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Discovering the Ghosts of the Western Glades Just Northwest of Everglades National Park lies probably the wildest, least disturbed natural area in all of Florida. Referred to as the Western Everglades (or Western Glades), it includes Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve and Big Cypress National Preserve. Environmentalists that pushed for the creation of Everglades National Park originally wanted this area included in it. But politics and lack of funds prevented this. Several decades passed before Big Cypress National Preserve was born in 1974. Preserves have slightly less restrictive rules than national parks. So how is the Big Cypress Swamp distinct from the Everglades? Even though both habitats have many similarities (sawgrass prairies & tree islands, for instance), the Big Cypress Swamp is generally 1-2 feet higher in elevation. Also, it has a mainly southwesterly flow of water, dumping into the “ten thousand islands” area on Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast and serving as an important watershed for the River of Grass to the south. Then, of course, there are the cypress trees. Cypress Trees Not surprisingly, of course, is the fact that the Big Cypress Swamp has about 1/3 of its area covered in cypress trees. Mostly they are the small “dwarf pond cypress” trees. (“Big” refers to the large mass of land not the size of the trees.) A few locations, however, still do boast the impressive towering “bald cypress” trees but most of those were logged out between the years 1913 - 1948. Ridge & Slough Topography Topography simply means the relief (or elevation variances) of any particular area of land. Water moving very slowly over peat soil where there is a very gradual incline can create what is called ridge & slough topography. The Western Glades is just such an area. Ridges Tree islands and areas of higher land are called “ridges.” Most of the time the ridges are fairly free of water and so more conducive to permanent plant growth. Pine Flatwoods Pine flatwoods are dominated by Florida slash pine and saw palmetto and are home to a variety of animals. This is an ideal habitat for the pileated woodpecker, the Big Cypress fox squirrel, the endangered indigo snake and many others. The Florida slash pine has adapted to be very drought and fire-resistant. Fires from lightning strikes are common natural occurrences and can actually keep the habitat healthy. Hardwood Hammocks Hardwood hammocks form on elevated ground, with a diverse community of broad- leafed trees like oaks and maples, as well as cabbage palms and saw palmetto. The dense canopy means lots of shade and sparse undergrowth. It also keeps the forest cool and humid. Hammocks are favorite habitats for Florida’s two cats: The bobcat and the Florida Panther. Sloughs In ridge & slough topography a pattern of high and low land levels can be clearly seen. In the lows (called sloughs) slow flowing water almost always exists, perhaps drying out completely only once every 10 years or so. Sloughs are generally from 1 to 3 feet lower than the adjacent land. Most sloughs have a width of roughly 100- 500 feet and can be miles long. Cypress Strands and Cypress Domes “Strands” form around the long, narrow sloughs. Here the limestone has eroded away and filled with organic soil which has been deposited over time. This allows larger swamp trees to grown up in it. The Fakahatchee Strand is the world’s longest cypress strand swamp, stretching approximately 25 miles long by about 5 miles wide. Strand swamps tend to be dominated by temperate swamp trees like pond cypress, bald cypress and pop ash. The strand swamps of South Florida and the Western Everglades, however, are often also populated with tropical swamp trees like the pond apple. Cypress “dome” habitats are similar to strands except that instead of forming along linear sloughs, they form around isolated ponds. Many of these ponds are excavated by alligators and are important oasis during the dry season. Larger cypress trees usually grow in the deeper water towards the center of the pond where the muck layer is also deeper, providing the larger trees with more nutrients. Because the larger trees are usually towards the center, the profile of the cypress dome is usually dome shaped. The Fakahatchee Strand The Fakahatchee Strand, now its own separate “State” Preserve, is actually considered the largest and most interesting of The Big Cypress Swamp’s strand environments. Fakahatchee Strand is perhaps the best place in the whole Western Glades to capture why this habitat is so critical…. And, not to mention, so “ghostly!” ….For here exists a myriad of rare plants and animals…from the illusive “ghost orchid” and many other exotic epiphytes to the endangered Florida panther, Everglades mink, mangrove fox squirrel, Florida black bear and