State 1
Intact Frequently Ponded Grasslands

This state is characterized by a hydroperiod of four to eight months and is typically dominated by hydrophytic grasses and sedges along vast open expanses. Shorter hydroperiods are found in slightly higher elevations and less frequently ponded. They are continuously wet but rarely inundated soils on slightly higher elevations. Longer hydroperiods support more homogenous grassland communities that are inundated more occasionally. The main drivers in this community consist of hydrology and fire regimes, relying on short fire return intervals of 1 to 2 years to maintain its grass and shrub community.

Characteristics and indicators. This state is characterized by large expanses of grasslands and shrublands found on hydric mineral soils in large depressions that hold standing water for long periods of time.

Community 1.1
Depression Marsh

Depression Marshes occur as a shallow, usually rounded depression with herbaceous vegetation or subshrubs, often in concentric bands. The outer, or driest, zone is often occupied by sparse herbaceous vegetation which may be followed by more and more dense zones of hydrophytic vegetation. Depression Marshes form when the overlying sands slump into depressions dissolved in underlying bedrock. They often have peat substrate in the center, deepest portion of the marsh where water is standing for most of the year, while having sandy substrates towards the outer ridges of the marsh. Depression marshes will often form as an outer rim to forested wetland communities or will often form as isolated marshes within the landscape. This community can be found widespread throughout this MLRA.

Resilience management. Fire is common in this community and without it will begin to allow shrubby growth. Fire should be allowed to burn into this community and extinguish naturally or burn through them into the surrounding community. This community is often found within other ecological communities or as isolated marshes within forested wetland or other upland communities and will often reflect fire frequencies similar to those communities.

Community 1.2
Basin Marsh

Basin Marshes occur in a variety of isolated or mostly isolated depressions, usually around fluctuating shorelines of lakes, on the former lake bottoms of “disappearing” lakes, at the head of broad, low basins which were former embayment’s of the sea during periods of high sea level, and as large deep inclusions within pyrogenic upland communities or as inclusions in non-pyrogenic communities like basin swamps. Species composition is heterogeneous within and between marshes but can generally be divided from deepest to shallowest portions. They become regularly inundated with water originating from localized rainfall and while water is generally not flowing, this marsh may have hydrologic outputs. This community is typically seen around the headwaters of the St. Johns river basin and around lake communities within this MLRA.

This community can be distinguished from other freshwater marshes in this PES by its vegetation composition as well as landscape position. Depression marshes are similar to basin marshes, but basin marshes are not a small or shallow inclusion within a pyrogenic community but is either a large landscape feature or an inclusion in an infrequently burned community. It is distinguished from basin and dome swamps by the dominance of herbaceous species rather than tree species such as cypress.

Resilience management. Natural fire in this community is estimated to occur mainly at the end of the dry season around May, with frequency of fires depending on the hydrology of the marsh and its exposure to fire from the surrounding areas. Natural water fluctuation plays an important role in maintaining the diversity of marsh vegetation. If water levels are artificially stabilized via damming or drainage locks, species such as cattails (Typha spp.) and water hyacinth (Eichhrnia crassipes) that can tolerate longer periods of inundation can thrive. Whereas artificial drawdown of the water table from channelization for agricultural purposes may cause invasion from pest species such as southern amaranth (Amaranthus austalis) and dogfennel (<a class="species-link" href="https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=EUCA5" target="_blank" title="Open in plants.usda.gov"><i>Eupatorium capillifolium</i></a>) as well as allowing shrubby species to become established and shade out herbaceous vegetation. The use of prescribed burning as a management technique to control the spread of shrubby species is common within this community but is done with caution to avoid peat fires.

Community 1.3
Wet Prairie

Wet prairie is an herbaceous community found on continuously wet, but not inundated, soils on somewhat flat or gentle slopes between lower lying wet areas and slightly higher wet or mesic flatwoods, or dry prairies. Changes in vegetation are dependent on slight variations in hydrology. Some areas may support few scattered pine or cypress species that may have established in a short period of drought. These are distinguished from marshes by having a shorter hydroperiod, shorter and more regular fire intervals, and a high diversity of grasses and other herbaceous species.

