Scrub

SCRUB HABITATS

Stable backdune areas give rise to scrub communities built upon sandy or well drained soils, with the predominant vegetation being herbaceous shrubs, evergreen oaks, or pines. Coastal scrub communities, commonly referred to as coastal strand, are becoming vanishing ecosystems due to developmental pressures in the coastal zone. Most of the coastal habitats from Cape Canaveral in Brevard County, to Miami in Dade County have been highly fragmented due to development. In Brevard County alone, it has been estimated that the natural scrub community was diminished by 69% during the period between 1943 – 1991 (Schmalzer 1995; Robinson and Smith 1996).

Scrub, except saw palmetto scrub, is a term often used to describe well-drained xeric habitats (Woolfenden and Fitzpatrick 1984). Scrub is generally characterized as open pineland with an oak or palmetto understory, that is well adapted to dry conditions. However, scrub habitats fall into a number of categories based on vegetation structure and composition: coastal scrub, oak scrub, sand pine scrub, rosemary scrub, slash pine scrub, and scrubby flatwoods. Each type of scrub is also characterized based on soil type, geography, and fire patterns in the area. Leaf fall is minimal in scrub areas, and ground cover is generally sparse due to shading effects from the overstory trees. Open patches of sand are often present in scrub lands, and where they occur, understory trees and woody shrubs benefit from the intense sunlight that reaches the ground. Florida’s scrub and pine flatwoods consist of similar shrub layers, with pine flatwoods differing by having an open canopy of slash pine (Pinus elliotii) intermingled with pond pine (P. serotina). Drier areas tend to be dominated by scrub oaks (Quercus myrtiflolia, Q. geminata, Q. chapmanii), while less well-drained areas are dominated by saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) (Schmalzer and Hinkle 1987, 1991, 1992; Breininger et al. 1988; Breininger and Schmalzer 1990). In many Indian River Lagoon sites, a mixed oak/palmetto shrub layer occurs.

While coastal scrub communities are impacted more by the strong winds and flooding brought on during storm events, most types of scrub are maintained primarily by fires. Low leaf fall, coupled with sparse ground vegetation insures that the risk of frequent fire is reduced. But, as sand pines mature, retaining branches and increasing in size, their crowns build up large fuel supplies for hot burning, fast moving fires. Fire, when it does occur, regenerates the scrub community and prevents its succession to an oak hammock or scrubby flatwoods community by dispersing pine seeds, recycling minerals back to the earth as ash, and diminishing the oak or palmetto understory. Herbaceous scrub species, many of which are gap specialists, are vulnerable to competition and eventual competitive exclusion from scrub areas. These plants benefit from reduced competition in the burn zone following a fire. Some studies indicate that gap specialists may be more abundant in an area following fire, than they are when the area is fire-free for long periods. Frequent fires are more beneficial to oak scrub and scrubby flatwoods communities; while less frequent fires are more beneficial to sand pine scrub and other pine-dominated scrub types.

Scrub Plants:
The scrub communities of east central Florida’s barrier islands typically consists of coastal scrub, also called strand. Coastal scrub occurs immediately behind dune systems and is dominated primarily by saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and other common shrubs such as nakedwood (Myrcianthes fragrans), tough buckthorn (Bumelia tenax), rapanea (Rapanea punctata), hercules club (Zanthoxylum clava-hercules), bay (Persea borbonia), sea grapes (Coccoloba uvifera) and snowberry (Chiococca alba). Shrubby forms of live oak (Quercus virginana) are also common in coastal scrub communities. Indicator species for other types of scrub communities are: sand pine (Pinus clausa), myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), scrub live oak (Q. geminata), Chapman’s oak (Q. chapmanii), coastalplain goldenaster (Chrysopsis scabrella), and narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia).

Scrub Animals:
A number of animals are found in scrub habitats, including some of Florida’s most threatened and endangered species. Among them are the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), the eastern indigo snake (Masticophis flagellum flagellum ), the southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris), and the Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens). Many other animals also utilize scrub areas for feeding and for shelter.

