Page 8, February, 1984, PALMETTO by Robert R. Schuh and Ralph Rove When visitors to Florida reflect on the state's ocean, the gulf beaches or cypress swamps, they think of the "real" Florida as something different from their hometown and state. The clear, almost cloudless sky, the smell of the air, the lush, green vegetation in winter, seem to be uniQue. People, whether they be tourist or native, often overlook a unique feature of Florida. For it can be seen only in Florida and a small section in southeast Alabama. The feature occupies some of the most valuable, well-elevated real estate in Florida. jays must have been distributed sand pine scrub by human This height of ancient sand dunes has continuously from Florida to activity. made it unusual enough to survive as California. However, geological 4. A Studyof the FloridaMouse in a separate plant community for 5,000 changes affected the range of scrub Scrub - for habitat preference. years or more. The topography has vegetation and, in time, these birds 5. Don Richardson's Ph.D. Study also been the major factor in were separated from each other. The (University of Florida) on destroying (in less than a century) Florida Scrub Jay is now evolved into Allelopathy in Scrub - plant most of the habitat by development a distinct subspecies and is rarely ever toxins to repel other plants and along the southeastern coast of found outside the state or far from reduce competition. Florida. good scrub habitat. The sand pine scrub plant On the sand dunes formed during Just as geological time has association has, at times, summer the Pleistocene Age (100,000 years entrapped the jays, it has also made ago) the sand pine scrub plant sand pine scrub an active workshop temperatures of up to 1300 F. From community developed. The plants for the origins of both plant and the roadside,it appearsto someto be rough, ragged, and ugly. Perhaps that and animals have adapted to the animal life. This outdoor classroom is desert-like existence in the dry, just beginning to be researched, and is the reason why it is sought by sterile soils. It is so specialized that 40 at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, five developmental interests eager for exploitation. This misunderstood, to 60 percent of the 70 plant species research projects are currently under unique part of Florida has are endemic, i.e., they are found way. nowhere other than in the sand pine unparalleled ecological value, and 1. Baseline Photographic Study- scrub. efforts to actively pursue its to show scrub recovery after Some of these endemic plants are preservation are encouraged. wildfire. (The Florida Native Plant Society's also endangered and likely to be lost 2. Baseline Inventory - numeri- Annual Conference in Boca Raton in because of development. A few May will include a slide presentation examples are Curtiss' Milkweed cally determining plant density, dominance, and abundance in on this plant community and a field (Asclepias curtissii), Four-petaled the scrub. trip to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Paw-paw (Asimina tetramera) and the 3. Environmental Impact Study of Dancing lady Orchid (Oncidium the largest tract of highly specialized Military Training in Scrub - to scrub community on Florida's variegatum). determine deterioration of There are also endemic animals, southeast coast.) such as the Scrub jay, Florida Mouse (the only mammal found exclusively in Florida), Gopher Tortoise, and Gopher Frog (all of which are threatened), and the rare Florida Scrub lizard. Insects show up in the sand pine scrub, such as beetles (Altaenius saramari and Peltrotrupes profundus) and also the Red Widow spiders. It seems that every step in the food chain is endangered. These organisms have specialized in this harsh environment; however, their habitat is shrinking by growing human habitations. Thousands of years ago, under - ciiffprpnt climatic conditions. scrub Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus wood).