Florida scrub
Florida scrub is a forest ecoregion found throughout Florida in the United States. It is found on coastal and inland sand ridges and is characterized by an evergreen xeromorphic plant community dominated by shrubs and dwarf oaks. Because the low-nutrient sandy soils do not retain moisture, the ecosystem is effectively an arid one. Wildfires infrequently occur in the Florida scrub. Most of the annual rainfall (about 135 cm or 53 in) falls in summer.
| Florida scrub | |
|---|---|
Juniper Prairie Wilderness, Ocala National Forest | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Nearctic |
| Biome | Temperate coniferous forest |
| Borders | Southeastern conifer forests |
| Bird species | 173 |
| Mammal species | 43 |
| Geography | |
| Area | 3,900 km2 (1,500 sq mi) |
| Country | United States (Florida) |
| Climate type | Humid subtropical (Cfa) |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Critical/endangered |
| Global 200 | No |
| Habitat loss | 33.498% |
| Protected | 34.94% |
The ecosystem is endangered by residential, commercial and agricultural development. The largest remaining block lies in and around the Ocala National Forest. Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge also holds a high proportion of remaining scrub habitat, while the Archbold Biological Station near Lake Placid contains about 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi) of scrub habitat and sponsors biological research on it.