Resilience management. Changes in hydrology are one of the greatest impactors on this community. Ditching and drainage of surrounding communities due to high agricultural demands can impact this community and lower the water table, allowing for the encroachment of species such as pine, cypress, or cabbage palms. Fragmentation of habitat has altered fire regimes which would historically move through surrounding fire adapted communities such as flatwoods into the wet prairies every 2 to 3 years. Absence of fire from this community allows for the development of shrubs and trees to becomes established and shade out herbaceous species, lowering diversity of this habitat.

Community 1.4
Shrub Thicket

Shrub thickets consists of dense stands of broadleaf evergreen shrubs, vines, and short trees, one to five meters tall depending on time since fire, with or without an overstory of scattered pine or bay trees, growing in mucky mineral soils where water is usually less than a foot deep. They are often found along the border of upland communities and lower wetland communities in poorly drained areas. The larger the shrub species have grown the longer fire has been kept from this community.

Resilience management. Shrub thickets develop when fire is excluded from the reference community, allowing for the growth of shrubby species to thrive. Regular fires tend to extinguish themselves in shrub thickets, protecting the lower wetland community. Fire intervals are estimated to occur only during drought periods, along the order of every 10 to 20 years, in which the shrubs respond by either resprouting from the rhizome if the root is not killed, or shifting to an open water community if the roots are killed. This community can expand with the assistance of physical disturbances such as logging and ditching to surrounding communities.

Pathway 1.1A
Community 1.1 to 1.4

This transition is driven by the absence of fire from the reference community along with the alteration of natural hydrology. Exclusion of fire from the reference system has to be long enough for the establishment of woody species (estimated 12 to 15 yrs) which shades out the herbaceous layer. This in part with the alteration of hydrology from impacts to this community or surrounding communities can cause the growth of woody species. This is not a homogeneous process due to changes in microtopography which can create a mosaic of unevenly aged shrubs and prairie habitat.

Pathway 1.2A
Community 1.2 to 1.3

This is driven by a decrease in hydrology which will shorten the hydroperiod, allowing for the growth of more herbaceous species. This change in hydroperiod can come from anthropogenic drawdowns of the water table. However, the natural fire regime is still needed ( every 1-2 years) to maintain this herbaceous community. If fire frequency is not maintained, shrubby and tree species may begin to encroach the area.

Pathway 1.2B
Community 1.2 to 1.4

This transition is driven by the absence of fire from the reference community along with the alteration of natural hydrology. Exclusion of fire from the reference system has to be long enough for the establishment of woody species (estimated 12 to 15 yrs) which shades out the herbaceous layer. This in part with the alteration of hydrology from impacts to this community or surrounding communities can cause the growth of woody species. This is not a homogeneous process due to changes in microtopography which can create a mosaic of unevenly aged shrubs and prairie habitat.

Pathway 1.3A
Community 1.3 to 1.2

This is driven by a increase in hydrology which will extend the hydroperiod, removing and replacing the diverse species with a monoculture of hydrophytic species. This change in hydroperiod can come from anthropogenic impoundments. However, the natural fire regime is still needed ( every 1-2 years) to maintain this grassy marsh community. If fire frequency is not maintained, shrubby and tree species may begin to encroach the area.

Pathway 1.3B
Community 1.3 to 1.4

This transition is driven by the absence of fire from the reference community along with the alteration of natural hydrology. Exclusion of fire from the reference system has to be long enough for the establishment of woody species (estimated 12 to 15 yrs) which shades out the herbaceous layer. This in part with the alteration of hydrology from impacts to this community or surrounding communities can cause the growth of woody species. This is not a homogeneous process due to changes in microtopography which can create a mosaic of unevenly aged shrubs and prairie habitat.

Pathway 1.4A
Community 1.4 to 1.1

Mechanical, biological and chemical removal strategies include removing the unwanted species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for community species composition is needed for specific management. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological and chemical removal of unwanted species is a time dependent process, with removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

Pathway 1.4B
Community 1.4 to 1.2

Mechanical, biological and chemical removal strategies include removing the unwanted species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for community species composition is needed for specific management. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological and chemical removal of unwanted species is a time dependent process, with removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

Pathway 1.4C
Community 1.4 to 1.3

Mechanical, biological and chemical removal strategies include removing the unwanted species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for community species composition is needed for specific management. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological and chemical removal of unwanted species is a time dependent process, with removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

State 2
Intact Frequently Ponded Swamps

The natural (native) vegetation of this state is mainly dominated by Bald Cypress and Pond Cypress (Taxodium distichum and T. ascendens, respectfully). Occasional fire contributes to the maintenance of a cypress dominated community; without fire, deciduous hardwood invasion and litter accumulation create a mixed hardwood and cypress swamp, and under certain conditions the stand may convert to a hardwood forest. If no adjacent water feature (i.e. rivers), the center of the swamp may contain open marshes or deeper sloughs. These mineral soils create a unique environment that increases species diversity and structural development in forested wetland communities.

