CHAPTER 6


 THE ROLE OF VINES IN THE SUCCESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 OF CONSTRUCTED RECLAIMED FORESTED WETLANDS
 IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PHOSPHATE DISTRICT


 Kelly Chinners Reiss


 INTRODUCTION


 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

 The ecological role of vines has long been debated. Their interplay within
 ecological systems at times is suggested to be beneficial and at times to be detrimental to
 competing vegetation and overall system development. Vines occur in most forested
 ecosystems from the temperate zone to the tropics, and their presence in all types of
 forested systems suggests that they may play some beneficial roles. Even forested
 wetland ecosystems have vines, which tend to be rooted on hummocks or at the upland
 ecotones of the wetland since most vines do not tolerate inundation and soil saturation.
 Vines build organic matter and process nutrients that may benefit late successional tree
 growth and development. Hence, without vines forested wetland systems may take
 longer to reach a successional climax.

 Vines often appear to be more prevalent in early successional systems, and are
 more visible in areas dominated by aggressive introduced vine species. Yet, there is little
 scientific documentation of the prevalence and effects of vines (either native or
 introduced) in early successional ecosystems, especially forested wetland ecosystems.
 Nor is the persistence or successional trends in vine species as ecosystems develop well
 documented.

 Newly constructed landscapes, such as those that result from reclamation of
phosphate mined lands in central Florida, offer the potential to study the role and
interactions of vines within the developing ecological community. Along with native
vines, there are several non-native species that have been recorded in reclaimed
landscapes. By studying reclaimed landscapes of various ages, it may be possible to
answer the following questions:

 Are vines detrimental to the development of newly constructed landscapes? Do
vines interfere with or enhance ecological succession and community development? As
ecosystems develop, do vines persist? Do vines exhibit successional trends, where