The URL can be used to link to this page

ECOLOGICAL REPORT 1986 r r fj / /-g.;, c.rtJ -~-' ,( 0 L --<9 c..r: I' I r f ( I I I TITLE PAGE ECOLOGICAL REPORT FOR QUANTUM PARK AT BOYNTON BEACH ... Part I - Introduction, Financial Responsibil1ty prepared by - Quantum Associates 2455 E Sunrise Blvd Suite 1106 Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33304 (05) 564-5114 Part II - Hardwood Swamp, Wetland, and Freshwater Marsh M1tigation and Management Plan prepared by - Ecological Consultants 7301 Summerbridge Drive Tampa, Florida 33614 (813) 886-4288 ~ Part III - Sand P1ne Scrub Preserve Management Plan prepared by - Ecological Consultants 7301 Summerbridge Drive Tampa, Flor1da 33614 (813) 886-4288 ... L L L l L L L l L MEMORANDUM ,t I 13 December 1988 TO Peter L Cheney, City Manager FROM: Carmen S. Annunziato, Planning Director RE Quantum Park - Fire Department Assistance in Management of Sand Pine Preserve Among the conditions of approval of the Quantum Park Development of Regional Impact is condition number 6 which reads as follows: (6) The developer shall preserve in viable condition a minimum of forty (40) acres of Sand Pine Scrub canopy, understory and groundcover vegetation. Prior to commencement of any clearing activities, the developer shall survey the site to determine the numbers and distribution bf any populations of the Gopher Tortoise, Florida Burrowing Owl, Florida Gopher Frog, Florida Mouse, and Florida Scrub Lizard which occur. Sand Pine Scrub preserve area(s) shall be of appropriate size, quality and arrangement to maintain all populations of these species. A preservation plan shall be developed which (a) identifies and delineates the boundaries of Sand Pine Scrub habitat areas to be preserved; (b) provides for the effective relocation into preserve area(s) of any populations of the species of concern listed above which occur outside of the preserve area(s) limits; and (c) provides a management program for the Sand Pine Scrub preserve area(s) which will provide and maintain suitable habitat for the species of concern which exist or are relocated into the area(s) The above plan shall be submitted to the City of Boynton Beach, Florida Game and Freshwater Commission, Department of Natural Resources, and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. No development shall occur until the plan has been approved by all of the responsible agencies and the animals are relocated in accordance with the approved plan Over the last four years, the referenced management plan has been evolving and refinements have been made as conditions on the site have changed, including the creation of sand pine fingers which are islands of created scrub habitat. Inherent in the creation of sand pine habitat, which is an experimental technique, is the need to maintain a mix of vegetation which is representative of the sand pine ecosystem These plants are very sensitive to c~pnges, and they have growth rates which are slow, making the sand pine ecosystem prime for invasion of quicker growing plant species such as bahia grass These quicker growing plant species spread at a fast rate and replace the native scrub plant community When this happens, the total sand pine ecosystem is placed in jeopardy One method availble to eliminate invasive species is to burn the invading plant. This becomes necessary when ordinary methods to eradicate the species fails. This is what is being recommended by Quantum's ecological consultant and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council Such a burn would be consistent with the management plan referenced in condition #6 and would therefore be consistent with the purpose of condition #6 Therefore, it is recommended that Quantum's request be approved as being consistent with the approved development order e~ARME~ -So. ~~UNZ~ /bks M E M 0 RAN DUM December 5, 1988 TO Canmen Annunziato, Planning Director FROM SUBJECT Peter L. Cheney, City Manager Quantum Park - Fire Dept. Assistance in Management of Sand Pine Preserve You have received a copy of the referenced letter and report from Mike Toll. After you have reviewed it, please let me know as to whether or not it meets all requirements of the Development Order. (~L d'ch "Peter L. Cheney City Manager PLC lat G"-:-':>,\...'--.. RErrr\Trn '-'---..- > P', Reply To Fort Lauderdale OIfice QUANTUM CORPORATE PARK December 1 1988 Mr Peter Chenev City of Boynton Beach 211 S Federal Highway Boynton Beach FL 33435 Re Quantum Park, Fire Department Assistance in Management of Sand Pine Preserve Dear Peter In accordance with the Development Order, Quantum Associates has prepared an Ecological Management plan for the Sand Pine Preserve The plan requires that designated areas are burned according to a schedule in order to promote new growth and remove exotic species However, in order to Implement the plan, arrangements must be made with the City Fire Department to assist in carrying out the burning procedures dictated in the management plan Accordingly, Quantum Associates requests the assistance of the Fire Department to Implement the plan as scheduled for a period during January or February, 1989 If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact me Sincerely, jJl. .1 ,.I \.} -7., f / I, I \.1 l'll &,d{ . I"t{ I tl) Michael J Toll Development Manager MJT/ds Enclosure (Management Plan) cc Mr G W Zimmerman Mr C Annunziato Mr K Hallahan Mr D Richardson RECEIV~~ om 6 1988 PLANNIf~G D1.Pf - .t nn..'r"lr/f'lIQndJy~rties- Melvin lmon Joi", Vmture The 110 Tower. 21st Floor. 110 Southeast Sixth Street · Fort Lauderdale Florida 333013415 Bro....ard 130<;) 763-R888. FAX (305) 763-R996' Palm Beach (407) 734-3555 . Dade (305) 945-8110. 800-421-'1114 The Building. 