Table 1 Dominant biological components and environmental characteristics of plant communities in South Florida. Common and Latin names follow Wunderlin and Hansen (2011).

Lake, Pond

Basins of standing water that are too deep for emergent vegetation.

Aquatic plants: floating or submerged.

Normally have water above ground. Edges or all (depending on size and depth) could dry down in extreme (>50 yr) droughts.

During extreme droughts, exposed dry organics on bottom can burn. Can be created by organic soil fires.

Stream

Flowing water in a distinct channel that is too deep for emergent vegetation.

Aquatic plants: floating or submerged.

Normally continuous flows, with amounts and rates of flow dependent on size of pulses of water from rainstorms or water control structure releases. Groundwater baseflow inputs.

During extreme droughts, exposed dry organics on bottom of old oxbows can burn.

Floodplain Swamp

Lands associated with streams that are regularly, but not continuously, inundated by flowing water.

Canopy of bald-cypress and mixed hardwoods, (e.g., Carolina ash, red maple, pond apple, cabbage palmetto, American elm).

Shallow to deep intermittent flooding, depending on size of pulses of water from rainstorms or water control structure releases. Groundwater baseflow inputs.

Fire about every 20 yr to 50 yr promotes cypress along swamp edge. Less frequent fire (±100 years) promotes hardwoods in swamp interior.

Mixed Cypress-Hardwood Swamp

Wetlands with deep (>0.3 m) organic soils.

Closed canopy of bald-cypress and mixed hardwoods, (e.g., red maple, sweetbay, Carolina ash, Carolina willow, pond apple, and dahoon holly with occasional cabbage palmetto).

Inundated 8 mo yr⁻¹ to 10 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths of 0.5 m to 0.6 m. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.6 m to 1.2 m.

Found on sites infrequently (±100 years) reached by fire, due to extended inundation and high soil moisture.

Cypress

Wetlands with sandy or shallow (<0.3 m) organic soils.

Canopy dominated by small- to medium-sized bald-cypress.

Inundated 6 mo yr⁻¹ to 8 mo yr⁻¹ Normal wet season water depths of 0.3 m to 0.5 m. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.5 m.

Maintained by light to moderate intensity surface fires every 20 yr to 60 yr.

Mangrove Swamp

Tidal sites with sand, rock, or organic substrates.

Canopy dominated by red, black, or white mangroves; or buttonwood.

Daily tidal inundation. Water fresh to hypersaline.

Developed and maintained by the absence of fire.

Organic Soil Shrub Wetland

Wetlands, sheet-flow sloughs, and edges of lakes and streams with organic soils.

Single or mixed species, open to dense thickets of Carolina willow or buttonbush.

Inundated 6 mo yr⁻¹ to 10 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths of 0.15 m to 0.6 m. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.5 m to 0.9 m.

Maintained by low intensity surface fires every 18 yr to 30 yr.

Freshwater Marsh

Depression and flow-way wetlands, and fringes of lakes and streams on organic soils.

Tall (1.5 m to 3 m), dense herbaceous community, often only a few species, e.g. pickerelweed, bulltongue arrowhead, Jamaica swamp sawgrass, maidencane, fireflag.

Inundated 6 mo yr⁻¹ to 10 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths of 0.3 m to 0.6 m. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.6 m to 0.9 m.

Maintained by moderately intense fires about every 1 yr to 10 yr.

Mineral Soil Shrub Wetland

Depression and flow-way wetlands, and fringes of lakes and streams on mineral soils.

Single or mixed species, open to dense thickets of wax myrtle, groundsel tree, and gallberry.

Inundated 2 mo yr⁻¹ to 6 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths of 0.15 m to 0.4 m. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Maintained by low intensity fires about every 9 yr to 15 yr.

Dwarf Cypress

Depression and flow-way wetlands, and fringes of lakes and streams on limestone bedrock.

Single species, open stands of stunted bald-cypress with sparse groundcover.

Inundated 2 mo yr⁻¹ to 6 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths of 0.15 to 0.4 m. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Maintained by low intensity fires about every 10 yr to 20 yr.

Wet Prairie

Depression and flow-way wetlands, and fringes of lakes and streams on mineral soils.

Short (0.5 m to 1.3 m), open, diverse herbaceous community with many species of grasses, sedges, and forbs, (e.g., sand cordgrass, beaksedges, milkworts, St. John’s-wort, hairawn muhly, Jamaica swamp sawgrass).

