Sandhill or Scrub on Steep Slopes of Uplands

Description

Sandhill is upland with a deep sand substrate; xeric; frequent fire (1-3 years); savanna of widely spaced longleaf pine and/or turkey oak with wiregrass understory (FNAI, 2010).

Sandhill is characterized by widely spaced pine trees with a sparse midstory of deciduous oaks and a moderate to dense groundcover of grasses, herbs, and low shrubs. Sandhill occurs on the rolling topography and deep sands of the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. Typical associations or indicator species are longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), turkey oak (Quercus laevis), and wiregrass (Aristida stricta var. beyrichiana). The midstory trees and low shrubs can be sparse to dense, depending on fire history, and may include turkey oak, bluejack oak (Q. incana), sand live oak (Q. geminata), sand post oak (Q. margaretta), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum), dwarf huckleberry (Gaylussacia dumosa), pricklypear (Opuntia humifusa), and gopher apple (Licania michauxii). Earleaf greenbrier (Smilax auriculata) is the most common woody vine that occurs in sandhill. The greatest plant diversity within sandhill is in the herbaceous groundcover. (FNAI, 2010).

Dominant plant species

1. longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), tree

2. turkey oak (Quercus laevis), tree

3. turkey oak (Quercus laevis), shrub

4. Beyrich threeawn (Aristida beyrichiana), grass

Submodel

Description

Managed grassland represents both improved and unimproved pasture including wooded pasture.

Submodel

Description

Pine plantations in Florida are often dominated by evenaged loblolly, sand, or slash pine (Pinus taeda, P. clausa, or P. elliottii, respectively). Dense pine plantations typically have sparse to absent herbaceous vegetation as a result of shading or a cover of deep pine needle duff. These plantations may be very shrubby or vine-dominated or open at ground level. The groundcover in most cases has been severely impacted by mechanical site preparation, such as roller chopping and bedding. However, while perennial grasses such as wiregrass (Aristida stricta var. beyrichiana) may be greatly reduced, many components of the native groundcover persist even though the relative abundance is altered. Groundcover can be partially restored by thinning and/or frequent burning, although some planting of perennial grasses such as wiregrass may be required. (FNAI, 2010)

Dominant plant species

1. loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), tree

2. slash pine (Pinus elliottii), tree

3. sand pine (Pinus clausa), tree

Submodel

Description

The degraded State represents vegetation conditions that have been degraded by the introduction and spread of non-native species.

Submodel