1125 Northeast 125 Strt>el . North Miami Florida 33161 (3051 R91-6806' FAX (305) 895-8241 f r r r ( TITLE PAGE ECOLOGICAL REPORT FOR QUANTUM PARK AT BOYNTON BEACH .. r Part I - Introduction, Financial Responsibility prepared by - Quantum Associates 2455 E Sunrise Blvd Suite 1106 Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33304 (305) 564-5114 ( I Part II - Hardwood Swamp, Wetland, and Freshwater Marsh M1tigation and Management Plan prepared by - Ecological Consultants 7301 Summerbridge Drive Tampa, Florida 33614 (813) 886-4288 I I \ Part III - Sand P1ne Scrub Preserve Management Plan prepared by - Ecolog1cal Consultants 7301 Summerbr1dge Dr1ve Tampa, Florida 33614 (813) 886-4288 f t l l L L '- L L ~ f r I r r r I I I t t L l L L l L L L DEUTSCH IRELAi\"TI PROPERTIES "(PLY TO "ORT LAUOtROALE O"""ct Part I - Introduction/Statement of Financial Responsibility Quantum Associates, acting in accordance with the Development Order for Quantum Park at Boynton Beach (City of Boynton Beach Ordinance No. 84-51 passesd 18, December, 1984) hereby submits the Ecological Report to evidence compliance with Development Order conditions No 6 and No 9 dealing with the preservation of sand Pine scrub and wetland habitat Furthermore, Quantum Associates, acting in accordance with the Development Order Amendment (City of Boynton Beach Ordinance No 86-11 passed 3, June, 1986) hereby submits amendments to the previously reviewed Sand Pine Scrub Preserve Management Plan in compliance with condition No. 2 Section 4 Such amendments are contained within the plan appendices labeled "Boardwalks" and "Methodology for the Formation of Sand Pine Scrub Using the Mulching Technique" and inunediately following herein. Management & Financial Responsibility - The Developer, at its cost and expense, shall be responsible for performing the following obligations 1) All development and construction acti vi ties required under the Hardwood Swamp, Wetland and Freshwater Marsh Mitigation and Management Plan 2) Relocating the topsoil from other selected scrub areas within the Project to a portion of the 40 acre scrub preserve, as discussed in Part III, Page 6 of this report 3) Establishing two additional line transets in the soil test plot to assess changes in species diversity, height, and density, as discussed in Part III, Page 7 of this report 4. } Burning or hand clearing brush piles left over from the clearing operation in Area 2 for purposes of eliminating potential weed species, as discussed in Part III, Page 9 of this report. 5) Planting scrub species in certain areas within the preserve, such as brush piles, roads, and trails in order to hasten re- establishment, as discussed in Part III, Page 16 of this report 6) Relocating the gopher tortoises, the Florida scrub lizard, and the Florida mice into Area 2, as discussed in this report SUITE 1106-INTERNATIONAL BUILDING-2455 E. SUNRISE BOULEVARD-FORT LAUDERDALE. FLORIDA 33304 . (305) 564-5114 THE BUILDING' 1125 NORTHEAST 125 STREET NORTH MIAMI. FLORIDA 33161 . (30!\) 891-6806 .....-.. -... P"\ r"tl"'" TV. UA~14r.::~UC~IT f'nQP lAlTA rnNC::TRIII""'TlnN r:nRP f r I r I r I I I , I L l l L L L L I L Introduction, Continued July 31, 1986 Page 2 7) Fencing the 40 acre preserve for purposes of reducing emigration 8.) Using radio telemetry to monitor tortoise survival and movements, as discussed in this report 9) Monitoring the relocation of the Florida mice in_accordance with this report 10.) Removing and/or treating with accepted herbicides exotics, as set forth in Part III, Page 70 of this report. 11) Construction of the boardwalks wi thin the Sand Pine Scrub Preserve as outlined in the boardwalks appendix. Maintenance of the boardwalk, after construction, shall be the responsibility of the property owner's association. Except for the obligations of the Developer specifically set forth above, the property owner's association established for the purposes of operating and maintaining the project shall be responsible, at its cost and expense, for the management of wetland habitats and the sand pine scrub in accordance with this report Quantum Associates hereby requests final approval of the Management Plan outlined herein in order to permit immediate development of the Sand Pine Scrub Preserve Submitted for final approval by ASSOCIATES f r I 1 Part II - HARDWOOD SWAMP, WETLAND, AND FRESHWATER MARSH MITIGATION r AND MANAGEMENT PLAN, QUANTUM PARK AT BOYNTON BEACH I .. f As stated in the DRI report prepared by the Treasure Coast Regional Plannlng Council and as contained in condltlon, the developer I shall establish a vegetated littoral zone of Hardwood Swamp/Freshwater Marsh comprlslng a total of no more than 11 acres as part of the I surface water management system No less than 5 5 acres of the 11 I acre littoral zone requirement shall be maintained and comprised of species that are representative of Hardwood Swamp habitat found f on-site including but not limited to swamp bay (Persea palustris), t dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), and pond apple (Annona glabra) in association, wlth a typical herbaceous layer of ferns and other natlve t indigenous hydrophytlc vegetatlon The littoral zone habitat shall be fully vegetated with native plant species and occur from lake control l elevation to a depth of 3 feet below control elevatlon In addition, l the developer shall preserve on-site 6 acres of seasonally flooded wetland habitat designed to be of value to fish and wildlife species L and consisting of native vegetatlon typlcal of such habitats L The Development Order states that prior to commencement of ( constructlon for any phase of the project, the developer shall prepare I L a design and management plan for all wetlands or littoral zones that will be part of that phase The plans shall 1) include a topographic L map of the wetland or littoral zone, or include typical cross-sections, 