Characteristics and indicators. This state is characterized by nearly pure stands of cypress trees (Taxodium spp.) that are distinguished by buttressed trunks.

Resilience management. This state is maintained by both stressors from water and fire. Hydroperiods range from 100 to 300 days per year which only allow hydrophytic species to survive. Drainage of this site can allow for the invasion of non-native and exotic species and transition the site to a more mesic hardwood community. Fire is another major stressor in this state, with interior swamps estimated burning at long time periods up to every 100 to 150 years, and the edges every 3 to 5 years. The stress from fire prevents the accumulation of organic matter and transition into a hardwood community.

Community 2.1
Dome Swamp

These are defined as an isolated, forested, depression wetland occurring within a fire-maintained community. These swamps are generally small but may also be large and shallow. They occur when acid byproducts of organic matter decomposition dissolve limestone bedrock causing the soil to slump over the sinkhole, creating a conical depression. These domes have thick layers of peat in the center which is able to hold water for the majority of the year, with the tallest, biggest trees in the center of the dome and smallest, youngest trees on the outskirts. Mineral soils may be present in the dome along the outskirts near the youngest trees. This gives the dome a distinctly rounded cross-sectional profile. Isolated freshwater marshes in the center of the dome can also give it a doughnut shape from aerial views.

Resilience management. These wetlands function as reservoirs that recharge the aquifer when adjacent water tables drop and fluctuate with seasonal rainfall. The normal hydroperiod is 100 to 300 days out of the year which acts as a stressor to maintain this community to prevent transition to another community. Normal fire return intervals range anywhere form 3 to 5 years along the outer edge to as long as 100 to 150 years along the inner dome. Fire is used to maintain this community, without periodic fires hardwood invasion and peat accumulation would convert the dome to a hardwood forest. Depending on the extent of limestone trough or sinkhole, the dome swamp may expand into an irregular formed strand or basin swamp.

Community 2.2
Basin Swamp

Basin swamps are cypress dominated swamps that occur in any type of large landscape depression typically north of Lake Okeechobee such as old lake beds or river basins, or ancient coastal swales and lagoons that existed during higher sea levels. Micro sites on cypress knees or on root mat fibers provide habitat for more mesic species, establishing above the surface of the water.

While similar to the other cypress communities in this state by hydrology, natural processes, and vegetation, they differ by landscape position. Strand swamps differ from basin swamps by occurring primarily along the same latitude and south of Lake Okeechobee in elongated depressions or channels in limestone troughs. Dome swamps are typically isolated depression swamps within a surrounding pyrogenic landscape or within a larger swamp community.

Resilience management. In basin swamps the primary source of water is local rainfall with additional inputs from runoff and seepage from the surrounding uplands. Fire intervals are variable, and the interior of the swamp may go unburned for decades to centuries while the exterior is subject to frequent fires based on the fire interval of the surrounding community. Without fires basin swamps can transition to cypress dominated baygalls as hardwoods increase in density and organic matter accumulates. Whereas catastrophic peat fires can lower the ground level during periods of extreme drought into an open pond, lake, marsh or shrub thicket.

Community 2.3
Strand Swamp

Strand Swamps are cypress dominated swamps that occur in shallow, forested, usually elongated depressions or channels situated in a trough within a flat limestone plain. Small, young cypress trees at the outer edge grade into large older trees in the deeper interior, giving the strand a distinctively rounded cross-section profile. Within this MLRA this community is only found east of Lake Okeechobee and south, being replaced by basin swamps further to the north. Due to their close proximity to the isohyperthermic boundary some tropical species may be present within this system, but is mostly dominated by temperate species. The deepest part of this swamp is typically characterized as a canopied slough, aligned with the lowest part of the limestone bedrock.

