ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY

 NO. 19 MANGROVE SWAMP


OCCURRENCE

The Mangrove Swamp ecological community occurs primarily along saltwater
shorelines in south Florida from Levy and Volusia Counties southward.
Coastlines that host this community normally have mild wave action in the form
of backbays and estuary fringes. The Ten Thousand Islands in southwest
Florida is the most extensive area of mangrove swamps in Florida.

DESCRIPTION

Mangroves appear as a medium-height (10-20 feet) thicket of fleshy-leaved
woody plants in coastal areas. In mot areas of its range, the red mangrove,
,hiBoohoSra manNl, is the ost seaward emergent plant. Prop roots are
characteristic of this plant while the black and white species send up
modified vertical roots to facilitate in respiration.

1. Soils

 Soils commonly associated with this community are level, very poorly
 drained, peat or fine sand underlain by sand or clays. Tidal action
 causes saturation of the soil with saltwater and inundation to a depth of
 several inches. Representative soils include: Bessie, Hallandale Tidal,
 and Turnbull Variant. Appendix A contains information on correlation of
 soil series with the appropriate ecological community.

2. Vegfttion

 The most frequent species found in this community are the three mangroves:
 red, black, and white. However, depending on elevation and resulting
 tidal influx, considerable variation occurs in the composition of these
 threes species as well as associated species. Plants which characterize
 this community are:

 TREES Black mangrove, Avicennia Pominans; Button mangrove,
 Conoarpus erectus; Red mangrove, bhizoohora mangle; White
 mangrove, launcularia racemosa

 HERBACEOUS PLANTS Leather fern, Acrostichum aureum; Sea oxeye, Borrichia
 arborescens; Sea purslane, Sesuviumportulacastrum

 Other plants that occur in this community are in Appendix B.

3. Animals

 The mangrove swamps support a variety of wildlife. Animals inhabitating
 mangrove communities include:

 MAMMALS Everglades mink, raccoon