1. Dome Swamp and Basin Swamp Nicole Smith WIS 4427

2. Outline  What is a Cypress/Tupelo?  Dome Swamp  Basin Swamp  Comparing similar habitats

3. Vocabulary  Hydroperiod-Period in which the soil is waterlogged  Peat-Accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter  Marl-CaCO3 or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and silt  Hydrophytic-Grows wholly or partly in water

4. Cypress/Tupelo Cypress or Tupelo dominate or are at least very important in the canopy Cypress or Tupelo dominate or are at least very important in the canopy Long hydroperiod Long hydroperiod

5. Dome Swamp

6. Dome Swamp Description  Isolated, forested, depression wetland  Occurs within a fire-maintained community, such as mesic flatwoods  Small, but can be large and shallow  Canopy dominated by pond cypress and swamp tupelo  Shrubs are sparse to moderate  Herbaceous species can be dense to absent  Dome shape is made up of smaller trees that grow along the outer edge in the shallows, while taller trees grow in the interior where the water is deepest

8. Formation of Dome Swamps  Flat terraces where overlying sand has slumped into a depression in the underlying limestone  This creates a rounded depression connected to a shallow water table  Soil-Layer of peat that becomes thicker towards the center of the dome, over acidic sands or marl, and then limestone or a clay lens underneath  Poor drainage at the surface allows the water to move into the limestone, which fills in with peat or marl  Hydroperiod-180 to 270 days/year

10. Distribution  Occur throughout Florida, except the keys  Most common in Central Florida  Eglin Air Force Base, Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area

11. Characteristic Set of Species Pond Cypress ( Taxodium ascendens) Swamp Tupelo ( Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora)

12. Other Common Plant Species  Red Maple (Acer rubrum)  Dahoon (Ilex cassine)  Swamp Bay (Persea palustris)  Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii)  Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana)  Loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus)  Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)  Virginia willow (Itea virginica)  Titi (Cyrilla raemiflora)  Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica)

13. Common Wildlife Species  Racoon (Procyon lotor)  Bobcat (Felis lynx)  Gray Squirrel (Sciursus carolinensis)  White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)  Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  Swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus)  Barred Owl (Strix varia)  Pileated Woodpecker (Drycopus pileatus)  Great crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitis)  Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)

14. Rare Species in Dome Swamps  Pondspice (Litsea aestivalis)  Panhandle Spiderlilly (Hymenocallis henryae)  Small-flowered meadow beauty (Rhexia parviflora)  Many-flowered catopsis (Catopsis floribunda)  White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)  Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)

15. Threatened Species  Frosted Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum)

16. Endangered Species  Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma bishopi)

17. Management of Dome Swamps  Fire is essential!  3 to 5 years along outside  100 to 150 years towards center  Should be allowed to extinguish naturally, not with firebreaks  Protect a few Cypress seed trees from being harvested as timber to allow regeneration of the canopy  Control for invasive species, such as melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

18. Protection Status G4/S4

19. Basin Swamp

20. Basin Swamp Description  Basin wetland with hydrophytic trees  Extended hydroperiod-200 to 300 days/year  Occurs in large landscape depressions  Canopy dominated by pond cypress and swamp tupelo  Shrubs may be found in the basin swamp, or just around the perimeter  Variable herbaceous layer

21. Formation of Basin Swamps  Local rainfall is primary source of water  Acidic, nutrient poor peat over a clay lens  Occurs in former lake beds, river basins, or ancient costal swales  Perched water table  Standing water, but can flow during periods of high water

22. Distribution  Throughout the Florida Panhandle and peninsula south to the Lake Okeechobee area  Strand swamps replace them in most of South Florida  Goethe State Forest, Lake Panasofkee, Osceola National Forest, John M. Bethea State Forest

23. Characteristic Set of Species Pond Cypress ( Taxodium ascendens) Swamp Tupelo ( Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora)

24. Other Common Plant Species  Slash Pine (Pinus elliotti)  Red Maple (Acer rubrum)  Dahoon (Ilex cassine)  Swamp Bay (Persea paulustris)  Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana)  Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)  Virginia Willow (Itea virginiana)  Swamp dogwood (Cornus foemina)  Maidencane (Panicum hemitomon)  Virgina chain fern (Woodwardia virginica)

25. Common Wildlife Species  Florida Black Bear (Ursus americanus floridanus)  Racoon (Procyon lotor)  River Otter (Lutra canadensis)  Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)  Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)  Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia)  Striped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon bauri)  Crayfish snake (Regina alleniI)  Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus dorsalis)  Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis)

26. Rare Species in Basin Swamps  Plume Polybody (Pecluma ptilodon)  Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)  Carpenter Frog (Rana virgatipes)  Many-lined Salamander (Stereochilus marginatus)  Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)  Swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus)  Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)  Southeastern Weasel (Mustela frenata olivacea)  Florida long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata peninsulae)

27. Threatened Species  Frosted Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum)

28. Management of Basin Swamp  Maintain natural hydroperiods  Protect a few Cypress seed trees from being harvested as timber to allow regeneration of the canopy  Control for exotics, like climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum and L. microphyllum)

29. Protection Status G4/S3

30. Compare Dome Swamp  Deciduous species (like Cypress) Baygall  Evergreen bay species

31. Compare Dome Swamp  Isolated in the landscape Floodplain Swamp  Occur along perennial streams

32. Compare Dome Swamp  Always found in fire- regulated communities  Generally smaller  Less peat accumulation  Lower species diversity Basin Swamp and Strand Swamp  Not always regulated with fire  Generally larger  More peat  Higher species diversity  More irregular shape

33. Compare Basin Swamp  More isolated  Dominated by pond cypress  Near a lake more isolated form the river Floodplain Swamp  Occur along rivers and creeks  Dominated by bald cypress  Near a lake that is connected to the river

34. Compare Basin Swamp  Develop in old basins of lakes, lagoons Strand Swamp  Occupy troughs aligned with bedrock lows in a gently sloping limestone plain  South Florida

35. Compare Basin Swamp  Cypress Hydric Hammock  Oaks

36. Questions?