2) specify how vegetatlon is to be established, I '- r r 2 r including the extent, type, method and t1m1ng of any plant1ng to be f provided, and 3) provide a descr1pt1on of any management procedures to be followed in order to assure the continued viability, health and f function of the littoral zone or wetland The plan for each phase f shall be subject to approval by the C1ty of Boynton Beach 1n consultation with the Treasure Coast Reg10nal Plann1ng Council ( In accordance with the Development Order, we offer this design, construction and management plan It accounts for the development of I the entire Park 1n a s1ngle phase I I LITTORAL ZONE As per the amended Master S1te Development Plan subm1tted for the t Boynton Beach Park of Commerce Development, wetland areas in the L freshwater lake system w111 be planted with freshwater hydrophytes 1n accordance w1th Figures lA-D As stated above, 5 5 acres of the total l 11 acres w1l1 be incorporated into the l1ttoral zone plant1ng scheme as depicted in the generalized lake section (Figure 2) l Each littoral shelf will be covered with a min1mum of 3 inches of L organic top soil The add1tion of topso11 to these sterile sandy planting areas w111 provide 1) a suitable med1um for long-term L survival of all planted hydrophytes, 2) a soil medium that will retain needed nutr1ents and 3) a substrate that will reduce the threat of L cattail (Typha dom1ngens1s) invasion onto these newly d1sturbed L wetland areas \ '- r r 3 As per the desIgn constraInts (Figure 2), the lIttoral shelf wlll r be constructed at a 5 to 1 slope This will allow a minimum of about 8-10 feet of planting habitat for the mitigated areas It is ( important to note that the majority of species used for revegatatIon .. I of freshwater wetlands wIll grow to a maximum depth of about 18-24 inches No species, except water Illy (Nymphaea odorata), will be I planted at water depths exceeding 24 inches in order to maximlze long-term survIval I Based on prevIous plantlng experlence and other mitIgatIon I projects, a mIxture of the followlng specIes WIll be utilized Arrowhead (SagIttarla lancifolia) I pickerelweed (Pontederla cordata) Soft rush (Juncus effusus) t WhIte waterlily (Nymphaea odorata) L Smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) Lizard's tall (Saururus cernuus) l Sawgrass (Cladium jamalcense) Based on the initial lIttoral zone acreage estimates, a total of L approximately 25,000 herbaceous wetland hydrophytes would be requlred L to plant the mitigation areas Bare root plant material wlll be used in the planting areas because potted materials in these quantIties are L not available Each plant wlll be a minimum of 12 inches 10 height and wIll be planted on staggered 3-foot c~rs or In clusters along L the lake edge Two or three rows of hydrophytes, depending upon the L amount of shelf available, wlll be planted in the mitIgation areas Cluster plantlOg at slIghtly hIgher densItles (1-2 foot centers ) may L f r 4 r be required on a site by site bas~s, however, at least two rows of r hydrophytes will be planted to bridge clustered areas All plantmg will commence in the spring and summer months in order to get plants r establ~shed before winter fronts begin ( It is suggested that, if possible, some natural zonat~on be utilized in the planting scheme Soft rush and sawgrass should be r planted at mean high water or just above mean high water on the littoral shelf Smartweed and lizard's tail should be planted at I water depths ranging between 0 and 8 inches or with~n the upper 3-5 I fee t of she lf A mixture of arrowhead and pickerelweed w~ll be planted from mean high water and outward from the bank to a depth of t 24 inches At depths exceed~ng 24 inches, water lil~es will be t planted on 4-5 foot centers~ All water lihes will be planted w~th leaves st~ll intact Th~s has been determ~ned to increase surv~val of L this spec ie s Long-term management of the littoral zone will not be necessary, l provided topso~l is added to the planting sites and quality plant material is util~zed At the discretion of the developer, some l management of cattails may be desired in selected plant~ng sites for L aesthetic reasons HARDWOOD SWAMP L As ~ndicated ~n the Master Plan, a total of 6 acres of Hardwood swamp will be preserved Two isolated wetlands (Figures 3 and 4), a L 3 8 acre parcel along the northern border of the property and a L smaller 2 2 acre parcel to the south, w~ll be managed to maintain local species d~vers~ty , - f f 5 I These two wetlands are dom1nated by a dense shrub or small tree r layer that forms an impenetrable thicket The dom1nant shrub or tree species include swamp bay (Persea palustr1s), Carolina ~1110w I (Sa1ix caro1iniana), pond apple (Annona glabra), dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), and salt Dush I (Baccharis ha1imifolia) The herbaceous layer is common only f along the sunny margins and is represented by the following species swamp fern (B1echnum serru1atum), royal fern (Osmunda I rega1is), redroot (Lachnanthes caro11niana), arrowhead (Sag1ttaria 1ancifo1ia), pickerelweed (pontederia cordata), ( sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) and white waterli1y (Nymphae a t odorata) The southern 2 2 acre wetland has been invaded by punk tree I (Me1aleuca qU1nquenervia) Due to the density of punk tree in this wetland, a major port10n of the vegetation associated w1th th1S L site will be removed and replanted w1th native hardwood swamp spec1es l Ind1vidual hardwood trees within the wetland will be flagged and located for removal and/or preservat10n in situ The actual number of l plants and the location of planting with1n the 2 2 acre wetland will not be determ1ned at th1s time A resurvey of the plant spec1es just I L prior to bulldoz1ng will determine the type and