patrickbdevaney/mia9 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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(Warea carteri), Cordia bahamensis, Bletia patula].
During the 20th century, extensive logging took place on the Miami Rock
Ridge, the Florida Keys, and Big Cypress pine rocklands. The majority of the pine
rocklands in Everglades NP were logged prior to establishment of this park in the
late 1930s and early 1940s, although it appears that approximately 1,667 ha (4119
acres) were spared. This is probably because the pines in those areas were too
small or were in areas that were difficult to reach (Olmsted et al. 1983). Logging
began in the Big Cypress region around 1900, with a peak in logging activity in
the 1940s to the mid 1950s (Duever et al. 1979). According to Duever et al.
(1979), the only virgin stands of pine rocklands remaining in Big Cypress
National Preserve are in the northern and eastern edges of the Interior Pinelands
(between Tamiami Trail and Alligator Alley). By the turn of the century, citrus and
other fruit trees were being planted in cleared pine rocklands in Miami-Dade
County. Row crops, although originally planted in marl prairies, were planted in
pine rocklands when application of the newly invented rock plow began in 1954
(Olmsted et al. 1983, Loope et al. 1979, Snyder et al. 1990). In addition, some
areas were scraped, and then abandoned (DERM 1994). Some of these scraped
sites are now dominated by native vegetation.
The majority of remaining pine rocklands outside of the Florida Keys have
now been acquired and are no longer threatened by development. Large areas of
pine rocklands are protected in Everglades NP, Big Cypress National Preserve,
and the National Key Deer Refuge. Other areas with pine rocklands on the
mainland include several conservation areas on the Miami Rock Ridge which are
managed by Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, and the
Miami-Dade County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program. The largest of
these sites however is only 121 ha (300 acres) in size. A significant amount of pine
rockland is still threatened by development in the Keys (C.R. Kruer, personal
communication 1998).
Pine rocklands once dominated the landscape in eastern Miami-Dade County
and were associated with a mosaic of marl prairies which transected them. Other
communities such as swale and coastal marsh surrounded them, and other habitats
such as tropical hardwood hammocks were embedded within them.
Fragmentation of pine rocklands and their artificial separation from other
communities has had very serious effects on both the pinelands and the wildlife
that utilize them. Fragmentation, for instance, may make it difficult for certain
migratory bird species to survive in the developed landscape.
In addition to outright habitat loss and its associated fragmentation effects, the
process of urbanization and rural development itself has caused significant
negative effects to pine rocklands. The development of roads, among other things,
has increased access of natural areas, including pine rocklands, to collectors of
bromeliads, ferns, orchids, butterflies, and palms.
While collecting pressure on these groups has been much more intense in
tropical hardwood hammocks, large excavated holes where mature silver
palms once occurred is a common sight in pine rocklands. Roads also lead to
wildlife mortality from automobile traffic, including that of the Florida panther
Page 3-175
PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida
(FWS 1998a), and presumably even rare invertebrates such as the atala and
Florida leaf-wing butterflies.
Although it has not been well studied, pine rocklands have probably been
affected by reductions in the mean water table. It has been suggested that a
lowered water table may also have been a factor in the massive die-off of South
Florida slash pine following Hurricane Andrew (DERM 1995). Oberbauer et
al. (1997) report that water limits the growth of South Florida slash pines in
Miami-Dade County, and that the water status of slash pines has declined
relative to 25 to 30 years ago. Their results did not confirm, however, that water
stress was the primary factor in post-hurricane pine mortality. Some plant
species that were formerly present in low-elevation pine rocklands on the
Miami Rock Ridge (e.g., Eriocaulon ravenelii) have been extirpated.
Sea level rise is also reducing acreage of pine rockland in the Florida Keys.
Alexander (1953) hypothesized that the pine rocklands of Key Largo
disappeared because of sea-level rise, resulting in invasion of a tidal swamp
community. Ross et al. (1994) conducted a thorough study of the effects of sealevel rise on Sugarloaf Key, finding that sea-level rise was responsible for a
reduction in area from 88 ha (217 acres) before 1935 to 30 ha (74 acres) in 1991.
Exotic plant taxa have also significantly affected pine rocklands. At least
277 taxa of exotic plants are now known to invade pine rocklands in South
Florida (Appendix D). Impacts of exotic plant species have been particularly
severe in pine rocklands on the Miami Rock Ridge.
The exotic tree Brazilian-pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) is the most
widespread and one of the more invasive species. It is probably present in
every pine rockland fragment in Miami-Dade County, and is also well
established in the pine rocklands of Everglades NP, Big Cypress National
Preserve, and the Florida Keys. If left uncontrolled in a fire-suppressed
pineland, it will form a dense, monospecific canopy, almost completely
eliminating native vegetation (Loope and Dunevitz 1981). Burma reed
(Neyraudia reynaudiana), a large woody grass, is one of the most worrisome
invaders. This fire-tolerant grass is now present in almost all pine rockland
fragments of the Miami Rock Ridge. It is only slightly established in the pine
rocklands of Everglades NP, and has not been documented in pine rocklands of
the Big Cypress National Preserve or the Florida Keys. This grass will form
dense stands, out competing native vegetation, and alter the fire regime in sites
where it invades. Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), primarily an invader
of wetlands, can be a problem in lower pinelands of the Big Cypress National
Preserve. Other troublesome exotic pest plants in pine rocklands include
earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis), natal grass (Rhynchelytrum repens),
shrub verbena (Lantana camara), and tongue tree (Albizia lebbeck). Hybrids
between native and exotic plant taxa have also begun to appear (e.g. Lantata
depressa x L. camara) (Hammer 1996), ultimately threatening native species
with extirpation or extinction.
Exotic animals have also impacted pine rocklands. Introduced species that
occur in South Florida rocklands include seven mammals, about 30 birds, four
amphibians, and 25 reptiles (Snyder et al. 1990). Armadillo (Dasypus
novemcinctus), black rat (Rattus rattus), fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), and hog
(Sus scrofa), as well as domestic cats (Felis domesticus), have all been found in
Page 3-176
PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida
South Florida pine rocklands. Feral and domestic cats prey on resident and
migratory land birds. The 15 species of parrots, parakeets, and other psittacines
which have been recorded as nesting in the wild in South Florida (Snyder et al.
1990), are most certainly dispersing seeds of exotic plants.

