in the Preserve, 48 of these are resident and 38 nest there. There are approximately 20 species of amphibians and reptiles, and a similar number of mammals. Notable among the latter is a single gopher tortoise observed this year, the gray fox, and possums and raccoons. With the exception of the gopher tortoise (a state species of special concern), there is nothing very rare in this list.

What makes the biodiversity special is its proximity to our laboratories and classrooms.

PLANTS OF THE FIU ECOSYSTEM PRESERVE
SPECIES	AUTHORITY	COMMON NAME	FAMILY	FORM
Abildgaardia ovata	(Burman f.) Kral		Cyperaceae	H
Acacia auriculiformis		Ear Leaf Acacia	Fabaceae	T
Acacia farnesiana	(L.) Willd.	Sweet Acacia	Fabaceae	T
Acalypha chamaedrifolia	(Lam.) Mueller Argent		Euphorbiaceae	H
Acrostichum aureum	L.	Leather Fern	Fern	H
Ambrosia artemisiifolia	L.		Asteraceae	H
Ammania coccinea			Lythraceae	H
Anemia adiantifolia	(L.) Swartz		Fern	F
Ardisea crenulata		Shoebutton Ardisia	Myrsinaceae	S
Ardisia escallonioides		Marlberry	Myrsinaceae	S
Aristida purpuascens	Poiret ex Lamarck		Poaceae	H
Asclepias currasavica	L.	Milkweed	Asclepiadaceae	H
Axonopus furcatus	(Flugge) Hitchcock		Poaceae	H
Baccharis halimifolia	L.		Asteraceae	S
Bauhinia purpurea	L.	Purple Orchid Tree	Fabaceae	T
Bidens alba	DC.		Asteraceae	H
Bischofia javanica	Bl.	Bischofia	Euphorbiaceae	T
Boehmeria cylindrica	(L.) Swartz		Urticaceae	H
Borreria laevis	(Lam.) Grisebach		Rubiaceae	H
Borreria verticillata			Rubiaceae	H
Bourreria cassinifolia	(A. Rich.) Griseb.	Smooth Strongbark	Boraginaceae	S
Bourreria ovata	Miers	Strongbark	Boraginaceae	T
Buchnera floridana	Gandoger		Scrophulariaceae	H
Bucida buceras	L.	Black Olive	Combretaceae	T
Bumelia celastrina	HBK.	Saffron Plum	Sapotaceae	T
Bumelia salicifolia	(L.) Swartz	Willow Bustic	Sapotaceae	T
Bursera simaruba	(L.) Sargent	Gumbo Limbo	Burseraceae	T
Calyptranthes zuzygium	(L.) Swartz	Myrtle of the River	Myrtaceae	T
Carica papaya	L.	Papaya	Caricaceae	T
Cassia chapmanii	Isely	Bahama Senna	Fabaceae	S
Casuarina equisetifolia	Forst.	Australian Pine	Casuarinaceae	T
Catharanthus roseus	(L.) F. Don. f.	Madagascar Periwinkle	Apocynaceae	H
Cenchrus pauciflorus	Benth.		Poaceae	H
Cestrum diurnum	L.		Solanaceae	S
Chamaesyce hirta	(L.) Millspaugh		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chamaesyce hypericifolia	(L.) Millspaugh		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chamaesyce hyssopifolia	(L.) Small		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chamaesyce opthalmica	(Persoon) Burch		Euphorbiaceae	H
Chrysophyllum oliviforme	L.	Satinleaf	Sapotaceae	T
Cirsium horridulum	Michx.		Asteraceae	H
Citharexylum fruticosum	L.	Fiddlewood	Verbenaceae	T
Cladium jamaicense	Cranz	Sawgrass	Cyperaceae	H
Clusia rosea	L.	Autograph Tree	Clusiaceae	T
Coccoloba diversifolia	Jacq.	Pigeon Plum	Polygonaceae	T
Coccoloba uvifera	(L.) L.	Sea grape	Polygonaceae	T
Colubrina elliptica	(Sw.) Briz. & Stern	Soldierwood	Rhamnaceae	T
Conocarpus erecta	L.	Buttonwood	Combretaceae	T
Conyza canadensis	(L.) Cronquist		Asteraceae	H
Crotolaria pumila	Ortega		Fabaceae	H
Croton glandulosus	L.		Euphorbiaceae	H
Cyanchum northropiae	(Schltr.) Alain		Asclepiadaceae	H
Cynanchum blodgettii	(Gray) Shinners		Asclepiadaceae	H
Cynoctonum mitreola	(L.) Britt.		Loganiaceae	H
Cyperus brevifolius	(Rottboel) Hassk.		Cyperaceae	H
Cyperus polystachyos	Rottboel		Cyperaceae	H
Cyperus retrorsus	Chapman		Cyperaceae	H
Dactyloctenium aegyptum	(L.) Willdenow		Poaceae	H
Desmodium incanum			Fabaceae	H
Dichromena colorata	(L.) Hitchcock		Cyperaceae	H
Digitaria ciliaris	(Retzius) Koeler		Poaceae	H
Diodia virginiana	L.		Rubiaceae	H
Eclipta alba	(L.) Hasskarl		Asteraceae	H
Eleocharis geniculata	(L.) Roemer & Schultes	Spike Rush	Cyperaceae	H
Emilia fosbergii	Nicholson		Asteraceae	H
Eragrostis elliottii	S. Watson		Poaceae	H
Erechtites hieracifolia	(L.) Rafinesque		Asteraceae	H
Erigeron quercifolius	Lam.		Asteraceae	H
Eryngium baldwinii			Apiaceae	H
Erythrina herbacea	L.	Firebush	Fabaceae	S
Eugenia axillaris	(Swartz) Willd.		Myrtaceae	T
Eugenia foetida	Persoon		Myrtaceae	T
Eupatorium capilifolium	(Lam.) Small		Asteraceae	H
Eupatorium coelestinum	L.		Asteraceae	H
Eupatorium leptophyllum	DC.		Asteraceae	H
Eustachys glauca			Poaceae	H
Eustachys petraea	(Swartz) Desv.		Poaceae	H
Evolvulus sericeus	Swartz		Convolvulaceae	H
Exothea paniculata	(Juss.) Radlk.		Sapindaceae	T
Ficus aurea	Nutt.	Strangler Fig	Moraceae	T
Ficus citrifolia	Miller	Short leaf Fig	Moraceae	T
Flaveria linearis	Lagardh		Asteraceae	H
Fuirena breviseta	(Cov.) Cov. Ex Harper		Cyperaceae	H
Galium obtusum	Bigel.		Rubiaceae	H
Gaura angustifolia	Michx.		Onagraceae	H
Gomphrena decumbens	Jacq.		Amaranthaceae	H
Guapira discolor	(Spreng.) Little	Blolly	Nyctaginaceae	T
Hamelia patens	Jacq.	Firebush	Rubiaceae	S