Identification_Information: Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: James R. Snyder Publication_Date: 2006 Title: Fire Ecology of South Florida Wetlands Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: reports Online_Linkage: http://sofia.usgs.gov/projects/fire/ Description: Abstract: The project objective is to determine the importance that season of burning has on the response of vegetation to fire. We have addressed this through the use of experimental prescribed fires at different times of the year. In Big Cypress National Preserve we have established a long-term study of season and frequency of burning in the unlogged hydric pinelands of the Raccoon Point area. This study includes three seasonal treatments: winter (dry season), spring (early wet season) and summer (mid wet season). A shorter study comparing the response to winter and summer burns was carried out in the pine rocklands on Big Pine Key. We are also studying the effect of season of burning on muhly grass (Muhlenbergia filipes), a component of hydric pinelands and often a dominant in short-hydroperiod wetlands known as muhly or marl prairies. We are conducting field and nursery studies to determine how the season of burning effects the rate of recovery of muhly and its ability to tolerate flooding. Purpose: Prescribed fire constitutes one of the most pervasive management actions influencing the restoration and maintenance of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. It is generally assumed that lightning-ignited fires were common at the beginning of the rainy season, but there have probably been human-caused fires at other times for the last several thousand years. Since lighting-ignited fire cannot be allowed to operate naturally in South Florida, prescribed (or management-ignited) fire must be used to maintain these habitats. The seasonal occurrence of fire can have an important influence on ecological responses. We have conducted a set of experimental studies to determine the response of vegetation to different seasons of burning. The results of this work will influence the fire management of the publicly owned lands in the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Time_Period_of_Content: Time_Period_Information: Range_of_Dates/Times: Beginning_Date: 1996 Ending_Date: 20040930 Currentness_Reference: ground condition Status: Progress: Complete Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned Spatial_Domain: Description_of_Geographic_Extent: South Florida wetlands Bounding_Coordinates: West_Bounding_Coordinate: -81.5 East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.75 North_Bounding_Coordinate: 26.48 South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.65 Keywords: Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: none Theme_Keyword: biology Theme_Keyword: ecology Theme_Keyword: vegetation Theme_Keyword: marl prairies Theme_Keyword: fire management Theme_Keyword: prescribed fire program Theme_Keyword: wildland fire Theme_Keyword: pine rocklands Theme_Keyword: pinelands Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category Theme_Keyword: biota Theme_Keyword: environment Theme_Keyword: inlandWaters Theme_Keyword: 002 Theme_Keyword: 007 Theme_Keyword: 012 Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Department of Commerce, 1995, Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 10-4, Washington, D.C., National Institute of Standards and Technology Place_Keyword: United States Place_Keyword: US Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: U.S. Department of Commerce, 1987, Codes for the identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the outlying areas of the United States, and associated areas (Federal Information Processing Standard 5-2): Washington, D. C., NIST Place_Keyword: Florida Place_Keyword: FL Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Department of Commerce, 1990, Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, Its Possessions, and Associated Areas, FIPS 6-3, Washington, DC, National Institute of Standards and Technology Place_Keyword: Monroe County Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Geographic Names Information System Place_Keyword: Everglades National Park Place_Keyword: Big Cypress National Preserve Place_Keyword: Big Pine Key Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: none Place_Keyword: SW Big Cypress Place_Keyword: Raccoon Point Temporal: Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: none Temporal_Keyword: early wet season Temporal_Keyword: mid wet season Temporal_Keyword: dry season Temporal_Keyword: winter Temporal_Keyword: spring Temporal_Keyword: summer Taxonomy: Keywords/Taxon: Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: none Taxonomic_Keywords: plants Taxonomic_Keywords: single species Taxonomic_System: Classification_System/Authority: Classification_System_Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (ARS) U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) Publication_Date: 2000 Title: Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Database Other_Citation_Details: Retrieved from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, http://www.itis.gov. Online_Linkage: http://www.itis.gov Taxonomic_Procedures: visual observation in the field Taxonomic_Completeness: not available General_Taxonomic_Coverage: Muhly grass is identified to species-variety Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom Taxon_Rank_Value: Plantae Applicable_Common_Name: plants Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Subkingdom Taxon_Rank_Value: Tracheobionta Applicable_Common_Name: vascular plants Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Division Taxon_Rank_Value: Magnoliophyta Applicable_Common_Name: angiosperms Applicable_Common_Name: flowering plants Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Class Taxon_Rank_Value: Liliopsida Applicable_Common_Name: monocotyledons Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Subclass Taxon_Rank_Value: Commelinidae Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Order Taxon_Rank_Value: Cyperales Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Family Taxon_Rank_Value: Poaseae Applicable_Common_Name: grasses Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus Taxon_Rank_Value: Muhlenbergia Applicable_Common_Name: muhly Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Species Taxon_Rank_Value: Muhlenbergia capillaris Applicable_Common_Name: hairawn muhly Taxonomic_Classification: Taxon_Rank_Name: Variety Taxon_Rank_Value: muhlenbergia capillaris var. Filipes Applicable_Common_Name: Gulf muhly Applicable_Common_Name: gulfhairawn muhly Access_Constraints: none Use_Constraints: These data are subject to change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved for official publication. Point_of_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Person: James R. Snyder Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing address Address: Big Cypress National Preserve Field Station 33100 Tamiami Trail E. City: Ochopee State_or_Province: FL Postal_Code: 34141-1000 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: 239 695-1180 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 239 695-3007 