Subtropical Hardwood Hammocks of Miami Ridge / Atlantic Coastal Strip
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Catastrophic Fire
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Transition T1B
Invasion of Non-Native / Exotic Species
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Transition T1C
Modified for Desired Land Use
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Transition T1D
Human Alteration / Transportation of Materials
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Restoration pathway R2A
Hammock Reestablishment
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Transition T2A
Invasion of Non-Native/ Exotic Species
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Transition T2B
Modify for Desired Land Use
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Transition T2C
Human Alteration / Transportation of Materials
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Restoration pathway R3A
Mechanical / Biological / Chemical Removal
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Restoration pathway R3B
Mechanical / Biological / Chemical Removal
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Restoration pathway R3C
Mechanical / Biological / Chemical Removal
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Restoration pathway R4A
Landscape and Habitat Restoration
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Restoration pathway R4B
Landscape and Habitat Restoration
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Transition T4A
Invasion of Non-Native / Exotic Species
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Transition T4B
Human Alteration / Transportation of Materials
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Restoration pathway R5A
Modified Land Reclamation
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
This state described mesic or xeric forests dominated mainly by hardwood trees. These communities are typically found on well drained soil on knolls within the landscape. They are not typically pyrogenic but can tolerate low ground fires which maintain species diversity and community structure.
Submodel
Description
This state describes the hammock community after a catastrophic fire burns through the duff layer and kills the roots of less fire tolerant species such as oaks. While oaks are tolerant of low intensity ground fires, high intensity fires can kill these species. The remaining vegetation are species that are tolerant of high intensity fires, and will remain as dominant species until the shade-tolerant species such as oak can become reestablished over time.
Submodel
Description
This state consists of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Non-Native Category 1 Species list . More information on these species list can be found:
https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/63140/file/Florida%E2%80%99s_Pest_Plants.pdf
or by contacting the UF / IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/),
the UF / IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/),
or the FWC Invasive Plant Management Section (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/invasive-plants/).
This community will not represent every possibility of invasive species but rather the most common in these areas.
Characteristics and indicators
Non-native species include species that exist outside of Florida's native range and introduced to the state by people, weather, or any other means.
Resilience management
This state can be found as a part of any other state and can completely destroy the native habitat if not properly managed. Restoration to natural communities after exotic invasion include practices such as mechanical, biological, and chemical removals.
Description
The following communities comprise the major land uses in the United States and the land uses receiving the majority of the conservation treatment that address soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources within the USDA.
Characteristics and indicators
These land uses consist of areas that are not completely naturalized (i.e. native habitat) but are not completely altered by anthropogenic means.
Submodel
States 2 and 5 (additional transitions)
4.2. Open Transitional Managed Communities
4.5. Silviculture
Description
These areas include soils that were intentionally and substantially modified by humans for an intended purpose, commonly for terraced agriculture, building support, mining, transportation, and commerce. The alteration is of sufficient magnitude to result in the introduction of a new parent material (human-transported material) or a profound change in the previously existing parent material (human-altered material). They do not include soils modified through standard agricultural practices or formed soils with unintended wind and water erosion. When a soil is on or above an anthropogenic landform or microfeature, it can be definitely be associated with human activity and is assigned to a unique taxa, usually found as an "Urban land complex" within that communities natural soil properties (e.g., Flagami-Ravenwood-Urban land complex, 0-5% slopes).
Characteristics and indicators
Evidence of these areas include soils with manufactured items (e.g. artifacts) present in the profile, human altered-materials (e.g., deeply excavated or deeply plowed soil) or human-transported material (e.g., fill), and position on or above anthropogenic landforms (e.g., flood-control levees) and microfeatures (e.g., drainage ditches). Detailed criteria regarding the identification of anthropogenic (artificial) landforms, human-altered materials, and human-transported material are in the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy" (Soil Survey Staff, 2014).
Submodel
Mechanism
This transition is driven by a catastrophic fire that may occur due to decreased hydroperiods or in periods of extreme drought which burns the duff layer and kills the roots of fire intolerant species. While oaks can tolerate low intensity ground fires, high intensity fires may kill the root system of the oaks, transitioning the community to a cabbage palm / pine forest while the oak species resprout.
