The Longleaf Pine Islands of the Ocala National Forest, Florida: A Soil Study

Abstract

Longleaf pine—wiregrass—turkey oak (Pinus palustris—Aristida stricta—Quercus laevis) occurs as isolated islands, 60—4000 ha in area, in a matrix of sand pine—scrub (Pinus clausa—Quercus spp.) on deep sands of the Ocala National Forest, Florida. Striking contrasts in physiognomy and species composition, and sharp, stable boundaries suggested that soil differences determined vegetation boundaries. Examination of soils to a 500 cm depth at 130 locations revealed no consistent differences in profile morphology, particle size distribution, or extractable nutrients. Thus the hypothesis that soil differences were responsible for the distribution of the two communities was not sustained. Organic matter and nitrogen contents of surface (0—60 cm) soils likewise did not differ between plant communities. Differences in surface horizon color were ascribed to differences in soil—forming processes: frequent additions of fine charcoal and active faunal mixing under longleaf pine vs eluviation under sand pine. Biogenic opal extracted from surface soils at 75 locations failed to provide evidence of long—term community stability. Isolines of total opal mass were concentrically patterned around longleaf islands, but opal mass and morphology did not consistently differ across vegetation boundaries.

Phytolith taphonomy: a comparison of dry ashing and acid extraction on the breakdown of conjoined phytoliths formed in Triticum durum

“…Piperno (1985) found that phytoliths did not experience much downward movement in tropical silts and clays and a similar result was reported by Kalisz and Stone (1984) in their studies of phytoliths in porous sands in Florida. However, Hallsworth and Waring (1964) found that phytoliths were washed from the A horizon into the B horizon in sediments in New South Wales indicating that downward movement of phytoliths in sediments is possible (Hallsworth and Waring 1964).…”

Fire and the Prairie-forest Mosaic of Devils Tower National Monument

“…The methods used in the phytolith analysis followed those of Kalisz and Stone (1984), Miles and Singleton (1975) and Rovner (1971). Samples were taken within each vegetation type along transects 1, 2, 4 and 5.…”

Evidence for and geomorphologic consequences of a reptilian ecosystem engineer: The burrowing cascade initiated by the Gopher Tortoise

“…1c) is slowly eroded by rain and wind, as well as disturbance because of tracking of movements of animals over it. Scrub soils are entisols, undeveloped soils with no profile that closely resemble the parent sediment (Kalisz and Stone, 1984). Gopher Tortoise burrowing is a fundamental step in developing these soils, by bringing deeper sediments to the surface, where it is aerated and weathered.…”