While similar to the other cypress communities in this state by hydrology, natural processes, and vegetation, they differ by landscape position. Basin swamps differ from strand swamps by occurring in large landscape depressions north of Lake Okeechobee. Dome swamps are typically isolated depression swamps within a surrounding pyrogenic landscape or within a larger swamp community.

Resilience management. The two main drivers in this community are hydrology and fire regimes. The normal hydroperiod ranges from 100 to 300 days and water depth of 46 to 76 cm, with water levels rising with increasing rainfall around June and decreasing to their lowest levels during the winter and early spring. In undisturbed strand swamps, higher plant diversity is partly attributable to topographical variations, such as depressions caused by peat fires, high spots on old stumps, and irregularities caused by unequal solution of the underlying limestone, that allow hydrophytic species to become established. Fire occurs rarely in strand swamps, with the largest trees on the deepest peat towards the center of the strand burning least frequently. However, fires from surrounding pine-dominated communities can frequently burn into the outer edges of strand swamps. In addition to having a shorter stature, strand edges are often a monospecific stand of cypress, owing to the vulnerability of the typical understory components to fire. In this way, occasional fire contributes to the maintenance of a cypress dominated community; without fire, hardwood invasion and peat accumulation create a mixed hardwood and cypress swamp. Cypress is very tolerant of light surface fires, but muck fires burning into the peat can kill the trees and lower the ground surface, transforming a strand swamp into a slough. Where severe fires have killed cypress, coastalplain willow commonly establishes as a thicket.

Community 2.4
Baygall

Baygall, also referred to as bay swamps or bay heads, are evergreen forested wetlands of bay species in a depression with deep peat soils that are acidic within a well developed forest. They typically develop on wet soils in depressions and in stagnant drainages that maintain a saturated peat substrate via seepage, rainfall, or capillary action. This community varies in size and can range from small tree islands within marsh or prairie communities to many acres within a mature forest. They develop when fire has been excluded from cypress swamps, allowing organic matter to accumulate and creating a positive feedback that allows the establishment of bays. Cypress swamps are very similar to baygalls, with many instances of intermediate stages between these communities primarily caused by fire and logging history. However, cypress swamps experience greater water fluctuation and greater water depths than baygalls.

Resilience management. As the bay species grow, the shade intolerant cypress species are inhibited which shifts vegetation and soil conditions to favor shade tolerant species to germinate and grow in low light conditions.

Pathway 2.1A
Community 2.1 to 2.2

Swamp expansion occurs via seeding from trees and seed dispersal from birds or other animals. If the conditions are met for dome swamps to expand then they will grow out to form a larger cypress swamp over a long period of time.

Context dependence.Swamp expansion can occur if the depression that formed the dome swamp extends further out. If the dome swamp exists within an old lake bed or river basin or ancient coastal swale or lagoon it may extend to form a fully developed basin swamp. This is not only a spatially depending process, depending on the depressions formed that allows peat accumulation, but temporally dependent as well. For the swamp to expand larger it would take along the centuries scale for full growth of trees in the representative landscape. This is also depending on the natural landscape remaining the same with no alterations in land use changes or hydrology.

Pathway 2.1B
Community 2.1 to 2.3

Swamp expansion occurs via seeding from trees and seed dispersal from birds or other animals. If the conditions are met for dome swamps to expand then they will grow out to form a larger cypress swamp over a long period of time.

Context dependence.Swamp expansion can occur if the depression that formed the dome swamp extends further out. If the dome swamp exists within a limestone trough it may extend to form a fully developed strand swamp. This is not only a spatially depending process, depending on the depressions formed in limestone bedrock that allows peat accumulation, but temporally dependent as well. For the swamp to expand larger it would take along the centuries scale for full growth of trees in the representative landscape. This is also depending on the natural landscape remaining the same with no alterations in land use changes or hydrology.

Pathway 2.1C
Community 2.1 to 2.4

The overarching driver which may allow for a community transition is the decrease of the long term hydroperiod. This is a wide variety of alterations which may shift species composition to allow for the growth of hardwood species. This may include abiotic factors such as drought, absence of fire, or any other events that can alter the water table, or species composition to allow for the introduction of unwanted species. This can also include biotic factors such as hog rooting or human introduction that can bring these native but undesirable to the reference community species in.