number of 1nd1vidua1s L that may be lost and would have to be replaced to make the wetland func t iona I J '- Long-term management of these wetlands depends on controll1ng water table fluctuations during drought conditions Every effort to L maintain water tables at or slightly above ground level is important L f r I 6 to prevent oX1dation of the peat and to ma1nta1n a saturated soil r condition that would be conducive to regeneration of all associated species For the southern 2 2 acre parcel, th1S should pose no I serious problems since the excavated lakes will be held at a .. r predetermined water table In accordance with Condition 9 of the Development Order, 5 5 acres f of Hardwood Swamp w1ll be created above the mean high water line (Figure 2) As per the des1gn constraints, the hardwood swamp will be f constructed at a 4 to 1 slope This will allow approximately 8-10 ( feet of plant1ng hab1tat along the lake shores Long-term maintenance of the swamp vegetation 1S dependent upon establish1ng and mainta1n1ng l saturated to temporarily flooded soil conditions ThlS will ult1mately be regulated by storage of ground water 1n the lakes t Desired specles for the hardwood swamp include swamp bay (Persea L palustris), dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), sweet bay (Magnolia virg1niana), Carolina w1llow (Sal1x carollniana), pond apple l (Annona glabra), red maple (Acer rubrum), and wax myrtle (Myr1ca cerifera) Nursery grown trees of various sizes (1-20 l gallon) will be utilized throughout the mitigated areas L trees from on-slte wetlands w1lI be used where possible Transplanted (Trees will be planted on 10 foot centers or in clumps to slmulate natural field L condltions L Based on a trees wetland affinity, the following zonation will be used in each hardwood swamp zone More water tolerant speC1es such as L pond apple, red maple, and sweet bay will be planted near the mean I I '- I r 7 r high water llne or at the 12 foot elevatlon Swamp bay, dahoon holly, r and Carolina wlllow wlll be planted above the saturated zone with wax myrtle occupying the ecotone between the hardwood swamp and the upland I vegetation No speciflc numbers of requlred tree species can be- provided at r this time because many of these specles may not be available when I planting commences It may be necessary to alter planting speciflcations prlor to planting the hardwood swamp zones I I I 1 L L t l I c L l I L ~~ ~J'2I-C~ ~~~ _~~D ~~ ~o \1~\?--r: -~~ \ \ \ t \ l l t l L l l \ t\16t1 ~f'. ~~~ ~~ Of'~~ ~ iJMl~WI"''''' ~ I _f\6UKt:= f--A . l.-AKs ~ 1 .. ....- .. - ......-----...-.....----.. ..- ~ , , \ \ \ t l l l l l l L l 9 f~ 1-e _ ~~ ~ '2 '-~D - ttAerrA-r - ~ ~~--_.--- ----~ --------------------- r [ I [ I I I I I , ~ l l 1 L L L I L L L FlOU~ - 1-G LArq:A~A3 Vr'l-ANP ~ITNr ~- _ , ~~ OF WA~ - -- MMN~Ni -~- ~ /..~1- - 2Ot1'E HCeA~ H lGtt Vi ATeP-... - ~ ~,:--- 1'2!. Mtl'i 10 r [ I r f I I I I 11 :J.JE'kANP H-AeITAT ~ J -~e a= 'NA~ _ MAN~ ~5 " I L l L l L L L L -~ ~/TTOAAL- :zotJ~ ~ITS------ -- t=16U~_.~-.j~_.~__ _ __ f-AJ<$:E. AReA 4 Nora=- prAGRAMs-_. .lNOICATe ~Tl'iS-SCAua-- ~ W-cA-rld\JS-: CF:~ ftAN-TEP '--l-LTTof!Ak--ZdJ\ua~ TOT~-_4V~L~._~t:~.~~~E~ ~ \ \ \ , \. t l l t l l l l \ 12 <ll ~ ~ <ll -e ~ o ~ ~ <ll ~ II) eO C .,..l v II) ~ ro ~ <ll p.~ -0 C ~ 0 .,..l ..-\ ,...lV t'G ro ~ eO <ll.,..l C V ~~ z o .... r- u \J..1 tI> \J..1 . C'-I <ll ~ eO .,..l ~ r [ r r :~ ii :i .. ii ..a: 2~ ~~ !.. -~ ~c ~~ !. %- i~ ;=. ~lE :~~ .. .. - ~~~ ~ ~~o t t:U! i It.c lI! ::;;~ l!! ..:.! r f I I ( , - l l t \-= -J~ L L l L L L L ~ . . 0 = ~...;l= ;;__0 .- ~ ~ ..., = "" ~ t: ~ .:-~2!::ic~~::~:! -.~::Q-~=Q,. ....~~ z!<IIoI:1z.~,;....cz 2cr:~5--Q ~.--:.... ~i wQlc~":::~o~ u ="'15 _~ =rW:~~i"Ii'~!3 :~ 5!-~~~e~iiz!!& :i~ ~a::I~a:i';"~~ ....~oo.......o~~~>t gz I6IWO.ZU. c_1: a::;i~!llll~n!;;;i! r:<Czzi't...-t ca_ !-:;i-o%O!;- .J ""lsQc~:=w~_cc5 _I :z:~&C!:ilwi5 i'~CEK~"""OS!-f -_"O~.J~~z ....~_ 1I:!i".w!"'::-e~~!i 5&!"':a..s~~~:~~ c-;:~-!:I'?i: ~~~ '.1,,1...1)00_ =e~9..": w5~!r:~~~r~%!'. &.Q-':'"-'.Qi~t.. :z:~3~~.C!~8c-~ -N ~ _~.QW%-W ~ ...W~~"" C_"C.ii . OZ_.J'" Z ~Z... .. -IE.... -u ic.... ... - a.... z W r. :)000 .. :S~ i32~ -~I:a~=;-!~2w~:; .. _ f ... OIl:'&.CC..._ c:Z: ~ ... ....,. 1ft Q ~:~~!s~:S~I?i$h ~~;:r~i.=:: !izz.c ~v:c~woS"'~.cf::::~ i~~_~~!~:Q_ ~~ ~!l~!r~!~~:~rg ; c a: .. &ftl~~ ""'Z , 'Q: 4- U 0;1 U'" ...l ,.: ~ :1:- \ ~-:~ __ z_ ---'r ~B nOllOJ.Qf< II ...'" , . is 'W ~ ; i~~ ~ ... ~ ;:~ ~ ~ 1M ~~c ! ! ~ ~~""" ... '" ~ :u! 0 s :e:::::::::::::== *it i ; :::::~::::::::::: io. = ~ =~;:~~C:=:I::!2=S ee! a ~ I ~=i~~2~=~i~ii~=.s %~~ : ii ~i$~~~~~~~~~~i$~~~~ i_li~ ~ ~- '" 0 I u o! jlljljlllllljlllli3~~ ~ 3~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~w- ~... ~ EcEoSQaQasssQQQQoc8:... ~ &0 w cccc~ccccccccccccrc~o ~ ~! ~ ~~~~~~~~~~=~=~===i~~~ c =0 ~ ~~~~"~w~~~""'''''''''''O'''''9 w_...... ~wwwww.w~w......._.w& % ~; L' . J..I . r I . . . . . . I . . ~. ~ ~~. ~ Mol ~~=5:~:;:~:::~~~~ . c ~~= ........ ......_.~..j a~.2 :: :So==:~~:~S;8S&~Sr=:;.~~~: ; I.' "',..... r..'..... ",_:;. ...!:Jl-li. w 5.~~=~:~i_SS=~~4:>;O_.~!m... I ==!!!~!~!!;;;;;;;;~;;i5c~~ ~ ~~~iiiii~iiiiiiii~~~i~~~~: i i c =="~~;~.;2==~=;~E ~ E i i u ~ .. z z ~ .. o z 3: ~ ... 'i c ~ f3~~ = x ~>o: en ~!~ f III coli ~ l;; ~j= ~ :i! en ~i! N ~atll ~ ..;~; 'W' ~ 5 ~ a a: ~ .. u ~ ~ ,;j .. a :;; :ll: Cl:: ~ >- ~ u o LLJ en o 0. o Cl:: 0. :1 =1", ;I~ i .. . C)l i I/) . , ~ l.O i lD : . ~ o ~ I/) W a: ~ lD ,..; I<. 01/) o zz 0<( j:~ !:W 5~ I/) WI<. 00 '!' ~ -13 >t ~ > 0::: ::> U) "'" Z 00 ZH ~8 ~~ 8H ~o::: ~u Ul ~~ 0:::0 u ~~ ~ coC9 ~ l""'l~ l""'l :#: ~ 0::: ::> C9 H ~ r r r .... -2 .... -0 z... I; .~ :::! 5": -% ~~.: :I=t !~~ r.... ;~.. ... ., fU "'U" . .. r..." .... !! a..... : ..~ .. ;:::5 · liJ~ U .. . i : : r r I r I I , l z L l l L L L :r '" z z t o z j 0If ut~=. ~~i: . ~isi Ga".t ~U~ ~ "'j~ COIf; ..:.... ~ utI: '" ~j5 . ~ Il.... L L .. i~ ~., ..