Ecology of South Florida (EVR 3013) LECTURE 21

WETLAND COMMUNITIES I
SWAMPS

FLORIDA

Cypress,
old . . . old.
Countless ages have passed
While you, with calm and tolerant gaze,
surveyed all,
Scornfully amused.
How can you stand
hugging the gray tatters of wistful moss,
knowing all and revealing nothing?
I wonder . . .
Were you born old?

Spanish moss
fluttering in the wind,
you are the ghosts of old men
who have always been old.
You draw back from the sharp curve
of the wind's sickle,
forlorn and afraid.
But what have ghosts to fear?

Peggy Hudgings (1935) [in Jones and O'Sullivan 1995]

HANDOUTS: 1. Species list for swamps

I. DEFINITIONS

A. Swamps

Forested wetlands

B. Marshes

Marshes are wetlands dominated by emergent, herbaceous plants [graminoids]. Trees and shrubs cover less than 33% of the community. Significant amounts of organic matter accumulate. U.S.F.W. - palustrine emergent wetland

C. Stillwater swamps

Slash pine - wet prairies
Bay heads
Cypress heads
Cypress strand
Cypress savanna
Mixed hardwood
Melalueca
Hydric hammock
Riverine
Single species (pop ash, willow)

II. PHYSICAL FEATURES

A. Distribution

still compromise more than 10% of Florida's land area

B. Physical Attributes

1. Hydroperiod

Few species can tolerate flooded soil, low oxygen and high levels of iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide

2. Fire frequency

Reduces organic matter accumulation, delays succession

3. Organic Matter accumulation

4. Source of water

C. Geology and Soils

1. geology variable but requires an impermeable layer
2. often associated with histosols and alfisols (glossaqualfs)

D. Hydrology

1. Hydroperiod

Hydroperiod is the key to explaining difference in swamps

2. Flood Tolerance

Once established cypress is one of the most flood tolerant species

III. PLANTS

A. Physiognomy

largely herbs, few shrubs and fewer trees. No epiphytes. Vines rare.

1. Trees

Medium to large

2. Canopy

Canopy is usually open but may be closed

B. Plant species list for Swamps

1. Trees
Red bay	Persea borbonia
Live oak	Quercus virginiana
Royal palm	Roystonea elata^EX
Cabbage palm	Sabal palmetto	[state tree]
Dahoon holly	Ilex cassine^C
Laurel oak	Quercus laurifolia
Bald cypress	Taxodium distichum
Red maple	Acer rubrum
Pond apple	Annona glabra
Pop ash	Fraxinus caroliniana
Melaleuca	Melaleuca quinquenervia^EX
Swamp willow	Salix caroliniana
Sweet bay	Magnolia virginiana
2. Shrubs
Brazilian pepper	Schinus terebinthifolius^EX
Cocoplum	Chyrsobalanus icaco
Wax myrtle	Myrica cerifera
3. Aquatic Herbs
Duck-potato	Sagittaria lancifolia
Pickerelweed	Pontederia cordata
Spatterdock	Nuphar lutea
Leather fern	Acrostichum danaeifolium^T
4. Epiphytes
Butterfly orchid	Encyclia tampensis^T
Cardinal air plant	Tillandsia fasciculata^C
Resurrection fern	Pleopeltis polypodioides
5. Vines
Muscadine grape	Vitis rotundifolia

IV. ANIMALS

A. Diversity and abundance is high

B. Animal species list for swamps

1. Birds
American swallow-tail kite	Elanoides forficatus
Anhinga	Anhinga anhinga
Black vulture	Coragyps atratus
Wood stork	Mycteria americana^T
Belted kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon
Great blue heron	Ardea herodius
Great egret	Casmerodius albus
Green-backed heron	Butorides striatus
Little blue heron	Egretta caerulea^SSC
White ibis	Eudocimus albus^SSC
Wild turkey	Melagris gallopavo
Red-shouldered hawk	Buteo lineatus
Snowy egret	Egretta thula^SSC
Tricolor heron	Egretta tricolor^SSC
Turkey vulture	Cathartes aura
Barred owl	Strix varia
Palm warbler	Dendroica palmarum
Bluejay	Cyanocitta cristata
Common flicker	Colaptes auratus
Pileated woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus

2. Mammals
Bobcat	Lynx rufus
Raccoon	Procyon lotor
River otter	Lutra canadensis
White-tailed deer	Odocoileus virginanus
Wild hog	Sus scrofa^EX
Florida black bear	Ursus americanus ssp. floridanus^T
Florida panther	Felis concolor ssp. coryi^T	[state animal]
Gray squirrel	Sciurus carolinensis
Opossum	Didelphis virginiana
3. Reptiles
American alligator	Alligator mississipiensis^SSC
Black racer	Coluber constrictor
Brown anole	Anolis sagrei^EX
Carolina anole	Anolis carolinensis
Florida cooter	Pseudemys floridana
Florida softshell	Apalone ferox
Water moccasin	Agkistrodon piscivorus
Rough green snake	Opheodrys aestivus
Red rat snake	Elaphe guttata
Southern five-lined skink	Eumeces inexpectatus
4. Amphibians
Green tree frog	Hyla cinera
Leopard frog	Rana sphaerocephala
Southern toad	Bufo terrestris^EX
5. Fish
Mosquitofish	Gambusia affinis
6. Butterflies
Giant swallowtail	Heraclites cresphontes
Gulf fritillary	Agraulis vanillae
Monarch	Danaus plexippus
Zebra	Heliconius charitonius	[state butterfly]
7. Crustaceans
Crayfish	Procambus alleni
8. Insects
Freshwater Mosquito	Psorophora confinnis
Honey bee	Apis mellifera
Lubber Grasshopper	Romalea microptera
9. Spiders
Star Spider	Gasteracantha elipsoides
Golden orb weaver	Nephila clavipes

For superscript by species name: C = commercially exploited, SSC = species of special concern, T = threatened. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission listings. EX = exotic.

IV. BIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

A. Endemics

None

B. Exotics

Melaleuca quiquenervia		Melaleuca
Schinus teribenthifolius		Brazilian pepper

C. Diversity

S. Florida - freshwater swamps support 188 plant species
Inversely correlated with hydroperiod
Low to high
- melaleuca
- cypress savanna
- bayheads
- single species swamps
- cypress heads
- riverine swamps
- mixed swamps
- hydric hammocks

V. ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

A. Fire

1. Common

Particularly common where hydroperiod is short

2. Severe burns

Willow swamps

3. Cypress

Resistant to fire

B. Productivity

		gC/m²/ yr
Dwarf cypress		268
Cypress strand		528

C. Succession

1. Related communities

2. See diagram

V. HUMAN EFFECTS

A. Pre-Colombian

1. aboriginal hunting

2. mound building

B. 18th and 19th century

1. logging

2. drainage beginning in late 1800's

3. Commercial hunting

C. 20th century

1. Widespread Logging

Swamps make up more than 25% of Florida's timber lands, extinction of Carolina parakeet and ivory billed woodpecker due to logging, removal of cavity trees

WETLAND COMMUNITIES I SWAMPS

I. DEFINITIONS

A. Swamps

B. Marshes

C. Stillwater swamps

II. PHYSICAL FEATURES

A. Distribution

B. Physical Attributes

1. Hydroperiod

2. Fire frequency

3. Organic Matter accumulation

4. Source of water

C. Geology and Soils

D. Hydrology

1. Hydroperiod

2. Flood Tolerance

III. PLANTS

A. Physiognomy

1. Trees

2. Canopy

B. Plant species list for Swamps

1. Trees

2. Shrubs

3. Aquatic Herbs

4. Epiphytes

5. Vines

IV. ANIMALS

A. Diversity and abundance is high

B. Animal species list for swamps

1. Birds

2. Mammals

3. Reptiles

4. Amphibians

5. Fish

6. Butterflies

7. Crustaceans

8. Insects

9. Spiders

IV. BIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

A. Endemics

B. Exotics

C. Diversity

V. ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

A. Fire

1. Common

2. Severe burns

3. Cypress

B. Productivity

C. Succession

1. Related communities

2. See diagram

V. HUMAN EFFECTS

A. Pre-Colombian

1. aboriginal hunting

2. mound building

B. 18th and 19th century

1. logging

2. drainage beginning in late 1800's

3. Commercial hunting

C. 20th century

1. Widespread Logging

2. Drainage

3. Water diversion

4. Changes in water quality

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WETLAND COMMUNITIES I
SWAMPS