Select a highlighted link below to learn more about that species:

Species Name:	Common Name:	Habitat Notes:	Special Status:
Scrub Plants:
Ampelopsis arborea	Pepper vine	Understory vine
Ardisia escallonoides	Marlberry	Coastal strand
Aristida stricta	Wiregrass	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Alternanthera flavescens	Yellow joyweed	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Andropogon glomeratus	Bushy bluestem	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Befaria racemosa	Tarflower	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Bursera simaruba	Gumbo limbo	Coastal strand
Caesalpinia bonduc	Nickerbean	woody shrub
Cakile lanceolata	Sea rocket	Coastal strand³
Callicarpa americana	Beautyberry	Woody shrub
Carya floridana	Scrub hickory	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Casuarina equisetifolia	Australian pine	Coastal strand
Ceratiola ericoides	Florida rosemary, sand heath	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Chamaesyce mesembryanthemifolia	Coastal beach sandmat	Coastal strand³
Chiococca alba	Snowberry	Understory
Chrysobalanus icaco	icaco coco plum	Oak scrub inhabitant¹
Cissus sicyoides	Possum grape	Understory vine
Cissus trifoliata	Sorrelvine, marinevine	Coastal strand³
Cladonia spp.	Reindeer moss	Ground lichen
Cnidoscolus stimulosus	Finger rot	Coastal strand³
Coccoloba diversifolia	tietongue, pigeon plum	Coastal strand³
Coccoloba uvifera	Sea grapes	Shrub in saw palmetto scrub¹
Conradina grandiflora	Largeflower
Dalbergia ecastophyllum	Coin vine	Open scrub
Echites umbellata	Devil’s potato	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Encyclia tampensis	Butterfly orchid	Epiphyte of live oaks
Erythrina herbacea	Eastern coralbean, redcardinal	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Ficus aurea	Strangler fig	Coastal strand
Forestiera segregata var. segregata	Florida swamp privet	Coastal strand
Galactia regularis	Eastern milkpea	Scrub
Galactia volubilis	Downey milkpea	Scrub
Helianthus debilis	Beach sunflower	Coastal strand
Heliotropium currassavicum	Seaside heliotrope	Coastal strand
Heterotheca subaxillaris	Golden aster, camphorweed	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Ipomoea triloba	Littlebell	Coastal strand
Iva imbricata	Seacoast marshelder	Coastal strand
Laguncularia racemosa	White mangrove	Coastal Strand (St. Lucie)
Lantana camara	Lantana	Oak scrub¹; open scrub³
Limonium carolinianum	Sea lavender	Coastal strand
Lyonia ferruginea	Rusty lyonia	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Lyonia fruticosa	Staggerbush, coastal plain staggerbush	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Lyonia lucida	Fetterbush	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Myrica cerifera	Wax myrtle	woody shrub
Myrcianthes fragrans	West Indian nakedwood	Palmetto and oak scrub⁴
Optunia stricta	Prickly pear cactus	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Osmanthus americana	Devilwood	Oak scrub inhabitant¹
Palafoxia feayi	Feay's palafox	herbaceous scrub plant
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Virginia creeper	Coastal strand
Persea borbonia	Red bay	coastal strand
Persea borbonia var. humilis	Silk bay	Scrub
Phlebodium aureum	Cabbage palm fern	Epiphyte of live oak
Pinus clausa	Sand pine	Scrub canopy
Pinus elliottii	Slash pine	Scrubby flatwoods canopy
Pinus elliottii var. densa	South Florida slash pine	Scrubby flatwoods canopy
Pinus palustris	long-leaf pine	Scrub, scrubby flatwoods
Pisonia aculeata	Devil’s claw	Coastal strand
Pithecellobium keyensis	Blackbead	Open scrub
Pityopsis graminifolia	Narrowleaf silkgrass	Herbaceous scrub plant
Poinsettia cyathophora	Poinsettia, painted leaf	Protected coastal strand³