~ ...Eyt ::_~ ... w ~!:= :!~ -c - ., =i:!~gi; ~-f ""-': 00- ......<~ - -oz.. :r-C'i..n ~~'" o:~ ! i"'....... ...., %~w- c..~ -->tII w.c o.c_ J'" 1:t<C& 8!;!;::~: ""i. :I"" =I..-.,~...r~ z "''''-xu- - ... -' " ... <C .. ci::.~-"'Q ... ... ... ~ z w z ...... g ~"oz-z.. a- ar5:;2h~.. . III WJa.,..... III w.."'....- z'" a:!:!~:!5;:a z.....c cu ..1.....c=~~:;CI .. ..-c CIY 00 .,..,... .. o '" ,.~...'" ! ->I.c W! :i!a~~Ji or .c:: .~c:: !;;5:.H~i ~!r:!l"O-"" - !.ll!zl..~~ ~-'2c;; i~ u:lcilf=. Q) J". I 2 N .. 0 .. . ~.CI) .:1.0 i~lI) . : '" . '" i .;. I . i ~ i cD VI W II: U ~ l\I N I&. III 00 ZZ o~ _-I ~I- a.w ~~ u III WI&. .... '" ... .." c Z~- . <f~E ~ 0 :t u -2-: C --------___ ..'I(Q ...................................."'z,.,. jW~...www~w..,www ~N 1II"'''''''W'''IIolW'''WW'''~ N """'~~"'''''''IlIo.''''''''' ~ O""t...~...o_..._ i~ %.....-...0..,......."'. .... ... . . . :t-w ..o........,.."...........Il'I~ g.........-......o..o w a -- - -1.~ ~~~~!~~~a~~~~=i~ cow................w......w<C:w ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.. !r==:===:=~~=!=~ c~-------_____~~ ..""aaQQaaQOOQQ .. aocccc..cc........~~:i c~~~__~~~~_~~~._ V .WI"'WI"'.."'~WlWlWI"'It...1 c~lr~~~~w~~r~. ~; 10. . . . .. .... -::~= _ Ofllf.........-........,.., 2~oo--....~...._-:~~~ ~t:~~~:=o:~:=a;f~ <co <Co. _ ........ .. 1-'0 ~!::~;=:;==::~l:-~ .....Z%%%Z%%%ZZ%-~Zr ~-,~o.____~_o.~o.zcw_ "~aaaaaa"~~"~-CU ~~............iliil2~..~ .. ~ !!i B. ... I; Vlill ... ..\!; .... .. .. .. ~ .. ! ~ i ~ ii :5 ~ ! ~ ':i a .. S 11 ! l .. .. ... ~ .. ... a i ! a .. ~ C' ~ III ! ! s .... .. - .;,,;........,,;.:!:: , ... ~~ ~P.'O'60N 14 ~ w :> ~ ::::> U1 <.<l OZ zo <H ~8 80. WH ~~ U W(/) ~W CJO < ~ < NC) W N~ ~ === w p::; ::::> C) H ~ f r r r I f ( I I ~ l I l l L I L L L 1 ~ ~ - PART III - MANAGEMENT PL&~ FOR THE PRESERVATION OF SAND PINE SCRUB (AREA 2) OF THE BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE DEVELOPMENT 04 August 1986 by Ecolog~cal Consultants Donald Richardson 7301 Summerbridge Drive Tampa, Florida 33614 r r I r Index Introduction r Plant and Animal Surveys Vegetation Gopher Tortoise Florida Scrub L1zard Florida Gopher Frog Eastern Indigo Snake Florida Mouse . I I I Management Plan Resource Description Management Procedures Threatened Animals Exot 1C Plants Roads and Trails f Sumnary , l Annual Reports 1- Append1x 1 - Zero Trapp1ng Methodology Appendix 2 - Ckecklist of Area 2 Appendix 3 - Checklist of Area 1 Append1x 4 - Letter of Recommendation Appendix 5 - Boardwalks Appendix 6 - Sand P1ne Mulching Techn1que Append1x 7 - Boundary of the Sand P1ne Preserve L L Bibliography l L L L L L 1'. 5 27 39 41 43 45 51 52 54 57 69 70 71 74 76 82 85 87 90 94 98 100 2 3 f r 3 I INTRODUCTION r Prior to any development in Area 1 (Figure 1) of the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce Development, a planning effort addressing relocation I into Area 2 of all plant and animal endangered, threatened or species .. of special concern is presented in the following text I A survey of Area 1 and all scrubs south of N W 22nd Ave revealed I the presence of the following pertinent animal species gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus I woodi), and Florida mouse (Peromyscus floridanus) In addition to these observed species, other potential scrub inhabitants known to I occur or likely to occur in the sand pine scrub and pine flatwoods are , as follows gopher frog (Rana areolata), Eastern Indigo snake ~ (Drymarchon corais couperi), Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma I coerulescens coerulescens), Curt1ss milkweed (Asclepias l curtissii), and dancing-lady orchid (Oncidium bahamense), scrub mint (Conradina grandiflora), nodding pinweed (Lechea t cernuua), Indian pipes (Monotropa brittonii), scrub palmetto (Sabal etonia), wild pine (Tillandsia utriculata), and sand l spikemoss (Selaginella arenicola). L The trapping of all listed animal species and relocation of plants from Area 1 and all other scrubs into Area 2 will be accomplished L prior to any development of the mature sand pine scrub forest To accomplish this goal, the relocation/management plan must address the I l_ ecological needs of each listed species to provide the necessary l protection to ensure survivability Relocation of both plant and animal species must be correlated with a management plan that will l_ f l 4 r facilitate hab~tat diversity to prevent overcrowding and eventual r collapse of local populat~ons The following discussion is intended to address I 1 The relocation of plant and animal species from all .. scrubs into Area 2 I 2. Population estimates for plant and animal species ( inhabiting Areas 1 and 2, and all scrub habitats south of N W 22nd Ave I 3. Resource management plan to maintain and preserve I the scrub/prairie ecosystem in Area 2 4 An ecological analysis to assess the viability of , Area 2 in relation to the mature sand pine scrub of l. Area 1 I L L l l L l l I L r r 5 I REPORT ON A.