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Flora |
The south Florida pine rockland is unique geographically. Southern Florida is located at the southern end of the temperate North American Floristic Region and at the northern end of the tropical Caribbean Floristic Region.[13] This location allows for the mixture of vegetation from two distinct areas at the extremes of... |
Pine rocklands are defined by an open canopy of South Florida slash pine with heights ranging from 20–24 meters, but can be less due to past disturbance.[4] Seedlings are fire adapted and spend 2 to 5 years in the "grass stage" building nutrient reserves to facilitate growth above normal fire heights.[18] Many sites we... |
The subcanopy is dominated by a variety of palms and tropical hardwoods, depending on the location, substrate, and fire regime. Pine rocklands in the lower Keys often have high amounts of Thrinax and Coccothrinax, while rocklands in Miami-Dade County have high amounts of Sabal palmetto, Ficus aurea, and Serenoa repens.... |
The herbaceous layer is extremely diverse and home to several species considered rare, endangered, threatened or critically imperiled by one or more agencies.[8] Many species found in rocklands throughout south Florida are restricted to individual plots or to specific regions due to changes in soil type, extreme fragme... |
Fire |
Fire plays a critical role in maintaining the vegetative community.[7] It is estimated that around 70% of the state's terrestrial plant species are fired-adapted, fire-dependent, or pyrogenic, probably resulting from the state's high incidence of lightning strikes.[20][21] In fact, the Florida landscape is estimated to... |
Presently, many isolated pine rockland sites throughout Miami-Dade County and the lower Keys suffer from fire suppression, leading to drastically altered plant compositions.[26] It is estimated that around 5,000,000 ha of pine rocklands burned in 1926, whereas only 76,486 ha burned in 1995 and 2003.[27] Most sites loca... |
Rockland hammock |
Main article: Tropical hardwood hammock |
Rockland hammocks form on regions of rockland where a lack of fire has allowed hardwood trees to become dominant, nearly all of which are tropical in origin.[29] Natural firebreaks include exposed limestone cliffs and solution sinkholes.[30] Canopy species include gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), paradise tree (Simaroub... |
Conservation |
Because of its high elevation, the Miami Rock Ridge was the first area to be impacted by development. The clearing of large tracts for development has now reduced the pine rocklands to about 20,000 acres (81 km2), most of which are now protected inside the Everglades National Park. Camp Everglades is a 253-acre (102 ha... |
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY |
ENVIRONMENTALLY ENDANGERED LANDS PROGRAM |
MANAGEMENT PLAN |
PART II: MANAGEMENT OF SPECIFIC HABITAT TYPES |
CHAPTER 1: THE PINE ROCKLAND HABITAT |
Prepared by: |
URS Corporation Southern |
With the support of |
The Institute for Regional Conservation and |
Muller and Associates, Inc. |
August 2007 |
EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
Page ii |
PART II: Management of Specific Habitat Types |
CHAPTER 1: The Pine Rockland Habitat |
Table of Contents |
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................1 |
1.1 OVERVIEW OF THE PINE ROCKLAND ECOSYSTEM................................................................................................1 |
1.2 PURPOSE ..............................................................................................................................................................2 |
2.0 HISTORICAL REFERENCE CONDITIONS FOR THE PINE ROCKLAND ECOSYSTEM ....................3 |
2.1 ORIGINAL PINE ROCKLAND DISTRIBUTION IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.................................................................3 |
2.2 PHYSIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................................3 |
2.2.1 Geology.......................................................................................................................................................3 |
2.2.2 Soils.............................................................................................................................................................5 |
2.2.3 Hydrology....................................................................................................................................................5 |
2.3 CLIMATE..............................................................................................................................................................6 |
2.4 VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION .....................................................................................................6 |
2.4.1 Canopy ........................................................................................................................................................6 |
2.4.2 Subcanopy ...................................................................................................................................................7 |
2.4.3 Herb Layer ..................................................................................................................................................7 |
2.5 ASSOCIATION WITH OTHER HABITAT TYPES .......................................................................................................8 |
2.6 HISTORICAL SUCCESSIONAL PROCESSES .............................................................................................................9 |
2.6.1 Fire............................................................................................................................................................10 |
2.6.2 Tropical Cyclones .....................................................................................................................................10 |
2.6.3 Freezes ......................................................................................................................................................11 |
2.7 RARE ORGANISMS .............................................................................................................................................11 |
3.0 CURRENT CONDITIONS, THREATS, AND TRENDS ................................................................................12 |
3.1 CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF PINE ROCKLANDS..................................................................................................12 |
3.2 PHYSIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................................12 |
3.2.1 Soils...........................................................................................................................................................12 |
3.2.2 Hydrology..................................................................................................................................................14 |
3.2.3 Sea Level Rise ...........................................................................................................................................14 |
3.3 CLIMATE............................................................................................................................................................14 |
3.4 VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION ...................................................................................................14 |
3.4.1 Canopy ......................................................................................................................................................15 |
3.4.2 Subcanopy .................................................................................................................................................15 |
3.4.3 Herb Layer ................................................................................................................................................16 |
3.4.4 Edges.........................................................................................................................................................16 |
3.5 ASSOCIATION WITH OTHER HABITAT TYPES .....................................................................................................16 |
3.6 SUCCESSIONAL PROCESSES UNDER CURRENT CONDITIONS...............................................................................16 |
3.6.1 Fire............................................................................................................................................................16 |
3.6.2 Tropical Cyclones .....................................................................................................................................17 |
3.6.3 Human Controlled Processes....................................................................................................................17 |
3.7 RARE ORGANISMS .............................................................................................................................................18 |
3.7.1 Plants ........................................................................................................................................................18 |
3.7.2 Animals .....................................................................................................................................................21 |
3.8 FRAGMENTATION, OWNERSHIP, AND PRESERVATION STATUS OF REMAINING FRAGMENTS ..............................23 |
3.8.1 Fragmentation...........................................................................................................................................23 |
3.8.2 EEL Program ............................................................................................................................................23 |
3.8.3 Parks & Recreation Department...............................................................................................................23 |
3.8.4 Other Public Lands ...................................................................................................................................23 |
3.8.5 Private Preserves ......................................................................................................................................24 |
EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
Page iii |
3.8.6 Natural Forest Community System............................................................................................................24 |
3.8.7 Other .........................................................................................................................................................24 |
3.9 FUTURE PRESERVATION ESTIMATES..................................................................................................................25 |
3.10 EXOTIC ORGANISMS ........................................................................................................................................25 |
3.10.1 Plants ......................................................................................................................................................25 |
3.10.2 Animals ...................................................................................................................................................25 |
3.11 OTHER PROBLEM SPECIES ...............................................................................................................................27 |
3.12 POLLUTANTS....................................................................................................................................................28 |
3.13 CULTURAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................28 |
4.0 MANAGEMENT ISSUES ..................................................................................................................................29 |
4.1 ACQUISITION NEEDS FOR REMAINING PINE ROCKLAND FRAGMENTS................................................................29 |
4.2 MITIGATION/MANAGEMENT FOR FRAGMENTATION EFFECTS............................................................................30 |
4.2.1 Acquisition and Restoration of Vacant Land between Parcels .................................................................30 |
4.2.2 Zoning Around and Between Parcels........................................................................................................30 |
4.3 TARGETS FOR VEGETATION STRUCTURE ...........................................................................................................31 |
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