(Warea carteri), Cordia bahamensis, Bletia patula].

During the 20th century, extensive logging took place on the Miami Rock

Ridge, the Florida Keys, and Big Cypress pine rocklands. The majority of the pine

rocklands in Everglades NP were logged prior to establishment of this park in the

late 1930s and early 1940s, although it appears that approximately 1,667 ha (4119

acres) were spared. This is probably because the pines in those areas were too

small or were in areas that were difficult to reach (Olmsted et al. 1983). Logging

began in the Big Cypress region around 1900, with a peak in logging activity in

the 1940s to the mid 1950s (Duever et al. 1979). According to Duever et al.

(1979), the only virgin stands of pine rocklands remaining in Big Cypress

National Preserve are in the northern and eastern edges of the Interior Pinelands

(between Tamiami Trail and Alligator Alley). By the turn of the century, citrus and

other fruit trees were being planted in cleared pine rocklands in Miami-Dade

County. Row crops, although originally planted in marl prairies, were planted in

pine rocklands when application of the newly invented rock plow began in 1954

(Olmsted et al. 1983, Loope et al. 1979, Snyder et al. 1990). In addition, some

areas were scraped, and then abandoned (DERM 1994). Some of these scraped

sites are now dominated by native vegetation.

The majority of remaining pine rocklands outside of the Florida Keys have

now been acquired and are no longer threatened by development. Large areas of

pine rocklands are protected in Everglades NP, Big Cypress National Preserve,

and the National Key Deer Refuge. Other areas with pine rocklands on the

mainland include several conservation areas on the Miami Rock Ridge which are

managed by Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, and the

Miami-Dade County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program. The largest of

these sites however is only 121 ha (300 acres) in size. A significant amount of pine

rockland is still threatened by development in the Keys (C.R. Kruer, personal

communication 1998).

Pine rocklands once dominated the landscape in eastern Miami-Dade County

and were associated with a mosaic of marl prairies which transected them. Other

communities such as swale and coastal marsh surrounded them, and other habitats

such as tropical hardwood hammocks were embedded within them.

