National Forests in Florida Final Report


Bluejack Oak Phase, Munson Sandhills



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Bluejack Oak Phase, Munson Sandhills


Element Identifiers

NVCS association: Pinus palustris / Quercus (incana, margarettiae) / Aristida beyrichiana - Asimina angustifolia Woodland

Database Code: CEGL008586

Formation: Rounded-crowned temperate or subpolar needle-leaved evergreen woodland

Alliance: PINUS PALUSTRIS / QUERCUS SPP. WOODLAND ALLIANCE (II.A.4.N.a.1)

Element Concept

Summary: This Pinus palustris-dominated community occurs on dry, sandy, well-drained soils in the East Gulf Coastal Plain of north Florida, where this type has been considered "some of the most spectacular high pineland" on the Apalachicola National Forest (Clewell 1971). The open canopy is dominated by Pinus palustris; a subcanopy is typically absent. Quercus incana and Quercus margarettiae sprouts dominate the short-shrub stratum and can vary in density depending on fire history. The herb layer is dominated by Aristida beyrichiana, along with other grasses such as Panicum virgatum, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sporobolus junceus. Related sandhill types of the region often support Quercus laevis in the subcanopy, often with a shrub layer component of Serenoa repens which is completely lacking in this type.

Environment: This type is much less common than the Quercus laevis types of the same region (Clewell 1971). It is apparently restricted to the Munson Sandhills region of the eastern Apalachicola National Forest. This region of Leon County lies on the Woodville Karst Plain where soils are deep and sandy with clay lenses present in the subsoil. (Collins et al. 2001).

Vegetation: Pinus palustris, Quercus incana, and Quercus margarettiae may be the only tree species present, although the growth form of the oaks is shrubby due to frequent fires. Quercus laevis may be present in some examples, but is no less common than Quercus incana and Quercus margarettiae. The only other shrub species documented in a plot on the Apalachicola National Forest were Vaccinium darrowii, Gaylussacia dumosa, and Rhus copallinum. Other herbaceous species included Liatris tenuifolia, Liatris gracilis, Dyschoriste oblongifolia, Lechea sessiliflora, Palafoxia integrifolia, Pityopsis graminifolia, Helianthus radula, Vernonia angustifolia, Rhynchosia reniformis, Sorghastrum nutans, Symphyotrichum concolor (= Aster concolor), Sericocarpus tortifolius (= Aster tortifolius), Chrysopsis gossypina, Chamaecrista fasciculata, and Licania michauxii. Pityopsis flexuosa, a Florida endemic, was also present (S. Carr unpubl. data, NatureServe unpubl. data).

Dynamics: See Summary

Similar Associations: No information

Synonymy: No information

Comments: The core concept of this type is heavy abundance of Quercus incana and Quercus margarettiae relative to Quercus laevis. However, within the Munson Sandhills region, some stands support admixtures of all three oak species (S. Carr unpubl. data) and could be be recognized as a separate association. In other parts of the Apalachicola National Forest where sandhills have been quantitatively sampled, Serenoa repens is typically present but is largely absent from the plots in the Munson region (S. Carr unpubl. data, NatureServe unpubl. data).

Conservation Ranking & Rare Species

GRank: G2? (02-05-16):

High-ranked species: No information

Element Distribution

Range: This type is known from northern Florida in the Woodville Karst plain region.

States: FL

Crosswalk to State Classifications: Not yet cross-referenced to state classifications

TNC Ecoregions: 53:C

USFS Ecoregions: 232Bg:CCC

Federal Lands: USFS (Apalachicola)

Element Sources

References: Carr unpubl. data, Clewell 1971, Collins et al. 2001, NatureServe Ecology - Southeast U.S. unpubl. data

Longleaf Pine Sandhills


Central Florida Longleaf Islands


Element Identifiers

NVCS association: Pinus palustris / Quercus (laevis, myrtifolia) / Aristida beyrichiana - Chapmannia floridana Woodland

Database Code: CEGL008569

Formation: Rounded-crowned temperate or subpolar needle-leaved evergreen woodland

Alliance: PINUS PALUSTRIS / QUERCUS SPP. WOODLAND ALLIANCE (II.A.4.N.a.1)

