Rare plants of the Florida scrub, USA

    Authors

    I. J. Stout

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Nat. Areas J.

    Keywords

    endemics; oak scrub; rare plant species; rosemary scrub; sand pine scrub; SAND PINE SCRUB; LAKE WALES RIDGE; TIME-SINCE-FIRE; SEED BANK; DICERANDRA-FRUTESCENS; ENDEMIC PLANT; MICROHABITAT; DISTURBANCE; DEMOGRAPHY; DYNAMICS; Ecology; Forestry

    Abstract

    Forty-five plant species found in Florida scrub (USA) have been recognized as endangered or threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act (28) or comparable state regulations (45). An additional three species are recognized as rare for a variety of reasons. Many of these species are endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge of central peninsular Florida. Fewer rare species are associated with scrubs found elsewhere within the peninsula, along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and in the panhandle. Of the seven categories of rarity defined by Rabinowitz (1981), nearly all of the species exhibit small geographic ranges and narrow habitat specificity. Population sizes tend to be small everywhere, but exceptions do occur. Life history strategies represented include (1) obligate seeders, (2) resprouters and seeders, and (3) seed bank reseeders. These strategies have evolved in the face of periodic, catastrophic fires that tend to destroy most of the aboveground biomass of the Florida scrub. Rare plants show a mixture of these life history strategies. Nearly all of the rare plants depend on openings or gaps in the vegetation with exposed mineral soil and little or no litter accumulation for recruitment or long-term survival. Several land acquisition programs are involved in acquiring lands necessary to ensure the potential survival of rare Florida scrub plants.

    Journal Title

    Natural Areas Journal

    Volume

    21

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2001

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    50

    Last Page

    60

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000166720100005

    ISSN

    0885-8608

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