Upland Hardwood Forest Land Cover

image of compass Land Cover of Florida

Upland Hardwood Forest

Map of Florida

This class includes the major upland hardwood associations that occur statewide on fairly rich sandy soils. Variations in species composition, and the local or spatial distributions of these communities are due in part to differences in soil moisture regimes, soil type, and geographic location within the state. The major variations within this association are mesic hammocks, xeric hammocks, coastal and hydric hammocks, and live oak or cabbage palm hammocks. The mesic hammock community represents the climax vegetation type within many areas of northern and central Florida.

Characteristic species in the extreme north include American beech, southern magnolia, Shumard oak, white oak, mockernut hickory, pignut hickory, sourgum, basswood, white ash, mulberry, and spruce pine. Mesic hammocks of the peninsula are less diverse due to the absence of hardwood species which are adapted to more northerly climates, and are characterized by laurel oak, hop hornbeam, blue beech, sweetgum, cabbage palm, American holly, and southern magnolia.

Xeric hammocks occur on deep, well-drained, sandy soils where fire has been absent for long periods of time. These open, dry hammocks contain live oak, sand-live oak, bluejack oak, blackjack oak, southern red oak, sand-post oak, and pignut hickory.

Coastal and hydric hammocks are relatively wet hardwood forests that are found between uplands and true wetlands. These sometimes seasonally wet forests are associated with some non-alluvial peninsula streams, scattered broad lowlands, and are also found in a narrow band along parts of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts where they often extend to the edge of coastal salt marshes. These communities contain water oak, red maple, Florida elm, cabbage palm, red cedar, blue-beech, and sweetgum. Live oak and cabbage palm hammocks are often found bordering large lakes and rivers, and are distributed throughout he prairie region of south central Florida and extend northward in the St. John's River basin. These communities may occur as mixed stands of oak and palm, or one of these species can completely dominate an area.

Prepared by: Terry Gilbert, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Office of Environmental Services

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Last Update - 9/3/99