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jim_snyder@usgs.gov Browse_Graphic: Browse_Graphic_File_Name: http://sofia.usgs.gov/geer/2000/posters/fire/images/locationmapx.gif Browse_Graphic_File_Description: location map Browse_Graphic_File_Type: GIF Data_Set_Credit: Project personnel include Curt Scheaffer Cross_Reference: Citation_Information: Originator: Avery, G. N. Loope, L. L. Publication_Date: 1980 Title: Endemic taxa in the flora of south Florida Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: report Series_Information: Series_Name: South Florida Research Center Report Issue_Identification: T-558 Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Homestead, FL Publisher: National Park Service Cross_Reference: Citation_Information: Originator: Robertson, W. B. Publication_Date: 1953 Title: A survey of the effects of fire in Everglades National Park Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: report Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Homestead, FL Publisher: National Park Service Cross_Reference: Citation_Information: Originator: Snyder, J. R. Herndon, A., Robertson, W. B. Publication_Date: 1990 Title: South Florida rockland Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Book chapter Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Orlando, FL Publisher: University of Florida Press Other_Citation_Details: in Ecosystems of Florida Ronald L. Myers and John J. Ewel, editors Cross_Reference: Citation_Information: Originator: Wade. D. Ewel, J., Hofstetter, R. Publication_Date: 1980 Title: Fire in south Florida ecosystems Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: report Series_Information: Series_Name: General Technical Report Issue_Identification: SE -17 Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Ashville, NC Publisher: United States Forest Service Southeastern Forest Experiment Station Cross_Reference: Citation_Information: Originator: Snyder, James B. Ross, Michael S., Koptur, Suzanne, Sah, Jay P. Publication_Date: 2005 Title: Developing Ecological Criteria for Prescribed Fire in South Florida Pine Rockland Ecosystems Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: report Series_Information: Series_Name: USGS Open-File Reort Issue_Identification: 2006-1062 Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Tallahassee, FL Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey Online_Linkage: http://fl.water.usgs.gov/Miami/pineland/ofr2006_1062_snyder.html Data_Quality_Information: Logical_Consistency_Report: not applicable Completeness_Report: not available Lineage: Process_Step: Process_Description: The experimental study has been set up in eastern Big Cypress National Preserve, where the most extensive unlogged stands of south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) remain. The pinelands exist as a mosaic of slightly elevated "islands" within a matrix of cypress domes and dwarf cypress prairies. The substrate is a shallow layer of sand over limestone bedrock, making these pinelands transitional between the true rockland pine forests of the Miami Rock Ridge and the widespread pine flatwoods to the north. The study site of 2573 ha surrounds the Raccoon Point oil field and is divided into 18 experimental burn units. Each burn unit includes at least 50 ha of pine forest. Within each unit, three permanent 1.0 ha tree plots were established. In each plot, trees with diameter at breast height (dbh) > 5.0 cm are tagged and mapped. Smaller 0.1 ha vegetation plots are located in the center of each tree plot and at two additional locations in order to sample herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. There are a total of 54 tree plots and 90 vegetation plots. The tree plots (containing a total of 16,370 trees) show the Raccoon Point pinelands to have average stand densities (trees/ha) of 227 pines, 53 cabbage palms and 24 cypress. Process_Date: 2000 Process_Step: Process_Description: Work for FY 2004: Season of burning in South Florida pinelands The fieldwork has been completed and the work will consist of data analysis and reporting. The experimental burns for the long-term study of season and frequency will continue to be carried out by the Big Cypress NPS fire management staff. If a source of subsidized labor is available (perhaps NPS fire crew or SCA interns), all 54 permanent tree plots will be revisited and tree diameters remeasured. The trees were last measured in 1995. Seasonal fire effects on muhly grass Experimental studies have been established at 3 sites in Big Cypress. A large number of marked muhly individuals were burned over a 6-month period beginning January 2003 and the height of regrowth is measured periodically. Measurements will continue monthly until May 2004. Flowering culms will be counted in October. A companion study utilizing potted plants and large tubs was also set up. Some plants were burned periodically over a five month period. During June 2003 the plants were placed in large tubs in which water levels are maintained either at the ground surface, 10 cm above the ground surface, or 20 cm above the ground surface. Water levels will be dropped beginning in September. The height of the regrowth is measured periodically and the aboveground biomass will be harvested in May 2004. Process_Date: 2004 Process_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Person: James R. Snyder Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing address Address: Big Cypress National Preserve Field Station 33100 Tamiami Trail E. City: Ochopee State_or_Province: FL Postal_Code: 34141-1000 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: 239 695-1180 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 239 695-3007 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jim_snyder@usgs.gov Distribution_Information: Distributor: Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Person: James R. Snyder Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing address Address: Big Cypress National Preserve Field Station 33100 Tamiami Trail E. City: Ochopee State_or_Province: FL Postal_Code: 34141-1000 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: 239 695-1180 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 239 695-3007 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jim_snyder@usgs.gov Resource_Description: vegetation response to fire Distribution_Liability: The data have no implied or explicit guarantees Standard_Order_Process: Non-digital_Form: unknown Fees: none Ordering_Instructions: Contact James Snyder for data from this project. Metadata_Reference_Information: Metadata_Date: 20070123 Metadata_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Person: Heather Henkel Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical address Address: 600 Fourth Street South City: St. Petersburg State_or_Province: FL Postal_Code: 33701 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: 727 803-8747 ext 3028 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 727 803-2030 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: sofia-metadata@usgs.gov Metadata_Standard_Name: Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata Part 1: Biological Data Profile Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999