An Inventory of the Plant Communities of the Turner River Area, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
Gunderson L, Loope LL, Maynard WR. 1982. An Inventory of the Plant Communities of the Turner River Area, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida. SFRC T-648. South Florida Research Center. Homestead, Florida
Many factors influence the distribution of plant communities in the Big Cypress area of southern Florida. A spectrum of hydrologic conditions is found throughout the communities, ranging from deep water areas with long periods of inundation to "upland" areas with no inundation. The hydrologic regime in each community is a result of topographic and edaphic features combined with the rainfall pattern characterized by a pronounced wet season in May-October. Other natural influences on the succession within each vegetation type include the effects of hurricanes, fires, frosts, lightning and animals (Craighead, 1971). Man-induced changes on the plant communities are a result of lumbering, canal and road building, excavation, farming, and grazing. Although all of the above mentioned factors are important, this study deals primarily with the relationships between the vegetation and the elevational, soil and hydrologic conditions.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Gunderson, Lance; Loope, Lloyd; Maynard, William
- Date of Issue
- 1982-01
- Publisher
- South Florida Research Center
- Units
- BICY
- Keywords
- Big Cypress, Inventory, Plant, SFNRCTRS, Turner