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36-905: Apalachee Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consists of 7,952 acres of upland longleaf pine and wetland habitat three miles north of Sneads in Jackson County , Florida . The area is broken up into three management zones, all located along Lake Seminole and the Chattahoochee River. High-quality longleaf pine forest here is preferred by species such as Bachman's sparrow , brown-headed nuthatch , gopher tortoise , and Florida pine snake . The upland habitat, interspersed with floodplain forests and marshes, offers prime habitat for both migratory and resident birds. The federally-listed gentian pinkroot grows within Apalachee Wildlife Management Area. Hunting

72-476: A key role in the reproduction and spread of the longleaf pine, as they help to carry fire across the land. The red-cockaded woodpecker ( Picoides borealis ) was once a common inhabitant of this habitat, but since the decline of the ecosystem it has been placed on the federal endangered species list. The woodpecker adults are characterized by being 7 inches (18 cm) long, with a black head, white cheek patch, and barred back with black and white stripes that give

108-506: A wetland bog habitat, forming an ecotone that harbors diverse species. Pitcher plants have modified leaves shaped into hollow tubes (that look like a water pitcher), which attract insects. Downward pointing hairs and slippery walls make escape difficult and the insects are dissolved and digested by enzymes in the bottom of the pitcher. Other plants trap small insects on flat sticky leaves before slowly digesting them. Several types of pitcher plants as well as other carnivorous plants grow in

144-409: A wide variety of decomposers and predators , including invertebrates , fungi , algae , bacteria , and archaea . The forest floor serves as a bridge between the above ground living vegetation and the soil, and thus is a crucial component in nutrient transfer through the biogeochemical cycle . Leaf litter and other plant litter transmits nutrients from plants to the soil. The plant litter of

180-711: Is a site on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail and its strong wildlife populations attract wildlife viewers year-round. Paddlers utilize four boat landings along River Road to access Lake Seminole and the Chattahoochee River . Hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding is permitted on all unpaved roads. Longleaf pine ecosystem During the Ice Age , when the North American continental glaciers extended as far south as parts of

216-425: Is closely linked with the decomposition of shed plant parts, particularly the nutrient-rich foliage. The forest floor is also an important fuel source in forest fires . The amount of material in the forest floor depends on the balance between inputs from litter production and outputs from decomposition, and amounts also reflect the site's disturbance history. Both litter production and decomposition are functions of

252-414: Is divided into three layers: on the surface is the leaf litter formed by undecomposed vegetable matter; underneath is humus which is the product of decomposed vegetable matter. Between litter and humus is a partially decomposed layer of organic matter ("F: fragmented organic materials"). Some specialists consider this zone to be equivalent to the soil horizon (O) whereas for others, this only includes

288-568: Is extremely popular here, as some of the largest deer harvested in Florida have come out of this WMA. Furthermore, the Northern bobwhite population is robust due to frequent prescribed burns and abundant cover. Fishing opportunities exist on the backwater sloughs of the Chattahoochee River, WMA ponds, and on Lake Seminole . Bass fishermen recognize Lake Seminole as a largemouth bass and striped bass hotspot. Apalachee Wildlife Management Area

324-528: Is notable for its thick bark, which aids in the species' resistance to fire and to southern pine beetle outbreaks. The grass species Carolina wiregrass ( Aristida stricta ), which is found in the northern portion, and southern wiregrass ( Aristida beyrichiana ), which is found in the southern portion, are the dominant grass species of the habitat. These grass species occur in clumps which measure 6 inches (15 cm) across and have flat leaves that reach 20 inches (51 cm) long. These wiregrass species play

360-477: Is one of the richest habitats in North America, and its forest floor is one of the most diverse of its kind in the world. As of 2001, there are an estimated 27 federal endangered species and 100 species of concern that reside in the ecosystem. Some of the species in this ecosystem have limited range due to topography and climate of some regions of the system. The most notable species of the ecosystem are

396-892: The Ohio River , the climate was colder and drier; longleaf pine and associated species grew in coastal regions away from the ice, from Florida to Mexico . During the Holocene , the ice retreated, the climate became warm and dry, and the longleaf pine ecosystem established itself in its historical range. The longleaf pine ecosystem was first described in the early 1500s by the Spaniard Hernando de Soto , and in accounts by Native Americans recorded in journals of European explorers as well. Prior to intensive settlement this ecosystem consisted of 70 million acres (280,000 km ) of pure and 20 million acres (81,000 km ) of mixed longleaf pine stands; all together

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432-463: The longleaf pine , wiregrass, and red-cockaded woodpecker, all of which were found throughout the historic range. The longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris ) is characterized as having bushy clusters of 10 inches (25 cm) long needles and large 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) long pine cones. These pines are capable of growing 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 m) tall with a diameter of 2.5 feet (80 cm) across, only in well suited soil. The longleaf pine