Pathway 2.2A
Community 2.2 to 2.4

The overarching driver which may allow for a community transition is the decrease of the long term hydroperiod. This is a wide variety of alterations which may shift species composition to allow for the growth of hardwood species. This may include abiotic factors such as drought, absence of fire, or any other events that can alter the water table, or species composition to allow for the introduction of unwanted species. This can also include biotic factors such as hog rooting or human introduction that can bring these native but undesirable to the reference community species in.

Pathway 2.3A
Community 2.3 to 2.4

The overarching driver which may allow for a community transition is the decrease of the long term hydroperiod. This is a wide variety of alterations which may shift species composition to allow for the growth of hardwood species. This may include abiotic factors such as drought, absence of fire, or any other events that can alter the water table, or species composition to allow for the introduction of unwanted species. This can also include biotic factors such as hog rooting or human introduction that can bring these native but undesirable to the reference community species in.

Pathway 2.4A
Community 2.4 to 2.1

Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the unwanted species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for community species composition is needed for specific management. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of unwanted species is a time dependent process, with removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

Pathway 2.4B
Community 2.4 to 2.2

Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the unwanted species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for community species composition is needed for specific management. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of unwanted species is a time dependent process, with removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

Pathway 2.4C
Community 2.4 to 2.3

Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the unwanted species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for community species composition is needed for specific management. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of unwanted species is a time dependent process, with removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

State 3
Invasive Non-Native Community

This state consists of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Non-Native Category 1 Species list . More information on these species list can be found:
https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/63140/file/Florida%E2%80%99s_Pest_Plants.pdf

or by contacting the UF / IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/), the UF / IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/), or the FWC Invasive Plant Management Section (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/invasive-plants/).

These species are common in areas where natural processes are interrupted via hydrology or fire regimes. The introduction of these species pose serious threats to endangered and threatened habitats and plants within Florida as they become outcompeted for habitats and nutrients.

Characteristics and indicators. Non-Native species include species that exist outside of Florida's natural range and are introduced to the state via people, weather events, or any other means.

Resilience management. This state can be found as a part of any other state or community and can completely destroy the native habitat if not properly managed. Restoration to natural communities after exotic invasion include practices such as mechanical, biological, and chemical removal.

State 4
Managed Resource Areas

The following communities comprise the major land uses in the United States and the land uses receiving the majority of the conservation treatment that address soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources within the USDA.

Characteristics and indicators. These land uses consist of areas that are not completely naturalized (i.e. native habitat) and have been anthropogenically altered for commodity production.

Community 4.1
Rangeland

Rangelands are described as lands on which the indigenous vegetation is predominately grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, and possibly shrubs or dispersed trees. Existing plant communities can include both native and introduced plants. Primary export from Florida ranges are cattle and have been present in the state since their first introduction by Spanish explorers in 1521. This is the reference community for this state because it requires very little alterations to the landscape for grazing species.

Rangelands provide a diversity of ecosystems and also provide a diverse and significant production of economic benefits and ecosystem goods and services. Livestock production along with sustainable wildlife populations provide for the major direct economic benefits, but also tourism, recreational uses, minerals/energy production, renewable energy, and other natural resource uses can be very significant. Vital ecosystem contributions include clean water, clean air, fish/wildlife habitat, as well as intangible considerations such as historical, cultural, aesthetic and spiritual values. This community correlates with the 1994 FOTG Range Site Description 156BY010FL- 156B Freshwater Marsh and Pond. Plant Community Composition List is derived from 156BY010FL.

Resilience management. Grazing, by both domestic livestock and wildlife, is the most common ecological management process, with fire and weather extremes also being significant ecological factors. For information regarding specific cattle grazing techniques please contact your local NRCS office.

Community 4.2
Open Transitional Managed Communities

This is an area that is managed to maintain open land before shifting to another community. These communities are often used as transitional periods from one practice to another and could lead to an abandoned / fallow field.

Community 4.3
Pasture

Pasture is a land use type having vegetation cover comprised primarily of introduced or enhanced native forage species that is used for livestock grazing. Pasture vegetation can consist of grasses, legumes, other forbs, shrubs or a mixture. The majority of these forages are introduced, having originally come from areas in other states or continents. Most are now naturalized and are vital components of pasture based grazing systems.