Polypodium polypodioides	Resurrection fern	Epiphyte of cabbage palms
Portulaca pilosa	Pink purselane	Protected coastal strand³
Psychotria nevosa	Wild coffee	shrub
Physalis viscosa	Ground cherry	Coastal strand
Quercus chapmanii	Chapman oak	Scrubby pine flatwoods
Quercus geminata	Scrub live oak	Scrubby pine flatwoods
Quercus myrtifolia	Myrtle oak	Scrubby pine flatwds, impndmts
Quercus virginiana	Live oak	Shrub in oak scrub⁴
Randia aculeata	White indigoberry	Saw palmetto scrub inhabitant¹
Rapanea punctata	Myrsine, rapanea, colicwood	Coastal strand
Rhizophora mangle	Red Mangrove	Coastal Strand – St. Lucie
Rivina humilis	Rougeplant	Coastal strand
Rumex hastatulus	Sorrell	Coastal strand
Sabal palmetto	Cabbage palm	Shrub in oak scrub¹
Schinus terebinthifolius	Brazilian pepper	Oak scrub inhabitant¹
Serenoa repens	Saw palmetto	Shrub³
Sesuvium portulacastrum	Sea purselane	Coastal strand
Sideroxylon tenax	Tough bumelia, tough bully	Oak scrub inhabitant¹
Smilax sp.	Catbrier	Understory vine
Spartina patens	Beach cordgrass	Coastal strand- St. Lucie
Sporobolus junceus	pineywoods dropseed	Coastal strand
Tillandsia fasciculata	Cardinal air plant	Epiphyte of live oaks
Tillandsia recurvata	Ball moss	Epiphyte of live oaks
Tillandsia setacea	Quill wild pine	Epiphyte of live oaks
Tillandsia usneoides	Spanish moss	Epiphyte of live oaks
Tillandsia utriculata	green wild pine	Epiphyte of live oaks
Toxicocentron radicans	Eastern poison ivy	Coastal strand
Vaccinium myrsinites	Shiny blueberry	Oak-saw palmetto scrub²
Vitis aestivalis	Summer grape	Understory vine
Vitis rotundifolia	Muscadine grape	Understory vine
Vittaria lineatea	Shoestring fern	epiphyte of cabbage palms
Ximenia americana	Tallowwood, hogplum	Oak scrub inhabitant¹
Yucca aloifolia	Spanish bayonet	Coastal strand
Zanthoxylum fagara	Wild lime	Protected coastal strand³
Scrub Animals:
Aphelocoma coerulescens	Florida scrub jay	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Bufo quercicus	oak toad	Oak scrub and uplands
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus	Six lined racerunner	Scrub
Columbina passerina	Ground dove	Scrub
Dedroica coronata	Yellow-rumped warbler	Scrub
Drymarchon corais couperi	Eastern indigosnake	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Eumeces eqregius lividus	Blue-tailed mole skink	Scrub
Gopherus polyphemus	Gopher tortoise	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Lanius ludovicianus	Loggerhead shrike	Scrub
Masticophis flagellum flagellum	Eastern coachwhip snake	Scrub
Mus musculus	House mouse	Scrub
Neoseps reynoldsi	Sand skink	Scrub - rare
Neotoma floridana f.	Eastern wood rat	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Odocoileus virginianes	White-tailed deer	Scrub and uplands¹
Oryzomys palustris natator	Rice rat	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Peromyscus gossypinus palmarius	Cotton mouse	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris	Southeastern beach mouse	Dune and scrub inhabitant (Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet)
Pipilo erythrophthalmus	Rufous-sided towhee	Scrub
Podomys floridanus	Florida mouse	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Rattus norvegicus	Norway rat	Scrub¹
Rattus rattus	Black rat	Scrub¹
Sceloporus woodi	Florida scrub lizard	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Sciurus carolinensis	Gray squirrel	Scrub¹
Sigmodon hispidus littoralis	Hispid cotton rat	Dune and scrub inhabitant (Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet)
Spilogale putorius ambarvalis	Spotted skunk	Scrub
Sus scrofa	Wild boar	Scrub¹
Sylvilagus floridanus f.	Eastern cottontail rabbit	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹
Sylvilagus palustris paludicola	Marsh rabbit	Dune and scrub inhabitant¹

