Urban forests have become more prevalent in the 21st century (3.5% of U.S. land area is urban). Their importance in the functioning of our forest ecosystems, and the services they provide, is significant. The urban forest can no… Read More
Urban forests, including trees and shrubs, are a critical resource. They provide a host of benefits that support our health and prosperity. Hurricanes can be extremely damaging to communities and urban forests. During these storms trees can become… Read More
In selecting forest habitat management guidelines we should keep in mind that the response of snag dependent species to the increased availability of snags is not precise, but that populations do tend to increase with an increase in… Read More
Coarse woody debris (CWD) is a critical habitat within forest ecosystems, often bridging the divide between the inert and living members of the community. Snags often are designated as hard or soft. Decayed wood serves as a growth substrate… Read More
The accumulation and decay ofcoarse woody debris (CWD) varies with forest type and age. Investigations (Thomas et al. and Maser et al. 1979) have described the trajectory of the decomposition and decay of CWD as a series of stages… Read More
The recruitment, transformation and loss of coarse woody debris (CWD) within the forest ecosystem varies by forest type, can be spatially explicit, and can be influenced by temporal patterns. While there are few long-term studies (greater than a decade)… Read More
Often neglected or overlooked, coarse woody debris is an integral element of the forest community. As a major structural feature within the terrestrial and stream ecosystems, it provides habitat for numerous organisms; contributes to the formation of soil,… Read More
While urban areas can support surprisingly high levels of plant diversity (Alvey 2006), more can be done to encourage and conserve biodiversity in the urban forest. In north and central Florida, only four species make up 65% of… Read More
It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this blog that the relationship between Floridians and nature is changing. Adults and children spend less time outdoors, participation in hunting and fishing has been steadily declining for years,… Read More
Lifespan of Some Common Trees in Florida Source: Loehle, C. (1988). “Tree life history strategies: the role of defenses.” Canadian Journal of Forest Research 18(2): 209-222. Common Name Scientific Name Average Lifespan Maximum Lifespan Ash, Green Fraxinus pennsylvanicum… Read More