Pasture lands provide many benefits other than forage for livestock. Wildlife use pasture as shelter and for food sources. Well managed pasture captures rainwater that is slowly infiltrated into the soil which helps recharge groundwater. Many small pasture livestock operations are near urban areas providing vistas for everyone to enjoy. It is especially important as livestock grazers continues to experience extraordinarily high fuel and other input costs. This community was previously included in the 2013 Florida Forage Suitability Group numbers G156BC145FL (Sandy Soils on Stream Terraces, Flood Plains or in Depressions), G156BC245FL (Sandy Over Loamy Soils on Stream Terraces, Flood Plains, or in Depressions), and G156BC345FL (Loamy and Clayey Soils on Stream Terraces, Flood Plains, or in Depressions). All values and growth curves are captured directly from these FSGs.

Resilience management. Pastures receive periodic renovation and cultural treatments such as tillage, fertilization, mowing, weed control, and may be irrigated. For more information regarding specific pasture management please contact your local NRCS office.

Community 4.4
Agriculture

The agriculture industry includes cultivated crops, aquaculture, and apiculture. Cultivated cropland includes areas used for the production of adapted crops for harvest. These areas comprises land in row crops or close-grown crops that are in a rotation with row or close-grown crops. Primary exports from Florida consist of fruits, greenhouse and nursery products, sugar cane, and the signature export of citrus. Aquaculture includes the cultivation and maintenance of aquatic plants, aquatic reptiles, crustaceans, food/ ornamental fish, shellfish, and other miscellaneous species for harvesting. Apiculture includes the maintenance of honeybees and hives to provide beeswax, honey/ other edible bee products, crop pollination services, and sales of bees to other beekeepers. These areas have been modified resulting in land clearing practices and hydrologic management to fit the growers needs.

Resilience management. Major natural resource concerns facing cropland include: (1) erosion by wind and water, (2) maintaining and enhancing soil quality, (3) water quality from nutrient and pesticides runoff and leaching, and (4) managing the quantity of water available for irrigation. For more specific information regarding cropland please contact your local NRCS office.

Community 4.5
Silviculture

Silviculture is land used in controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the diverse needs and values of landowners and society such as wildlife habitat, timber, water resources, restoration, and recreation on a sustainable basis. These are forestry practices that include thinning, harvesting, planting, pruning, prescribed burning and site preparation, for managed goals such as wildlife habitat creation or harvesting. Many managed silvicultural lands in Florida include tree plantations for growth of tropical ornamental species such as palms; and lumber, pulp, and paper species such as slash pine, longleaf pine, cypress, and eucalyptus.

This community also include management practices of agroforestry, the intentional mixing of trees and shrubs into crop and/or animal production systems to create environmental, economic and social benefits. This is included in this community and not any other state because the primary management is for tree species. This may include practices such as riparian forest buffers, windbreaks, forest farming, silvopasture, and alley cropping.

Resilience management. Management of silvicultural lands require specific prescriptions based on the management goals for the stand, and may include thinning, harvesting, planting, pruning, prescribed burning and site preparation. For more information regarding specific management for silviculture practices please contact your local NRCS office.

Pathway 4.1A
Community 4.1 to 4.2

This pathway is driven by land use conversion practices that prepare for modified land use. In some circumstances, conversion might include removing the existing vegetation and habitat.

Pathway 4.2A
Community 4.2 to 4.1

This pathway is driven by the restoration of the native habitat for the use of rangeland. This includes restoration of both the hydrology and landscape in advance of replanting native species. This is a time-consuming process and often results in second-hand community structure. Once restored to a natural capacity the introduction of grazing species to the system creates a managed rangeland.

Pathway 4.2B
Community 4.2 to 4.3

This pathway is driven by preparing the land for pasture. This includes the planting of vegetation consisting of grasses, legumes, other forbs, shrubs or a mixture that will provide preferred forage for managed grazing species.

Pathway 4.2C
Community 4.2 to 4.4

This pathway is driven by the preparation of land for agricultural uses. This change is dependent on the type of agricultural community being created, but often depends on the growing, maintenance, and cultivation of an agricultural product for consumers. This community may require modification to the land to fit the hydrologic requirement of the growing crop.