¹Found throughout the IRL²Most common in Northern IRL and Cape Canaveral area³ Most common in Central/Southern IRL⁴ Found from Cape Canaveral to Ft. Pierce Inlet; to the south is replaced with tropical
shrubs and trees

Further Reading:

Austin 1998. Classification of plant communities in south Florida. Internet document.
Available at: www.fau.edu/divdept/science/envsci/communities.htm

Bergen, S. 1994. Characterization of fragmentation in Florida scrub communities. M.S.
thesis. Dept. Bio. Sci., Florida Institute of Tech., Melbourne, FL.

Carter, R.W.G., T.G.F. Curtis, and M.J. Sheehy-Skeffington. 1992. Coastal dunes
geomorphology, ecology and management for conservation. A.A.
Balkema/Rotterdam/Brookfield.

Chambliss K., D.D. Hott, and M.H. Slotkin. 1998. Public Goods, Biodiversity, and
     Municipal Land Acquisstion: Reflections of the Environmentally Endangered Lands
     (EEL) Program in Brevard County, Florida. Presented at 23rd Annual Conference
     Association of Private Enterprise Education, Dallas, Texas 11 pp.

Fernald, R.T. 1989. Coastal xeric scrub communities of the Treasure Coast Region,
     Florida: A summary of their distribution and ecology, with guidelines for their
     preservation and management. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Comm.
     Nongame Wildlife Pgm. Tech. Rep. No. 6. Tallahassee, FL. 113 pp.

Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Department of Natural Resources. 1990. Guide to the
Natural Communities of Florida. Publication. 11pp. Tallahassee, FL.

Komar, P.D. and Moore, J.R., editors. 1983. CRC handbook of coastal processes and
erosion. CRC Press, Inc. Boca Raton, Florida.

Komar, P.D. 1998. Beach processes and sedimentation, 2^nd edition. Prentice Hall,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Myers, R.L. and J.J. Ewel, eds. 1990. Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central
Florida Press, Orlando, FL. 765 pp.

Oertel, G.F. and M. Lassen. 1976. Developmental sequences in Georgia coastal dunes
and distribution of dune plants. Bull. GA. Acad. Sci. 34: 35 – 48.

Otvos, E.G. 1981. Barrier island formation through nearshore aggradation –
stratigraphic and field evidence. Mar. Geol. 43:195-243.

Packham, J.R. and A.J. Willis. 1997. Ecology of dunes, salt marsh and shingle.
Chapman and Hall, London.

Pethick, J. 1984. An introduction to coastal geomorphology. Edward Arnold, London.

Pilkey, O.H. and M.E. Feld. 1972. Onshore transport of continental shelf sediment:
     Atlantic southeastern United States. In: Swift, D.J.P., D.B. Duane and O.H. Pilkey,
     eds. Shelf Sediment Transport: Process and Pattern. Dowden, Hutchinson, Ross.
     Stroudsburg, PA

Robinson, Tami L., and Lisa H. Smith. 1996. Regional conservation of the imperiled
     scrub ecosystem in Brevard County, Florida. Brevard County Parks and Recreation
     Department, Environmentally Endangered Lands Program, Viera, FL. Internet
     document available at: www.brevardparks.com/eel/scb/index.htm

Schmalzer, P.A. 1995. Biodiversity of saline and brackish marshes of the Indian River
Lagoon: historic and current patterns. Bulletin of Marine Science 57(1): 37-48

Schmalzer, P.A., B.W. Duncan, V.L. Larson, S. Boyle, and M. Gimond. 1996.
     Reconstructing historic landscapes of the Indian River Lagoon. Proceedings of
     Eco-Informa ’96. 11:849 – 854. Global Networks for Environmental Information,
     Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM), Ann Arbor, MI

Stalter, R. 1976. Factors affecting vegetational zonation on coastal dunes, Georgetown
County, SC. In: R.R. Lewis, and D.P. Cole, eds. 3^rd Proc. Annu. Conf. Restoring
Coastal Veg. Fla. Hillsborough Comm. Coll., Tampa, FL

Stalter, R. 1993. Dry coastal ecosystems of the eastern United States of America. In:
Ecosystems of the World. Volume 2. Elsevier Science Publications, New York, NY.

Swain, H., P. A. Schamlzer, D. R. Breininger, K. Root, S. Boyle, S. Bergen, S.
     MacCaffree. 1995. Appendix B Biological Consultant’s Report. Brevard County
     Scrub Conservation and Development Plan. Dept. Bio. Sci., Florida Institute of
     Technology., Melbourne, FL.

Tyndall, R.W. 1985. Role of seed burial, salt spray, and soil moisture deficit in plant
distribution on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Ph.D. Thesis, University of
Maryland, College Park, MD.

Wagner, R.H. 1964. The ecology of Uniola paniculata L. in the dune-strand habitat of
North Carolina. Ecol. Monogr. 34: 79 – 96.

Report by: K. Hill, Smithsonian Marine Station
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