~. INVESTIGATION OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF RARE, r ENDANGERED, OR THREATENED PLANT SPECIES ON THE BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE TRACT I ... As per the development order prepared by the Treasure Coast I Regional Planning Council and the city of Boynton Beach, populations I of any listed plant species were studied on Areas land 2 and all scrub areas south of N W 22nd Ave on the property In addition, I quantitative and qualitative assessments of Areas 1 and 2 were made to compare the ecological condition of the proposed 40 acre preserve, I Area 2, with that of the mature sand pine scrub known as Area 1 , l Methods l A checklist of the vascular flora of the site was prepared for L both Areas 1 and 2 Speclal attention was given to the occurrence of l l obligate scrub species which may be an indication of disturbance and age of the two communities An initial checklist of Area 2 was completed in February of 1984 Additional ground truthing was L conducted along transects visually established every 5-10 meters where necessary to finish the inltlal checklist l Two 100-meter permanent line-transects were established for both Areas 1 and 2 (Figure 2) In each area, the vegetation was sampled L using a line intercept method, recording the length of the transect L line intercepted by each plant shoot encountered and a series of nested quadrats Three (3) and five (5) nested quadrats were randomly L r r I r r I I I I ~ l L L L L L L L L 6 located in Areas 1 and 2, respectively The size of the quadrats varied with the strata of the forest to be sampled Trees were measured using a 20 x 20 m quadrat, shrubs using a 4 x 4 m quadrat, and herbs using a 1 x 1 m quadrat Each 4 x 4 and 1 x 1 m quadrat was located in the southeastern corner of each 20 x 20 m quadrat The number of stems or individuals were determined for each measured species For all trees encountered in the 20 x 20 m quadrat, dbh and basal area were measured Density, dominance (as percentage ground cover), frequency, relative density, relative .dominance, relative frequency and importance val ues (as the sum of the relative measures) were calculated for both transects and quadrats also noted for each transect Flowering and fruiting times for all plant speCles of Area 2 wlll Plant height was be mon1tored on a quarterly time interval Notes on additlona1 species not located along each transect will also be monitored during each subsequent visit to the site for management purposes Viability of Area 2 was determined by comparing species diversity, density, height and seedling recruitment with Area 1 Line transect sampling will occur in Area 2 on a semi-annual basis to determine for management purposes, changes in the various plant strata over time Line transect sampling of Area 1 will be done only once, initially, baring any change of the site (hard freeze, fire, etc ) A three acre portion of the 40 acre scrub preserve will be utilized for the relocation of top soil from other selected scrub areas already slated for development within the overall project The top 8-10 inches of soil will be scraped from other scrub areas and deposited on r r i I the test plot This management practice will be utllized to determine if species diversity is enhanced due to additional seed material r and/or dlsturbance and will provide additional desired habitat for I gopher tortoise in the prairie system Two additional line transects will be established in the sOll test plot to assess cqanges in species f dlversity, height, and density These data will be compared with the remaining portions of Area 2 ( The location of all rare and endangered or threatened plant ( species found within Area 1 and all scrub areas south of N W 22nd Ave will be mapped for relocation into Area 2 Field reconnaissance of the scrub indicates that the scrub mint (Conradina grandiflora), noddlng pinweed (Lechea cernuua), Indlan pipes (Monotropa ~ ~ brltonnli), scrub palmetto (Sabal etonla), sand spikemoss I (Selaginella arenlcola) and wild pine (Tillandsia utrlculata) occur within the area L Due to the cryptic nature of the Curtiss milkweed, surveys in the spring wlll be lnitlated to determine whether this species occurs 1n L Area 1 and scrubs south of N W 22nd Ave The life cycle of this L species is such that the above-ground parts die back during the dry season and reappear only with the onset of rains L Dancing-lady orchids were formerly suspected of being ln the vicinity, an extension of a small introduced population that occurred L along the Palm Beach-Martin county line. During several years of L field experience in the area, no plants have been found within this portion of the county The relocation success of this orchid species L l f [ 8 I 1S good, however, studies regarding relocation of the Curtiss milkweed suggest survivability is much reduced f The wild pine (Tillandsia) may be moved from Area i into Area 2 ( with relative facility. Scrub palmetto (Sabal etonia) has been transplanted from other sites with success, but to our~knowledge no I one has tried moving Indian pipes Three of the remaining species I (Conradina, Lechea, and Selaginella) might be moved Little is known about the feasibility of transplantation of these three spec1es I Suitable habitat for the species requires open, young scrub, characteristic of the present conditions of Area 2 Any relocation of I plant species from Area 1 or other scrubs into Area 2 must be contigent upon the management practices of Area 2 , ... l Results Flor is tics l L Disturbances to plant communities have long been viewed as an outside threat to the normal function1ng of the community In the l sand pine scrub community, the resiliency of most of the indicator species has been attributed to recovery via sprouting from preexisting L rootstocks, as very few speC1es in the scrub forest recover via seed L A comparison of the species composition of Areas 1 and 2 was determined by ground truthing, line transects and quadrat sampling A L total of 33 species (11 obligate to scrub) were observed for the mature scrub of Area 1 (Append1x 3) In contrast, Area 2, thought to L L r [ 9 r r I I be depauperate following extens1ve land clear1ng, had a total of 63 species of which 20 were obligate to sand p1ne scrub (Append1x 2) These data clearly indicate that human disturbance can act as an external agent in reverting or setting-back succession in sand pine scrub Prior to this investigation of Areas land 2, several spec1es (i e., Ceratiola ericoides, Lechea cernua) were missing from I I I Area 2 and other cleared scrubs on the project