ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY


 NO. 22 SHRUB BOG-BAY SWAMP


OCCURRENCE

The Shrub Bog-Bay Swamp ecological community occurs throughout Florida,
although the dominant plants vary considerably in different areas. The ones
dominated by black titi (Cliftonia monophylla) occur primarily in the
panhandle area; the ones dominated by white titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) occur
all across the northern part of the state; the ones dominated by large
gallberry, staggerbush, and sweet pepperbush occur primarily in the
northeastern part of the state; while bay swamps occur throughout the state,
with loblolly bay dominating in the northeast, sweet bay in the pandhandle,
and mixtures of loblolly, red, and sweet bay in the peninsula. The shrub
bogs-bay swamp range in size up to several thousand acres.

DESCRIPTION

This community may be found perched on hillsides, in depressions in pine
flatwoods, filling ravines, or as linear strips along the edges of creek
swamps. They are usually maintained by seepage from higher land.

The shrub bog-bay swamp ecological community is dominated by evergreen
vegetation, occurring on soils with a muck layer. Shrub bogs are
predominantly dense masses of evergreen shrubby vegetation seldom exceeding
twenty-five feet in height, while bay swamps are forested wetlands dominated
by one or two species of evergreen trees. The bay swamp is considered to be a
climax community with mature trees, while shrub bogs are in the earlier stages
of plant succession. Periodic fire helps to keep some of these areas in this
shrub bog or sub-climax stage, especially the titi types. The shrubs have
many stems and thick foliage and often appear impenetrable.

1. Soils

 Soils commonly associated with this community are nearly level to gently
 sloping, acid, somewhat poorly to very poorly drained, sandy or loamy
 soils adjacent to drainageways that are fed by seepage water.
 Representative soils are Charlotte, Dorovan Thermic Variant, Pickney,
 Rutledge and Samsula. Appendix A contain information on correlation on
 soil series with the appropriate ecological community.

2. Vegetation

 The natural vegetation of this community is dominated by evergreen shrubs
 or trees. Several types of each phase are recognized. One type of shrub
 bog is that dominated primarily by a single species, either black titi or
 bay.

 Two other types burn at frequent intervals and form a nearly impenetrable
 thicket of various shrubs--in some areas these may be dominated by titi
 (Swamp cyrilla); while in others, mixtures of large gallberry,
 staggerbush, and sweet pepperbush dominate. The bay swamp may be
 dominated by sweet bay, loblolly bay, or mixtures of sweet bay, loblolly