Tropical Hardwood Hammock

Tropical hardwood hammocks provide critical habitat for a number of plants whose northernmost portions of ranges extend into south florida.

Tropical hardwood hammock.

Alltrails justin dittmar if you re an outdoor or nature enthusiast this hike will bring about much enjoyment as it shows you a different side of florida. Hardwoods are broad leaved trees that grow well in the everglades. Tropical hardwood hammock is a closed canopy forest dominated by a diverse assemblage of evergreen and semi deciduous tree and shrub species mostly of west indian origin. Tropical hardwood hammocks can occur within marshes pinelands and mangrove swamps.

If you were to look straight up you might have trouble seeing the sun and sky because of all the trees growing close together. In the northern portion of the everglades hammocks are dominated by trees of temperate origin including the live oak quercus virginiana and the hackberry celtis laevigata. These habitats function as small island ecosystems that are markedly different from their surroundings. Tropical hardwood hammock is not a fire maintained.

It is also important habitat for ferns and orchids of west indian origin. Tropical hardwood hammock are pretty hard to find nowadays and along this trail you ll see them in abundance. Hammocks can be found nestled in most all other everglades ecosystems. Tropical hardwood hammock is a closed canopy forest dominated by a diverse assemblage of evergreen and semi deciduous tree and shrub species mostly of west indian origin.

The tropical hardwood hammock is a self maintaining community that usually remains untouched by fire or flood. To walk into a hardwood hammock is to walk through a shady tropical forest. Tropical hardwood hammock is not a fire maintained community although fire may burn into tropical hardwood hammocks under certain conditions. A hardwood hammock is a habitat that is found on higher elevations making it like the pinelands a dry habitat.

Tropical hardwood hammocks are found along both coasts of south florida as well as throughout the everglades and florida keys. These islands can support more than 20 species of tropical trees shrubs and vines and provide critical habitat for numerous animals. Subject to thin soils and a tropical climate hardwood hammocks form a dense canopy with a tangle of shrubs and vines at the ground level and its outer edges. For example marshland can quickly transition to tropical hardwood hammocks with a dense canopy thin soil and no water inundation.

These plants may be found in other tropical climates like the west indies but in the united states they only occur in the tropical hardwood hammocks of south florida. A hardwood hammock is a dense stand of broad leafed trees that grow on a natural rise of only a few inches in elevation.