468-423: The razorback hog ( Sus scrofa scrofa ) caused considerable damage to plants, including longleaf pine seedlings. Over the 17th and 18th centuries exploitation and clearing of the forest increased. Small living quarters such as log cabins were built using longleaf pine logs. As the tree made good lumber it was soon being exported. Longleaf pine resin was extracted for production of naval stores . To obtain

504-534: The North American population increasing by roughly 2.5 million people a year, the competition for space is increasing. Threat to the longleaf pine ecosystem is emanate through land clearing for commercial businesses and housing developments. Fire suppression is also ultimately caused by development, because the increase in the wildland-urban interface results in increased human endangerment from wildfires and an increased incentive to suppress them. The habitat fragmentation resulting from development has also precluded

540-453: The additions of large plantations were established in the ecosystem, as well. In result of this boom plus the addition of forest harvesting and transportation right of ways, further habitat loss was increasing at an alarming rate. During the early 1900s, more habitat lost was due to World War I . Vast acres of the longleaf pine in the southeast were cleared to aid in ship building for the war effort. With this push in demand, 1909 marked

576-410: The appearance of a latter. In males, a red strip atop the head is only visible when young or up close. This woodpecker carefully selects longleaf pine, or associated pine species of the area, for heart rot disease. Once a tree is selected, excavation of a cavity is achieved usually taking 2 years to complete. Embedded within the longleaf pine ecosystem are countless varieties of microhabitats. Among

612-494: The area, Native Americans set fires regularly in order to encourage the growth of plants eaten by game animals and to clear undergrowth for ease of occupation and movement in the forest. Wildfire , ignited by lightning from summer thunderstorms, also played a role in the ecosystem. Once lit by humans or lightning, fires burned across the landscape for days, weeks, and even months due to the lack of habitat fragmentation by roads, railroads, or cities. The longleaf pine ecosystem

648-422: The distinction between organisms "in" the soil and components "of" the soil is disputed, with some questioning whether such a distinction exists at all. The majority of carbon storage and biomass production in forests occurs below ground. Despite this, conservation policy and scientific study tends to neglect the below-ground portion of the forest ecosystem. As a crucial part of soil and the below-ground ecosystem,

684-496: The ecosystem acreage marks a 97 percent decrease. In overlook of the ecosystem, today, it is described as being patchy and uneven in the distribution across the landscape. Of the now 3 percent ecosystem acreage, there are a documented 8,856 acres (3,584 ha) of old growth longleaf pine stands left. Concerns for the longleaf pine ecosystem were raised in the early 1900s. These concerns were focused on regeneration of harvested longleaf pine stands and remaining pine stands in

720-526: The ecosystem. Men like Henry E. Hardtner and Herman H. Chapman were among the first to collaborate ways to implement longleaf regeneration in the ecosystem. Later the United States Forest Service recognized and had studied the need of fire in the ecosystem burning (man-lit fire) was implemented on national forest. The major concerns for the longleaf pine ecosystem in the 21st century are urbanization and fire suppression . With

756-494: The forest and the first exports of products from pines close to the new settlement in Jamestown, Virginia . The longleaf pine ecosystem is a fire climax community, that is "a plant and animal community that is limited by and adapted to an early successional stage by frequent fire disturbances". Fire destroys other pine species and hardwoods which would outcompete the longleaf pines. Before Europeans established themselves in

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792-418: The forest floor (or L horizon) prevents erosion, conserves moisture, and provides nutrients to the entire ecosystem. The F horizon consists of plant material in which decomposition is apparent, but the origins of plant residues are still distinguishable. The H horizon consists of well-decomposed plant material so that plant residues are not recognizable, with the exception of some roots or wood. The nature of

828-495: The forest floor profoundly impacts the entire forest. Much of the energy and carbon fixed by forests is periodically added to the forest floor through litterfall , and a substantial portion of the nutrient requirements of forest ecosystems is supplied by decomposition of organic matter in the forest floor and soil surface. Decomposers, such as arthropods and fungi , are necessary for the transformation of dead organic matter to usable nutrients. The sustained productivity of forests

864-566: The form of cost share programs, set up by states to assist private land owners in education, financial aid, and guidance on the longleaf pine ecosystem restoration. Forest floor The forest floor , also called detritus or duff , is the part of a forest ecosystem that mediates between the living, aboveground portion of the forest and the mineral soil , principally composed of dead and decaying plant matter such as rotting wood and shed leaves . In some countries, like Canada, forest floor refers to L, F and H organic horizons. It hosts

