different species are dominant during different stages of forested wetland succession?
Are there specific environmental conditions that favor vine dominance?

 In this research, the occurrence, persistence, and successional trends of vine
species in newly constructed landscapes were studied on forested wetlands reclaimed
over the past two decades. By studying different aged sites (a chronosequence design),
the changes in species abundance of vines at different successional stages may be
evaluated. By studying where and under what biotic and abiotic conditions vines seem to
dominate, a better understanding of the ecological characteristics that favor vines can be
developed. Finally, by studying vines in newly constructed forested wetlands, including
their persistence and successional tendencies, it may be possible to gain understanding of
their role in ecosystem processes, determine if they are a problem in newly constructed
landscapes, and suggest management strategies if they are.


REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE


Vines and Lianas

 Little research is available on vines in reclaimed landscapes in Florida. Most of
the research on vines has focused on lianas (woody vines) in tropical systems.
Additionally, research on the long-term succession characteristics of reclaimed forested
wetlands and the role vines play in these systems is lacking.


 Beneficial and Detrimental Roles of Vines

 Throughout the southeastern United States, vines comprise an important biomass
component of many disturbed and undisturbed, dry, mesic, and wetland forests (Collins
and Wein 1993). Gough and Grace (1997) noted the important role that vine species
seem to play in the development of the Louisiana wetland communities they studied, and
Bush and others (1995) identified the influences vines have on tropical forested
communities, both beneficial through rapid carbon and nutrient cycling and detrimental
causing death on an individual tree basis. Vines play many roles within forests, and their
importance to the environmental system has yet to be documented. In fact, little research
has examined the effects of vine species on whole communities, except as part of larger
removal experiments (Gough and Grace 1997). Little research exists on the presence or
role of vines in Florida.

 Some of the most complete work on the successional role of vines was done on
the Krakatau Islands of Indonesia where Bush and others (1995) noted the contributions
vines make to carbon and nutrient cycles and forest soil formation. Additionally, Putz
(1995; 1990; 1984) and Putz and Chai (1987) investigated the role of vines and
community