Our original interpretation suggested that root raking of the understory with heavy equipment coupled with grazing had destroyed the nature of the soil However, following the removal of cattle from Area 2, several species indicative of young scrub began to appear Most notable was rosemary , '- (Ceratiola ericoides), a prolific seeder, that has appeared in several open, sandy bare areas throughout Area 2 and the scrub south l L l L L L L of N W 22nd Ave In contrast, rosemary has almost disappeared from Area I due to reduced light levels and compet1t10n from sand p1ne Other species that have been stimulated by the d1sturbance include silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia), camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris), Lechea cernua, jointweed (Polygonella polygama and P robusta) and scrub mint (Conradina grandiflora) and 2 Oak is still the dominant plant species in Areas 1 Brush piles left over from the clearing operation in Area 2 has provided a seed source for some unwanted weeds, but support a wide array of native animal species, including the gopher tortoise While L these sites provide habitat for several desirable animals, each brush f r I r r I I I I r- l L L l L L L L L 10 pile should be burned or hand cleared 1n order to eliminate potent1al weed spec ies Vegetation Area 1 The vegetat10n of Area 1 (approximately 37 acres) is best described as mature sand pine scrub, ranging in age from 15-37 years The community 1S characterized by 3 d1stinct layers and shows minimal signs of disturbance The dominant tree is sand pine (Pinus c1ausa) which forms a relatively closed-canopy of mostly even-aged individuals Trees vary in Slze from 2 4-36 0 em dbh, reach1ng heights of 40 feet The average dbh per quadrat was variable 12 7 em for quadrat I, 10 5 em for quadrat 2, and 16.1 cm for quadrat 3 (Table 5) The latter quadrat had a much higher average dbh for sand pine because several trees had apparently escaped previous f1res These large trees (>20 0 cm dbh) have probably acted as a seed source Slnce most of their cones were open Tree spac1ng in the mature scrub shows signs of aggregated patterns possibly due to the behavior of past fires There was considerable overlap in tree crowns and a total of 106 trees was measured for the 3 quadrats, representing an estimated density of 349 trees per acre Fire scars indicate that a recent f1re (10-15 years ago) burned through the central portion of the site Reproductlon of sand pine in this area was much higher than in the surrounding scrub The shrub layer of Area 1 is dominated by several scrub oaks (Quercus geminata, ~ myrtifolia, ~ chapmanii), r r 11 I tallowwood (X1menia americana), and saw palmetto (Serenoa r repens) (Table 1) Scrub palmetto (Sabal etonia), although not recorded for the transects or quadrats due to its patchy distribut1on, I was scattered throughout Area 1 and all scrubs to the south Stem densities for shrubs sampled in the quadrats ~veraged 150 f stems per 4 x 4 m plot, reaching an average height of 2.5 m In I contrast, shrub densities were slightly lower for Area 2 (131 stems per 4 x 4 plot) than in Area 1 (Table 2) This is probably due to I clearing which had removed a major portion of the oak cover The herbaceous layer of the mature scrub consisted largely of leaf I litter with little in the way of herbs or lichens The average number , \ of stems per meter was 6 7, almost a 4-fold reduction from the Area 2 quadrats (Table 3) Cover estimates based on the transect data l indicate that 69% of the ground surface 1S covered by plant material in Area 1, as opposed to 35% for Area 2 (Table 4) L L Area 2 The vegetation of Area 2 (known as the 40 acre preserve) is L characterized as young or early successional sand pine scrub. Although clearing of the understory and thinn1ng of the sand p1ne l occurred prior to 1983, commun1ty recovery has been successful The l overstory trees are dominated by widely spaced sand pine (Pinus clausa) (138 trees per acre) of several age classes Tree core data L of randomly selected trees ind1cates that the majority of the sand pines are about 15 years old, but approach 30 years near the southern L limits of the preserve Trees vary in size from 2 5-37 1 cm dbh, L f r , I 12 I reaching heights of 35-40 feet An analysis of the average dbh per r quadrat for sand plne (Table 5) 1n Area 2 05 5 cm dbh) does indicate that the trees are somewhat larger but of a younger age than those in I Area 1 (13 1 cm dbh) Without prior knowledge of past disturbance (i e , fire, clearing, grazing) it is almost impossibfe to accurately f predict differences in annual growth Further analyses of ring width I from tree cores, topography and relative ground water tables may give some clues to these growth d1fferences I The shrub layer is dominated by scrub oaks (Quercus myrtifolia, g geminata), jointweed (Polygonella polygama), ( scrub mint (Conradina grandiflora), and Palafoxia feayi ,- Average shrub stem densities for Area 2 were 131 stems per 4 x 4 quadrat (Table 2) This was slightly less than 150 stems per quadrat l for the Area 1 scrub Average shrub height was 0.5-1 0 m due to slow growth and past clearing In contrast to Area 1, the diversity of L shrubs was much higher poss1bly due to soil turnover, resproutlng, and L higher light intensities at ground level Other characterist1C shrubs showing signs of recent germination or first year growth included l rosemary, rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea), scrub mint, tallowwood, pawpaw (Asimina obovata), gopher plum <Licania L michauxii) and several 2 or 3 year old sand pine L In contrast to Area 1, the herbaceous layer of Area 2 is well represented by 41 species, including a small proportion of weed l species that have colonized the brush piles The most common