1987 SCHNOES AND HUMPHREY: TERRESTRIAL COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA


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 Figure 2.-Interior of the A-3 clay waste site. The ground is devoid of herbaceous
plants, and a dense forest canopy is formed by wax myrtle (left) and willow (leaning from
right).


baceous growth began at low to moderate levels soon after mining, as
ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), dog fennel (Eupatorium album), and
natal grass (Rynchelytrum repens) began to colonize the bare spoil piles.
Only a few shrubs (Baccharis) were present, and trees were absent.
 Herbaceous communities reached peak levels of abundance and di-
versity in the 5-15 year age class (Figs. 8-9), as Caesar weed (Urena
lobata), cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), and Andropogon sp. became
established and dog fennel disappeared. Shrubs, vines, and saplings in-
creased markedly in this period, the major species being Baccharis, Lan-
tana camera, grape (Vitis rotundifolia), blackberry (Rubus spp.), and
several kinds of saplings. Trees also became established in this interval,
primarily pioneer species like willow, wax myrtle, and Baccharis, along
with the exotic Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius).
 Shrubs dominated the vegetation in the 15-30 year age class (Figs.
10-11), as herbaceous growth became less prominent and trees contin-
ued their invasion of the sites. Cogongrass was no longer present, and
panic grass (Panicum dichotomiflorum) and shade-tolerant ferns (Polysti-
chum acrostichoides and Thelypteris normalis) joined the association.
Shrub composition was similar to the previous age class, with significant