900-536: The humus and the intermediate layer, excluding the litter. Woodland plants that inhabit this zone often have bulbs or rhizomes and include ferns such as bracken , monocots such as bluebells and dog's mercury . In tropical rain forests, the soil itself is often very poor, in contrast to the soils of temperate forests which store nutrients in soil. The lush vegetation is made possible by the abundance and rapid action of termites , millipedes and other organisms, which break down organic matter and promptly consign it to

936-478: The large-scale wildfires which historically maintained the ecosystem. The lack of fire in the remaining ecosystem has resulted in its further deterioration. In result, the federal government and state government agencies in Alabama , Florida , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , North Carolina , South Carolina , Texas , and Virginia have teamed up to provide aid to this critical ecosystem. This aid comes in

972-426: The longleaf ecosystem keep woody shrubs from encroaching on bogs. Without fire, moisture-loving shrubs invade drying up bogs and shading out the herbaceous plants. Despite the longleaf pine ecosystem's heavy endangerment and degradation, new species are still being described from it due to its heavy biodiversity. In 2018, one of the world's largest salamanders , the reticulated siren , was described from wetlands in

1008-607: The longleaf pine ecosystem along the Gulf Coastal Plain . The decline of the ecosystem proceeded slowly at first, as the Native American population declined (largely due to spread of Old World epidemic diseases) and with it deliberately set fires. European settlers in turn gradually began using fire as a management tool, similar to existing traditions in England , Scotland , and Ireland . Introduction of

1044-656: The longleaf pine ecosystem. Species include the hooded pitcher plant , trumpet pitcher plant , white-topped pitcher plant , and parrot pitcher plant . Other bog plants include colic-root; goldcrest; meadow-beauty (also called deerflower); white-topped sedge; orange milkwort (also called "bog Cheetos" because of their resemblance to the snack brand ); bog-buttons (also called "hatpins"); several species of orchids; and many other wildflowers. Both soil moisture conditions and full sun are critical to these plants. Most of these bog plants have little shade tolerance. Pitcher plant bogs are fire dependent habitats. The frequent fires common to

1080-491: The more unique of these habitats are pitcher plant bogs . Pitcher plant communities are specialized for sites with abundant moisture but little nutrients. Many bog ecosystems exist on a porous sand surmounting impervious clay, which traps rainwater. On a hill, escape of water from saturated areas can result in the formation of a seep and a type of bog called a seepage slope. In flatwood ecosystems , bogs on flat terrain may be called wet prairies. Forests typically grade into

1116-501: The peak of longleaf pine lumber production. At this period, it was realized that decline in the ecosystem was eminent through the bare landscape with little regeneration of longleaf pine. So to compensate for loss, replanting of some clear-cut areas in the ecosystem was planted by land owners and Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees during the Great Depression era of the mid-1900s. Although in some sectors of landowners in

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1152-473: The resin from the live longleaf pine, pioneers first cut and removed wood exposing a deep cavity, called a box at the base of the tree. Next a medium-sized, V-shaped cut was performed, above the box to start the resin flow into the box. As resin flowed into the box, it was collected and placed in barrels for shipment. Years afterward the tree itself would become weak and sensitive to wind storms. Roads and railroads were constructed in various locations throughout

1188-618: The site (e.g., wet versus dry; cold versus warm; nutrient rich versus nutrient poor) and the vegetation that occupies the site (e.g., conifer versus broadleaf ). A site's forest floor is determined by its areal weight, depth, and nutrient content. Typically, forest floors are heaviest and deepest in boreal forests and mountain forests where decomposition rates are slow. In contrast, the lightest and thinnest forest floors usually occur in tropical forests where decomposition rates are rapid, except on white sands where nutrients could not be supplied from mineral weathering . The organic layer

1224-457: The southeast beginning in the 1800s for transportation and forest harvesting, which together with settlement building caused habitat fragmentation in the ecosystem. After the Civil War in 1865, the agriculture boom started. Many pioneers had received word about the cash crop cotton , soon land purchase and the clearing of land increased significantly. With this sudden shift in land use,

1260-490: The southeast learned over the years that the longleaf pine was a slow growing tree, and thus began replanting the ecosystem with faster growing trees species like slash and loblolly pines . With this replanting, faster tree growth and greater lumber production was achieved. As of 2011, only 3 million acres (12,000 km ) or so of the longleaf pine ecosystem are left in North America . This significant drop in

1296-583: The total was 90 million acres (360,000 km ). The ecosystem extended from southeastern Virginia down to northern Florida over to eastern Texas , forming the dominant land cover in the coastal plain of these states. There is some doubt about the original extent due to lack of systematic data from the coastal regions of Florida to Mexico. There is, however, extensive literature from various explorers of southeastern North America dating as far back as 1608, when Captain John Smith recorded his accounts of

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