1987 SCHNOES AND HUMPHREY: TERRESTRIAL COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA 107

is unknown. Bird species number and abundance stabilized and began
to decrease during the wax myrtle stage, and the decline continued as
the forest developed. The final stabilization of variables to be expected
in a climax community did not appear by year 36.

 COMPARISON WITH OTHER STUDIES

 Based on a compilation of pre-existing knowledge of the fish and wild-
life of the central Florida phosphate district, Layne et al. (1977) pre-
dicted general faunal changes likely to result from mining and reclama-
tion. They concluded that impacts of mining on important "species are
likely to be adverse . the overall effect will be a serious reduction in
both diversity and abundance of wildlife resources of the seven-county
area. Some of the deleterious impacts of mining could be reduced by
modification of current reclamation practices and priorities; however, the
net loss of fish and wildlife habitat and populations will still be of major
proportion." Our study suggests the same conclusions, but our interpre-
tation differs in one respect. How large a net loss of habitats and popu-
lations occurs depends strongly upon decisions about both reclamation
practices and subsequent land use. Our data indicate that the adverse
effects of mining can be temporary and that at least some fish and wildlife
resources can be restored after mining. Consequently our conclusions
emphasize the potential for restoration as determined by the new soils
and landforms and the actual restoration accomplished as determined by
post-mining land use decisions.
 Recent work by Frohlich (1981) balances our results and those of Layne
et al. (1977). He showed that although small mammals were more abun-
dant in unreclaimed mines than in unmined flatwoods, some species were
lost in the conversion. As in our study, small mammals were more abun-
dant on unreclaimed sites than on reclaimed ones, and reclaimed and
sand tailings treatments were similar in supporting few small mammals.
 In a baseline study on endangered species that might be impacted by
the proposed mining of the Osceola National Forest, the National Fish
and Wildlife Laboratory (1978: 272,274) concluded that "Phosphate ex-
traction by surface mining techniques will effectively extirpate all of the
local flora and fauna in the mined area. This impact will be total but, for
some species, need not be permanent if wildlife habitats are considered
in reclamation plans. Osceola National Forest could be mined for phos-
phate and returned to a system of wildlife habitats that, for many species,
would be equal to or improved over habitats now available." In the final
supplement to the final environmental statement on whether Osceola
mining leases should be approved, the basic scenario gave the reclama-
tion goal as "the restoration of the existing resource and reestablishment