Tropical Hardwood Hammock Florida

To walk into a hardwood hammock is to walk through a shady tropical forest.

Tropical hardwood hammock florida.

Fort mose was built on a hammock near st. Tropical hardwood hammocks are found in south florida or the everglades with large concentrations on the miami rock ridge in the florida keys along the northern shores of florida bay and in the pinecrest region of the big cypress swamp. Hammock is a term used in the southeastern united states for stands of trees usually hardwood that form an ecological island in a contrasting ecosystem. A hardwood hammock is a dense stand of broad leafed trees that grow on a natural rise of only a few inches in elevation.

Habitat loss primarily from development has left only small patches of tropical hardwood hammocks throughout coastal south florida the everglades and the keys. Once slated to become a condominium development this park contains one of the largest tracts of west indian tropical hardwood hammock in the united states. In the northern portion of the everglades hammocks are dominated by trees of temperate origin including the live oak quercus virginiana and the hackberry celtis laevigata. Hammocks growing on a florida marshland.

A hardwood hammock is a habitat that is found on higher elevations making it like the pinelands a dry habitat. If you were to look straight up you might have trouble seeing the sun and sky because of all the trees growing close together. Tropical hardwood hammocks are habitat for a few endemic plants and are critical habi. Tropical hardwood hammocks were once found as far north as cape canaveral on florida s atlantic coast and tampa bay on the state s gulf coast.

However development pressure associated with growth of the south florida human population has resulted in the conversion of many of these forests to urban and agricultural uses. The tropical hardwood hammock is an ecosystem consisting of broad leafed trees shrubs and vines nearly all of which are native to the west indies with live oak quercus virginiana being the only significant temperate species. Hammocks grow on elevated areas often just a few inches high surrounded by wetlands that are too wet to support them. Hammocks can be found nestled in most all other everglades ecosystems.

The park is home to 84 protected species of plants and animals including wild cotton mahogany mistletoe and the american crocodile. In the deeper sloughs and marshes the seasonal flow of water helps give these hammocks a distinct aerial teardrop shape. Historically tropical hardwood hammocks were found as far north as cape canaveral on florida s east coast and up to the mouth of the manatee river on the west coast. Tropical hardwood hammocks are closed canopy forests dominated by a diverse assemblage of evergreen and semi deciduous tree and shrub species mostly of west indian origin.