SCRUB Ecosystem Scrub is a community composed of a dominance of evergreen shrubs with frequent patches of bare, white sand With or without a canopy of pines Found on dry, infertile, sandy ridges Scrub is one of the oldest ecosystem types in Florida There are several types of scrub depending upon what plant is dominant– rosemary, oak, and sand pine are examples

Scrub These upland habitats were isolated by water, forming desert-like hilltop islands Because of this isolation, many species of plants and animals developed unique adaptations to the harsh, dry environment of the scrub lands From 40 to 60% of the plants and animals in scrub lands are endemic (found only there) and some are so rare that they are threatened or endangered

Endemic scrub species There are more than 20 species of animals that are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered These include the Eastern indigo snake, sand skink, mole skink, and several species of insects, especially beetles Other endemic animals include scrub jay, scrub lizard, blue-tailed mole skink, sand skink, and the Florida mouse If scrub lands disappear, these animals would probably disappear as well

Scrub Because scrub (and sandhills as well) is usually high and dry, it is well suited for housing or for agriculture. Over two-thirds of the original scrub land in Florida has already disappeared and only disconnected patches of scrub remain Therefore, scrub habitat is considered to be the most endangered of the major ecosystem types in Florida

Location of Florida Ridges

Location of Florida Scrub

The role of fire in scrub The plant community in scrub lands needs occasional, high-intensity fires to grow and regenerate In the absence of fire, many scrub plants will slowly be replaced by other species that are not adapted to periodic fire Pines will be unable to regenerate and various oaks may establish Long term exclusion of fire may eventually result in oak scrub or even an upland hardwood hammock

The role of fire in scrub Lightning fires occur every 20 to 80 years and burn essentially all of the surface vegetation This allows the trees and ground plants to regenerate and repeat their cycles – If fires are too frequent, the pines don’t have enough time to mature and are incapable of reseeding after the fire – If fires are infrequent, vegetation builds up, resulting in excessive fuel and a very hot fire difficult to control

The role of fire in scrub Sand pines require fire to survive. – The cones remain on the tree and sealed shut with sap until the heat of a hot fire melts the sap – This allows the cones to open and release the seeds and establish new seedlings Wiregrass, an herbaceous groundcover around the edges of scrub ecosystems, needs fire in order to stimulate flowering and seeding

The role of fire in scrub Infrequent high-intensity fires destroy the tree canopy but allow sunlight to reach the forest floor, aiding in the regrowth of new plants The hot fires leave behind a nutrient-rich ash that feeds new plants as they re-sprout Since most vegetation is burned away, little or no competition for nutrients exists and the young pine seedlings are able to establish easily and grow quickly Scrub habitat regenerates rapidly after most fires

Dominant Plants Scrubby Oaks – Myrtle oak – Sand live oak – Chapman’s Oak Rusty Lyonia Saw palmetto Rosemary and sand pine may also be present Smooth Lyonia present on lower elevations

Dominant Plants Oaks form a dense cover with patchy openings that consist of bare sand and sparse vegetation – Wire grass – Hairsedges – Sandyfield beaksedge – Pinweeds – Jointweeds – Deer moss

Dominant plants On drier ridge crests (higher elevation), rosemary may dominate Rosemary tends to retain openings between shrubs in contrast to oak-dominated scrubs where vegetation tends to fill in openings with time since fire Some scrub may also be dominated by sand pine, especially on the highest sandy ridgeline

Scrub-Brevard County

Scrub habitat

Scrub Jay habitat

Oak-saw palmetto scrub

Rosemary Scrub

Sand Pine Scrub