Pathway 4.2D
Community 4.2 to 4.5

This pathway is driven by the preparation of the land for silvicultural purposes. This change is dependent on the type of silvicultural product being cultivated, as many different practices require different growth requirements.

Pathway 4.3A
Community 4.3 to 4.2

This pathway is driven by land use conversion practices that prepare for modified land use. In some circumstances, conversion might include removing the existing vegetation and habitat.

Pathway 4.4A
Community 4.4 to 4.2

This pathway is driven by land use conversion practices that prepare for modified land use. In some circumstances, conversion might include removing the existing vegetation and habitat.

Pathway 4.5A
Community 4.5 to 4.2

This pathway is driven by land use conversion practices that prepare for modified land use. In some circumstances, conversion might include removing the existing vegetation and habitat.

State 5
Human Altered and Human Transported Areas

These areas include soils that were intentionally and substantially modified by humans for an intended purpose, commonly for terraced agriculture, building support, mining, transportation, and commerce. The alteration is of sufficient magnitude to result in the introduction of a new parent material (human-transported material) or a profound change in the previously existing parent material (human-altered material). They do not include soils modified through standard agricultural practices or formed soils with unintended wind and water erosion. When a soil is on or above an anthropogenic landform or microfeature, it can be definitely be associated with human activity and is assigned to a unique taxa, usually found as an "Urban land complex" within that communities' natural soil properties (e.g., Immokalee sand-Urban land complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes).

Characteristics and indicators. Evidence of these areas include soils with manufactured items (e.g. artifacts) present in the profile, human altered-materials (e.g., deeply excavated soil) or human-transported material (e.g., fill), and position on or above anthropogenic landforms (e.g., flood-control levees) and microfeatures (e.g., drainage ditches). Detailed criteria regarding the identification of anthropogenic (artificial) landforms, human-altered materials, and human-transported material are in the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy" (Soil Survey Staff, 2014).

Community 5.1
Reclaimed Areas

Reclaimed areas are areas that have been modified through anthropogenic means that are restored to a natural community. Areas that can be reclaimed are any intensity urban areas, and may be required to be reclaimed after urban use (e.g., active mines must be reclaimed). These practices include the identification, removal, and stockpiling soil materials before altering the land, and revegetation and replacement of soil materials after altering the land. This also applies to nearby urban areas that have been adversely affected by the anthropogenic activities.

Community 5.2
Urban

This urban community consists of development for human use. Urban areas include a variety of land uses, e.g., inner city or urban core, industrial and residential areas, cemeteries, parks, and other open spaces; the overall function which may benefit the quality of human life. These often form an urban soil mosaic, where the natural landscape has been fragmented into parcels with distinctive disturbance and management regimes and, as a result, distinctive characteristic soil properties.

Within this community there are three different levels of urbanization, based off population dynamics, residential density, and intensity of development. These are labeled as low-intensity, medium-intensity, and high-intensity urban areas, which can eventually be split apart into its own separate state. Low-intensity urban areas may consist of single dwelling homes with little impact on the surrounding community which still somewhat represents the natural community (e.g., represents natural landscape, hydrology, and vegetation) , other examples of this are urban parks, cemeteries, or campgrounds with little urban development. Medium-intensity urban areas consist of larger urban dwellings with some natural features, but have been modified to meet urban needs (e.g., towns). High-intensity urban areas are areas of heavily modified areas with complete alterations of the natural landscape, hydrology, and vegetation to support a very large population, which once constructed is permanently altered (e.g., metropolis areas/ active mines).

Community 5.3
Non-Reclaimed Areas

Non-reclaimed areas are areas that have been modified through anthropogenic means that are unable to be restored to a natural or second-hand natural community. Areas that cannot be reclaimed are areas under active mining status or mined areas before the Phosphate Land Reclamation Act in 1975, which leaves shut down operations alone. These areas also include fallow mines that have been flooded and are now permanent bodies of water.

Pathway 5.1A
Community 5.1 to 5.2

This shift in communities is driven by clearing and developing the land for the desired community.

Pathway 5.2A
Community 5.2 to 5.1

This transition is driven by the revegetation, reestablished hydrology, and replacement of displaced soil materials after altering the land.

Pathway 5.2B
Community 5.2 to 5.3

This transition is driven from heavy industrial or urban development which causes the land to become non-reclaimable. This transition is rare due to the many environmental laws and regulations that must be followed when developing.