Fragmentation of pine rocklands and their artificial separation from other

communities has had very serious effects on both the pinelands and the wildlife

that utilize them. Fragmentation, for instance, may make it difficult for certain

migratory bird species to survive in the developed landscape.

In addition to outright habitat loss and its associated fragmentation effects, the

process of urbanization and rural development itself has caused significant

negative effects to pine rocklands. The development of roads, among other things,

has increased access of natural areas, including pine rocklands, to collectors of

bromeliads, ferns, orchids, butterflies, and palms.

While collecting pressure on these groups has been much more intense in

tropical hardwood hammocks, large excavated holes where mature silver

palms once occurred is a common sight in pine rocklands. Roads also lead to

wildlife mortality from automobile traffic, including that of the Florida panther

Page 3-175

PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida

(FWS 1998a), and presumably even rare invertebrates such as the atala and

Florida leaf-wing butterflies.

Although it has not been well studied, pine rocklands have probably been

affected by reductions in the mean water table. It has been suggested that a

lowered water table may also have been a factor in the massive die-off of South

Florida slash pine following Hurricane Andrew (DERM 1995). Oberbauer et

al. (1997) report that water limits the growth of South Florida slash pines in

Miami-Dade County, and that the water status of slash pines has declined

relative to 25 to 30 years ago. Their results did not confirm, however, that water

stress was the primary factor in post-hurricane pine mortality. Some plant

species that were formerly present in low-elevation pine rocklands on the

Miami Rock Ridge (e.g., Eriocaulon ravenelii) have been extirpated.

Sea level rise is also reducing acreage of pine rockland in the Florida Keys.

Alexander (1953) hypothesized that the pine rocklands of Key Largo

disappeared because of sea-level rise, resulting in invasion of a tidal swamp

community. Ross et al. (1994) conducted a thorough study of the effects of sealevel rise on Sugarloaf Key, finding that sea-level rise was responsible for a

reduction in area from 88 ha (217 acres) before 1935 to 30 ha (74 acres) in 1991.

Exotic plant taxa have also significantly affected pine rocklands. At least

277 taxa of exotic plants are now known to invade pine rocklands in South

Florida (Appendix D). Impacts of exotic plant species have been particularly

severe in pine rocklands on the Miami Rock Ridge.

The exotic tree Brazilian-pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) is the most

widespread and one of the more invasive species. It is probably present in

every pine rockland fragment in Miami-Dade County, and is also well

established in the pine rocklands of Everglades NP, Big Cypress National

Preserve, and the Florida Keys. If left uncontrolled in a fire-suppressed

pineland, it will form a dense, monospecific canopy, almost completely

eliminating native vegetation (Loope and Dunevitz 1981). Burma reed

(Neyraudia reynaudiana), a large woody grass, is one of the most worrisome

invaders. This fire-tolerant grass is now present in almost all pine rockland

fragments of the Miami Rock Ridge. It is only slightly established in the pine

rocklands of Everglades NP, and has not been documented in pine rocklands of

the Big Cypress National Preserve or the Florida Keys. This grass will form

dense stands, out competing native vegetation, and alter the fire regime in sites

where it invades. Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), primarily an invader

of wetlands, can be a problem in lower pinelands of the Big Cypress National

Preserve. Other troublesome exotic pest plants in pine rocklands include

earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis), natal grass (Rhynchelytrum repens),

shrub verbena (Lantana camara), and tongue tree (Albizia lebbeck). Hybrids

between native and exotic plant taxa have also begun to appear (e.g. Lantata

depressa x L. camara) (Hammer 1996), ultimately threatening native species

with extirpation or extinction.

Exotic animals have also impacted pine rocklands. Introduced species that

occur in South Florida rocklands include seven mammals, about 30 birds, four

amphibians, and 25 reptiles (Snyder et al. 1990). Armadillo (Dasypus

novemcinctus), black rat (Rattus rattus), fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), and hog

(Sus scrofa), as well as domestic cats (Felis domesticus), have all been found in

Page 3-176

PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida

South Florida pine rocklands. Feral and domestic cats prey on resident and

migratory land birds. The 15 species of parrots, parakeets, and other psittacines

which have been recorded as nesting in the wild in South Florida (Snyder et al.

1990), are most certainly dispersing seeds of exotic plants.