Pickereleed, Pontedera cordata and Ponteder laneolata
 Sartweed, spp.; Pennywort, ro spp.

 SHRUBS St. Johns wort, Hoericu spp.; Primrose willow, fdiis app.;
 Elderberry, Sambucus canadenais lascintu

 Information about plants which occur in specific ecological communities
 is in Appendix B.

3. animals

 The freshwater marshes and ponds provide excellent habitats for many
 wildlife species. Numerous birds snd waterfowl use this community for
 wintering or yearround. nimls that commonly occur in this co-munity
 are:

 MAMMALS Otter, mink, raccoon, marsh rabbit, white-tailed deer, Florida
 water rat.

 IRDS Herons, egrets, bitterns, ibis, sandhill cranes, rails,
 lfmpkins, gallinules, snipe, killdeer, Florida duck, red-winged
 blakbrids, earaeara, harsh hawk, red-shouldered hawk, sallow-
 tailed kite

 REPTILES Aphiuma, dwarf salamander, sirens, frogs (cricket frogs,
 bullfrog, leopard frog), turtles (md turtle, red-bellied
 turtle, chicken turtle), snakes, (horn, water, swap, brown,
 cottooouth, ribbon), alligator

 Infuom tlon on animals know to occur in specific ecological communities is
 in Appendix C.

LAND USE INTERPRETATIONS

1. Environmental Valur as a Natural Syster

 The freshvater marshes and ponds serve as a filter systs for rivers and
 lakes. This protects the rivers and las from eutrophication and
 provides the marsh with nutrients that are used in the vegetative growth.
 arshes will retain water during drought and large marshes also help low
 down water flows at flood times.

 Fire and after level fluctuation are the major factors affecting these
 wetland areas. Variations in the after patterns on the harsh will chage
 the plant diversity and productivity. Marsh-prairie systems will
 eventually 0ve to a woody coRunity with exclusion of fire or with
 pe0anent and lower water level changes.

 The freshwater marsh community is highly endangered. any have been
 destroyed or at least degraded. Some exaples of areas where drainage has
 occurred for recl. nation of land and for agricultural interests are: he
 Everglades, Kissimme River marshes, Lake Isotokpoga marsh, and the upper
 St. Johns River arsh. Recreational uses of this comnolty may cause much
 disturbance. In fact, recreation vehicles, when used a great deal, will
 change the plant co unity found in the area.