Pathway 5.3A
Community 5.3 to 5.1

This transition is driven by the revegetation, reestablished hydrology, and replacement of displaced soil materials after altering the land.

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

This transition is driven by the establishment of woody species. This may be driven naturally or anthropogenically. Natural drivers may be drought, which can lower the water table for an expanded period of time, allowing for hydrophytic species to root and become established. These will often have buttressed trunks as a result of long hydroperiods. Anthropogenic alterations include the drawdown of the water table for commodity products. As the species grow they may shade out the understory and convert the area to a swamp.

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

The invasion of non-native or exotic species can be driven by a multitude of different environmental factors such as hydrology or changes in fire regimes. Typically once a change in one of the two factors mentioned above occurs, non-native or exotic invasive species become established and begin to compete with native species for habitat and nutrients.

Constraints to recovery.Recovery from non-native or exotic invasive species may be difficult due to many adaptations which allow them to survive and outcompete in intolerable conditions. Localized knowledge for each species must be known for best removal of it without harming the native environment, and often different treatments must be applied over one given area.

Context dependence.Growth of non-native and exotic invasive species can be rapid following a change in a natural stressor such as fire or hydrology which might have once kept the invasive species at bay.

Transition T1C
State 1 to 4

Modify the land for the desired land use. This may include the establishment of grazing species or the modification of land for the cultivation of crops of other desired products.

Transition T1D
State 1 to 5

This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.

Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1

This restoration to a grassland from a forest consists of removing the woody species, allowing for light to penetrate the ground surface and grasses in the existing seedbank to grow. This removal may consist of mechanical, biological, or chemical methods to clear an area.

Transition T2A
State 2 to 3

The invasion of non-native or exotic species can be driven by a multitude of different environmental factors such as hydrology or changes in fire regimes. Typically once a change in one of the two factors mentioned above occurs, non-native or exotic invasive species become established and begin to compete with native species for habitat and nutrients.

Constraints to recovery.Recovery from non-native or exotic invasive species may be difficult due to many adaptations which allow them to survive and outcompete in intolerable conditions. Localized knowledge for each species must be known for best removal of it without harming the native environment, and often different treatments must be applied over one given area.

Context dependence.Growth of non-native and exotic invasive species can be rapid following a change in a natural stressor such as fire or hydrology which might have once kept the invasive species at bay.

Transition T2B
State 2 to 4

Modify the land for the desired land use. This may include the establishment of grazing species or the modification of land for the cultivation of crops of other desired products.

Transition T2C
State 2 to 5

This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.

Restoration pathway R3A
State 3 to 1

Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the non-native and exotic invasive species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for individual non-native or exotic invasive species is needed for specific management. Sometimes introduction of fire regimes may prevent or stop the growth of non-native or exotic invasive species, but many species are fire tolerant. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal of non-native and exotic invasive species is a time dependent process, with both removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

Restoration pathway R3B
State 3 to 2

Mechanical, biological, and chemical removal strategies include removing the non-native and exotic invasive species through various mechanisms. Localized knowledge for individual non-native or exotic invasive species is needed for specific management. Sometimes introduction of fire regimes may prevent or stop the growth of non-native or exotic invasive species, but many species are fire tolerant. Mechanical removal might include roller chopping, harvesting, or cutting and removal of invasive species. Chemical removal might include aerial dispersal from planes, or basal bark injection treatments.

Context dependence.Mechanical, bioloigcal, and chemical removal of non-native and exotic invasive species is a time dependent process, with both removal types taking long times to be considered effective.

Transition T3A
State 3 to 4

Modify the land for the desired land use. This may include the establishment of grazing species or the modification of land for the cultivation of crops of other desired products.

Transition T3B
State 3 to 5

This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.

Restoration pathway R4A
State 4 to 1

These practices include the restoration of both the hydrology and landscape in advance of revegetating the area (if needed).

Restoration pathway R4B
State 4 to 2

These practices include the restoration of both the hydrology and landscape in advance of revegetating the area (if needed).

Transition T4A
State 4 to 5

This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.

Transition T5A
State 5 to 4

This transition is driven by the restoration of a reclaimed land towards a naturally managed resource such as agriculture, rangeland, silviculture, or improved pasture.