Element Concept

Summary: This central Florida sandhill is dominated by an open canopy of Pinus palustris. This community typically lacks a well-developed subcanopy, especially in contrast to surrounding Pinus clausa scrub vegetation. However, the shrub layer may be well-developed, even under frequent fire conditions, and appears to be dominated by sprouts of Quercus laevis and Quercus myrtifolia. A rich herbaceous layer is present. Characteristic species in this stratum are Aristida beyrichiana and Licania michauxii. In addition, a number of species found primarily in central Florida may also be present, among the most frequent of which is Chapmannia floridana. Other geographically limited species may include Sabal etonia, Polygonella ciliata, and Arnoglossum floridanum.

Environment: This type presumably occurs in 9 isolated patches or "islands" ranging in size from 60-4000 hectares, surrounded by sand pine-scrub vegetation on the Ocala National Forest. Soil series at most sites are mapped as the Astatula series. This soil, which is unusually dark in color at the surface, has a shallow, irregular A horizon boundary. In part, the dark color of these soils may be attributed to the presence of charcoal. Soils are strongly acid (pH 4.7-5.0). At least some of these sites have silt or clay in the subsoil contributing to significantly higher extractable bases at the surface when compared to nearby scrub sites. (Kalisz 1982).

Vegetation: Heuberger et al. (1997) reported Quercus geminata, and Quercus incana from these Pinus palustris "islands," although these oaks were not found in other plots of this type (Kalisz 1982, NatureServe unpubl. data). Among the most frequently encountered herbaceous species are Dichanthelium strigosum (= Panicum strigosum), Dichanthelium aciculare (= Panicum aciculare), Sorghastrum secundum, Dichanthelium dichotomum (= Panicum dichotomum), Pityopsis graminifolia, Eriogonum tomentosum, Tragia urens, Andropogon virginicus, Centrosema virginianum, Dyschoriste oblongifolia, Galactia regularis, Ageratina jucunda, Crotalaria rotundifolia, Phoebanthus grandiflorus, Croton argyranthemus, Stillingia sylvatica, and Chamaecrista nictitans, although approximately 100 species have been recorded in the understory (Heuberger et al. 1997). Geographically limited species which may be present include Sabal etonia, Polygonella ciliata, and Arnoglossum floridanum (NatureServe unpubl. data).

Dynamics: This community is a pyrogenic type maintained by frequent prescribed burning. The Ocala National Forest began reintroducing growing-season burns to this community in 1987, and now burns this type primarily during this season (Heuberger et al. 1997). Although this vegetation type occurred at or near present locations but with "irregular and often large oscillations of boundaries" over the past 5000 years, Kalisz (1982) suggested that this vegetation type may be largely anthropogenic. The isolation of these islands in a non-frequent fire landscape would make it extremely difficult and unlikely for lightning strikes to ignite fires in these islands. In the absence of fire, Pinus clausa rapidly invades and will eventually suppress herbaceous ground cover, forcing out important soil mixing animals such as Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), Pocket Gophers (Geomys pinetus), Burrowing Oldfield Mouse (Peromyscus polionotus), and Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrex badius).

Similar Associations:

  • Pinus palustris / Quercus (chapmanii, myrtifolia) - Serenoa repens / Aristida beyrichiana - Chapmannia floridana Woodland (CEGL007750)--scrubby flatwoods found farther south.

Synonymy: No information

Comments: This association is known from the Hughes Island and Syracuse Island Sandhills, Ocala National Forest. Portions of Hughes Island were reportedly grazed and cultivated in the past (Kalisz 1982).

Conservation Ranking & Rare Species

GRank: G1G2 (02-05-15):

High-ranked species: No information

Element Distribution

Range: This association is endemic to central Florida.

States: FL

Crosswalk to State Classifications: Not yet cross-referenced to state classifications

TNC Ecoregions: 55:C

USFS Ecoregions: 232Bf:CCC

Federal Lands: USFS (Ocala)

Element Sources

References: Heuberger et al. 1997, Kalisz 1982, NatureServe Ecology - Southeast U.S. unpubl. data

Longleaf Pine Sandhills




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