Inundated 2 mo yr⁻¹ to 6 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths of 0.15 m to 0.4 m Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m

Maintained by moderate to high intensity fires about every 1 yr to 5 yr.

Coastal Marsh

Coastal saline sites with sand, shell, rock or organic substrates.

Short <1.3 m), open, diverse herbaceous community with many species of grasses, sedges, and forbs (e.g., smooth cordgrass, black rush, spikerush).

Daily tidal inundation. Water fresh to hypersaline. Freshwater sheet flow during wet season.

Maintained by moderate to high intensity fires about every 1 yr to 5 yr.

Hydric Pine Flatwoods

Light to dark brown, sandy soils on sites with little topographic relief.

Canopy trees primarily slash pine. Diverse, primarily herbaceous groundcover with about 500 species (e.g., wiregrass, bluestems, saw palmetto).

Inundated 1 mo yr⁻¹ to 2 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths from 0 m to 0.15 m above ground. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Maintained by moderately intense fires about every 1 yr to 6 yr.

Hydric Pine Flatwoods Shrubby

Light to dark brown, sandy soils on sites with little topographic relief.

Canopy trees primarily slash pine. Understory dominated by open to dense thickets of shrubs, particularly wax myrtle.

Inundated 1 mo yr⁻¹ to 2 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths from 0 m to 0.15 m above ground. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Maintained by low to moderate intensity fires about every 8 yr to 15 yr.

Mesic Pine Flatwoods

Light to dark brown, sandy soils or limerock on sites with little topographic relief.

Canopy trees primarily slash pine. Understory dominated by dense saw palmetto.

Inundated 0 mo yr⁻¹ to 1 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths from 0 m to 0.9 m below ground. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Maintained by moderately intense fires about every 1 yr to 6 yr.

Mesic Pine Flatwoods, Shrubby

Light to dark brown, sandy soils on sites with little topographic relief.

Canopy trees primarily slash pine. Understory dominated by open to dense thickets of shrubs, particularly gallberry, coastalplain staggerbush, wax myrtle, blueberry, and saw palmetto.

Inundated 0 mo yr⁻¹ to 1 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths from 0 m to 0.9 m below ground. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Maintained by low to moderate intensity fires about every 8 yr to 15 yr.

Hydric Hammock

Loamy or sandy soils on elevated sites often within or adjacent to larger wetlands

Forest with a closed canopy that includes a variety of tree species (e.g., laurel oak, cabbage palmetto, red maple, swamp bay). Groundcover is sparse.

Inundated 1 mo yr⁻¹ to 2 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths from 0 m to 0.15 m above ground. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Found on sites that have not experienced fire for more than 100 yr.

Mesic Hammock

Sand, shell, or rock substrates on elevated sites often within or adjacent to larger inland or coastal wetlands

Closed canopy of Virginia live oak and tropical hardwoods. Groundcover is sparse.

Inundated 0 mo yr⁻¹ to 1 mo yr⁻¹. Normal wet season water depths from 0 m to 0.9 m below ground. Annual water table fluctuation of 0.9 m to 1.2 m.

Found on sites that have not experienced fire for more than 100 yr.

Coastal Strand

Well-drained sands on beach ridges adjacent to high-energy beaches.

Dense thickets of salt tolerant shrubs, vines, and small trees, including saw palmetto, seagrape, myrtle oak, Virginia live oak, sand live oak, buttonsage, greenbrier, and cabbage palmetto.

Wet season water table usually more than 0.9 m below ground.

Maintained by low to moderate intensity fires about every 2 yr to 15 yr.

Scrub

White well-drained sands on locally higher elevations or at the top of steep slopes.

Dense thickets of low (<3.0 m) shrubs and xeric oaks, including myrtle oak, live oak, sand live oak, with scattered patches of mostly bare white sand and a very scattered overstory of slash pine.

Wet season water table usually more than 0.9 m below ground.

Maintained by high intensity fires every 6 yr to 55 yr.

Xeric Hammock

White well-drained sands on locally higher elevations or at the top of steep slopes.

Dense, tall (3.0 m to 6.0 m) closed canopy forest of xeric oaks, including myrtle oak, Virginia live oak, sand live oak, with a very scattered overstory of slash pine or sand pine and little ground cover.

Wet season water table usually more than 0.9 m below ground.

Develops in the absence of fire for 50 yr.