Mechanism
The invasion of non-native or exotic species can be driven by a multitude of different environmental factors such as changes in natural hydroperiods or in fire regimes. Typically once a change in one of the two factors mentioned above occurs, non-native or exotic invasive species become established and begin to compete with native species for habitat and nutrients.
Constraints to recovery
Recovery from non-native or exotic invasive species may be difficult due to many adaptations which allow them to outcompete and survive in altered conditions. Localized knowledge for each species must be known for best removal of it without harming the native environment, and often different treatments must be applied over one given area.
Context dependence
Growth of non-native and exotic invasive species can be rapid following a change in a natural stressor such as fire frequency or natural hydroperiods which might have once kept the invasive species at bay.
Mechanism
Modify the land for the desired land use. This may include the establishment of grazing species or the modification of land for the cultivation of crops of other desired products.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Mechanism
Time is the restoration strategy for the transition back to oak hammocks if the seed stock hasn't been destroyed in the catastrophic fire. Oak are light intolerant species which can filter sunlight in shaded conditions, allowing them to grow slowly. Over time they can become reestablished as part of the overstory, creating a low closed canopy with an emergent layer of pine species and cabbage palms. As the oaks mature in the hammock, the shaded ground conditions prevent the growth of new pines, leaving the emergent pine species present until they are removed (windthrow, logging, etc.).
Mechanism
The invasion of non-native or exotic species can be driven by a multitude of different environmental factors such as changes in natural hydroperiods or in fire regimes. Typically once a change in one of the two factors mentioned above occurs, non-native or exotic invasive species become established and begin to compete with native species for habitat and nutrients.
Constraints to recovery
Recovery from non-native or exotic invasive species may be difficult due to many adaptations which allow them to outcompete and survive in altered conditions. Localized knowledge for each species must be known for best removal of it without harming the native environment, and often different treatments must be applied over one given area.
Context dependence
Growth of non-native and exotic invasive species can be rapid following a change in a natural stressor such as fire frequency or natural hydroperiods which might have once kept the invasive species at bay.
Mechanism
Modify the land for the desired land use. This may include the establishment of grazing species or the modification of land for the cultivation of crops of other desired products.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Mechanism
Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the non-native and exotic invasive species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for individual non-native or exotic invasive species is needed for specific management. Sometimes introduction of fire regimes may prevent or stop the growth of non-native or exotic invasive species, but many species are fire tolerant. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.
Context dependence
Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of non-native and exotic invasive species is a time dependent process, with both removal types taking long times to be considered effective.
Mechanism
Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the non-native and exotic invasive species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for individual non-native or exotic invasive species is needed for specific management. Sometimes introduction of fire regimes may prevent or stop the growth of non-native or exotic invasive species, but many species are fire tolerant. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.
Context dependence
Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of non-native and exotic invasive species is a time dependent process, with both removal types taking long times to be considered effective.
Mechanism
Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the non-native and exotic invasive species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for individual non-native or exotic invasive species is needed for specific management. Sometimes introduction of fire regimes may prevent or stop the growth of non-native or exotic invasive species, but many species are fire tolerant. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.
Context dependence
Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of non-native and exotic invasive species is a time dependent process, with both removal types taking long times to be considered effective.
Mechanism
These practices include the restoration of both the natural hydroperiods and landscape in advance of revegetating the area (if needed).
Mechanism
These practices include the restoration of both the natural hydroperiods and landscape in advance of revegetating the area (if needed).
Mechanism
The invasion of non-native or exotic species can be driven by a multitude of different environmental factors such as changes in natural hydroperiods or in fire regimes. Typically once a change in one of the two factors mentioned above occurs, non-native or exotic invasive species become established and begin to compete with native species for habitat and nutrients.
Context dependence
Recovery from non-native or exotic invasive species may be difficult due to many adaptations which allow them to survive and outcompete in intolerable conditions. Localized knowledge for each species must be known for best removal of it without harming the native environment, and often different treatments must be applied over one given area.
Growth of non-native and exotic invasive species can be rapid following a change in a natural stressor such as fire frequency or natural hydroperiods which might have once kept the invasive species at bay.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Model keys
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