Ecology of South Florida (EVR 3013) LECTURE 26

ANTHROPOGENIC COMMUNITIES I

CAT BIRDS
Some birds sing a melody,
Others screech and yell;
Cardinals sing heavenly,
Cat birds sing like--well,
Not like larks and robins gay,
Each a charming sprite:
Catbirds, modest bits of gray,
Sing like dynamite!

Elizabeth MacEvitt (1931) [Jones and O'Sullivan 1995]

HANDOUTS: 1. Species List for anthropogenic communities

I. DEFINITIONS

A. Suburban landscapes

Replace hammocks, mangroves, pinelands & scrub

B. Agro-ecosystems

Replace pinelands, wet prairies, pine flatwoods, & pine rocklands.

C. Disturbed sites

Replace any ecosystem.

D. Spoil banks

Often found in marshes and wet prairies.

E. Saltwater canals

Replace mangroves and salt marshes.

F. Freshwater canals

Replace natural rivers and transect many communities.

G. Man-made lakes

Often in areas occupied by wet prairies or marshes.

II. PHYSICAL FEATURES

A. Distribution

Dominate southern Florida

B. Physical Attributes

1. Terrestrial systems

Usually drier than surrounding natural areas and often with higher nutrient levels

2. Aquatic

Often isolated from terrestrial ecosystems with high levels of pollutants from urban and agricultural run-off

III. PLANTS

A. Suburban landscapes

  1. Black olive
  2. St. Augustine grass
  3. Norfolk Island Pine
  4. Royal poinciana
  5. Coconut palm
  6. Queen palm

B. Agro-ecosystems

  1. Mangos
  2. Avocados
  3. Limes
  4. Oranges
  5. Tomatoes
  6. Green beans
  7. Squash

C. Disturbed sites

  1. Spanish needles
  2. Mexican poppy
  3. Pigweed
  4. Florida holly
  5. Jasmine
  6. Castor bean
  7. Papaya
  8. Nightshade
  9. Florida trema
  10. Lantana

D. Spoil banks

  1. Guava
  2. Broom sedge
  3. Spanish needles
  4. Florida holly
  5. Bracken fern
  6. Australian pine

E. Saltwater canals

F. Freshwater canals & man-made lakes

  1. Melaleuca
  2. Brazilian pepper
  3. Australian pine

G. Plant Species Lists for Anthropogenic Communities


1. Trees
Australian pine Casurina equisetifoliaEX

2. Shrubs

Brazilian pepper Schinus terebinthifoliusEX
Florida trema Trema micranthum

3. Herbs

Broom sedge Andropogon virginicus
Silk reed Neyraudia reynaudianaEX

4. Aquatic Herbs

Hydrilla Hydrilla verticillataEX

5. Vines

Air potato Dioscorea bulbiferaEX

IV. ANIMALS

Animal species List for Anthropogenic Communities


1. Birds
Laughing gull Larus atricilla
Monk parakeet Myiopsitta monoachus
Mourning dove Zenaida macroura
Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
N. mockingbird  Mimus polyglottos[state bird]
Ring-billed gull Larus delawarensis
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibisEX
Muscovy duck Cairina moschataEX
Killdeer Charadrius ciferus
Bluejay Cyanocitta cristata
European starling Sternus vulgarisEX
Eurasian collared dove Streptopelia decaoctoEX
House sparrow Passer domesticusEX
Red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Common myna Arcidotheres tristis
Burrowing owl Athene cuniculariaSSC
Turkey vulture Cathartes aura
Black vulture Coragyps atratus
American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish crow Corvus ossifragus
White ibis Eudocimus albusSSC
American kestrel Falco sparveriusT
Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
Boat-tailed grackle Quiscalus major
Common grackle Quiscalus quiscula

2. Mammals
Black rat Rattus rattusEX

3. Reptiles
Green iguana Iguuna iguunaEX
Brown anole Anolis sagreiEX

4. Fish
Blue tilpia Tilapia niloticusEX
Oscar Astronotus ocellatusEX

5. Amphibians
Marine toad Bufo marinusEX

6. Insects
Fire ant Solenopsis geminataEX
Fire beetle Pyrophorusspp.
Palmetto bug Periplaneta americana
Lubber Grasshopper Romalea microptera
For superscript by species name: C = commercially exploited, SSC = species of special concern, T = threatened. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission listings. EX = exotic.

V. BIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

A. Endemics

None

B. Exotics

Dominate

C. Diversity

Low

VI. ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

A. Productivity (gC/m2/yr)

moderate

B. Succession

?
Back to start,  Back to lecture 20,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25,   On to lecture 27

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