more. Cypress Domes and Cypress Strands Video adventure Quiz- T&F 1. National parks have more restrictions for visitors than national preserves do. True 2. The Big Cypress Swamp is a national park not a national preserve. False 3. “Bald cypress” trees never grow to great heights. False 4. The Fakahatchee Strand is the world’s longest cypress strand swamp at roughly 25 miles long. True 5. The rare “ghost orchid” is an epiphyte. True Epiphytes The word “epiphyte” is used to describe a plant that grows upon other plants (like a larger tree) without necessarily harming its host plant. Epiphytes are often called “air plants” because they obtain their moisture from the air or from rain that collects on the surface of the host plant. They are also “autotrophs” that rely on photosynthesis for energy. Epiphytes are most common in temperate and especially tropical climates where there is an abundance of rain and humid air. By growing up in the tree canopy, they can more easily reach the light that bleeds through the thick canopy. In swampy habitats like the cypress strand, epiphytic plants have an advantage over other small terrestrial plants like grasses and shrubs which would drown in the water below. The word “epiphyte” does not describe a family of related plants. In fact there are species of plants from every major group in the plant kingdom that are epiphytic. Many mosses, ferns and flowering plants such as orchids and bromeliads are epiphytes. Resurrection fern Cardinal airplant Ghost orchid The Fakahatchee Strand is famous for its orchids (or plants belonging to the family Orchidaceae) and is home to 44 native species, many of which are epiphytic and most of which are rare or endangered. This makes the Fakahatchee the orchid capital of North America! The Fakahatchee is also home to 14 species of bromeliads. Epiphytic bromeliads like the endangered guzmania have tightly wrapped leaves which become little reservoirs for collecting rainwater. These reservoirs are miniature habitats for other life, such as frogs. They are also ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. A true epiphyte uses its host plant only for physical support, not for nutrition. Mistletoe can also be found living atop trees in the Western Everglades, however it is NOT considered to be an epiphyte. It is instead considered to be a “parasite” because it harms its host tree by penetrating its branches to absorb nutrients and water. The Ghost Orchid Dendrophylax lindenii The ghost orchid is a beautiful perennial epiphyte which means that it lives for more than just one year. Ghost orchids prefer to grow on two particular trees: Pond apple and Pop ash Pond Apple Pop ash The ghost orchid has no leaves, but its mass of green roots contain chloroplasts where photosynthesis occurs. Also, on the green roots are “track marks” which are really pneumatodes which are openings for gas exchange. Each year a varied number of flowers bloom on each orchid arising from spikes that grow up from the mass of roots. After blooming, a seed pod develops in which thousands of dust-like seeds mature and are then released into the air. Geographic Range Ghost orchids were first discovered by Jean Jules Linden in Cuba in 1844. They occur, also, in Florida, Haiti and several other Caribbean Islands. They are endangered in the wild, and thus it is illegal to collect them. Pollination The Ghost Orchid has a fascinating connection with the Giant Sphinx moth. The moth’s larva feed mainly on pond apple leaves. The adult moth is the only insect that pollinates the Ghost Orchid, probably because it is the only insect with a long enough proboscis to reach far enough into the orchid’s long nectar spur. The “Super Ghost” In July of 2007 an exceptional Ghost Orchid plant was discovered 45 feet high deep in the swamps of the Western Everglades. In Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary this orchid has continued to thrive. It has been known to produce 15 or more blooms at a time. Orchid Restoration Many of the world’s orchids have been harvested to near extinction by collectors. In the Western Everglades, poaching has been a problem since the early 1900’s. To make matters worse, orchids are notoriously difficult to grow. Many require very specific environmental conditions and special trees to grow on. From the early 1900’s through the 1950’s, the old-growth cypress strands of the Big Cypress and the Fakahatchee were plundered for their valuable lumber. The Orchid Keepers Video Adventure Fortunately, new restoration initiatives are helping some of our rarest species spring back from the brink of extinction. Quiz 1.Which is not true about epiphytes? a) They always harm their host. b) They are autotrophs. c) They are often called “air plants.” d) Epiphytes include some species from every major group in the plant kingdom.

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