herbs L include Cyperus retrorsus, wlregrass (Aristida stricta), broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus), hairsedge (Bulbostylis L , f r . I , I 13 l ) ciliatLfolia), He1ianthemum corymbosum, innonence (Euphorbia I r polyphylla) and wild grape (Vitis munsoniana) Unlike the f mature scrub of Area I, stem densLties in Area 2 showed a 4-fold increase (28 stems 1m2) (Table 3). Other less conspicuous herbs common to only early scrub include sky-blue lupine (Lupinus r diffusus), Lechea deckertii, jointweed (Polygonella I robusta), scrub sedge (Rhynchospora megalocarpa), and sand spikemoss (Selaginella arenLcola), Stipulicida setacea, and I blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium solstitiale) I Plant Species Diversity , SpecLes dLversity, evenness, and species rLchness (number of " species present) is presented for 2 phases of sand pine scrub, young, 1 relatively open scrub and mature, closed canopy scrub for the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce site and Archbald Biological Station (Table 6), l a well studied site in southern central Florida The Area 2 preserve L t showed the highest species diversity and was comparable to the Lake Wales Ridge scrub of Archbald Evenness, the way indLvLduals are l distributed among species, was considerably lower for the central ridge sand pine, while both the young and mature scrubs of the Boynton l Beach Park of Commerce tract had intermediate levels The rosemary l phase of sand pine scrub had the lowest plant species diversity as a result of high dominance by 1 species (Ceratiola) and relatively low L species richness values These data indicate that at the floristic level, the Area 2 scrub is comparable and more diverse than the mature L I L f r 14 I scrub of Area 1 as well as other scrubs throughout Florida as exemp11fied by that of the Archbald B10logical Station r f Future Considerations The rationale of this report is to determine 1) whether the r proposed 40 acre preserve (Area 2) is a viable piece of sand pine scrub, and 2) if this parcel could be managed 10 such a way as to I preserve, in perpetuity, this habitat for relocated plants and I animals Several indications support the view that the 40 acre preserve, even though disturbed in the past, is a viable piece of I scrub in an early developmental phase Community diversity, as expressed by the Shannon-W1ener Index, was h1gher for Area 2 than the ,- mature scrub of Area 1 Th1nning of the canopy and shrub layers 1n ~ I Area 2 has st1mulated several scrub species which normally occur in young scrub following severe fires (Lupinus diffusus, Ceratiola l ericoides, Conradina grandiflora, and Lechea cernua) As l predicted by other studies io the scrub, e g J (Johnson 1982), there seems to be a 3-4 year lag period following Some d1sturbance (f1re, L mechanical) before many of the early phase scrub species begin to appear The result of thinning and its effect on recruitment of early l phase scrub species has also occurred in most of the cleared scrubs south of N W 22nd Ave l Management of sand pine scrub V1a use of prescribed burning and/or L mechanical manipulation is a major consideration in the preservat10n of the scrub ecosystem. Several factors favor the preservation of L Area 2 instead of the mature scrub of Area 1 Firs t, the Area 2 scrub L f r 15 I is at an early stage of development and the use of pres~ribed burning r would be delayed for several years, whereas the mature scrub of Area 1 is approaching conditions that would demand the use of large scale I prescribed burning The major drawback to burning the mature scrub is the amount of acreage avallable for manipulation .. Area 1 is dlvlded f into three separate communitles 16.4 acres of pine Flatwoods invaded I by scrub species, 9 5 acres of disturbed prairie, and 11 9 acres of mature sand pine scrub The amount of mature scrub in Area 1 is about I one-third the amount present and viable ln Area 2 Secondly, recent prescribed burning in the Yamato scrub in Boca I Raton indicates that 10 acres of scrub would be the minimum amount of ,,- ~ scrub required to achieve 3 acres of naturally burned sand pine The remaining acreage (about 7 acres) would be mechanically altered ln 1 order to provide a sufficient flre break and necessary fuel to simulate a natural burn Therefore, if the lntent is to preserve sand L pine scrub, preservation of 11 9 acres in Area 1 would not be L sufficient to maintain viable scrub over time due to development pressure and posslble disturbance from roadway construction l Relocation of scrub animal species into Area 2 could be L accomplifhed immedlately without habitat manipulation Slnce the northern 10-15 acres of the proposed preserve lS a grassy prairie with l resident tortoise populations at densities of less than 2 per acre A similar 9 5 acre site in Area 1 is also habltat for a number of gopher I L tortoise, but the threat of human poaching is present Preservation L of Area 2 wlll partially isolate the site from development pressures since it is removed from heavily trafficed roads, and a proposed I i l_ r r 16 r county park facility would be contiguous with the preserve site Add~t~onally, with the cooperation of county and city governments and r the Florida Division of Recreation and Parks, there is env~sioned the I passive use of a small portion of the site, with elevated boardwalks perhaps, for env~ronmental education in one of Florida's un~que upland r ecosystems The projected construction of a major 1-95 exchange at N W 22nd ( Ave would seriously impact the vegetation in Area I and further add I to the problems of its preservation For reasons already stated above, we feel that preservation of the Area 2 scrub would be more I desirable for both relocation of scrub animals and plants and the continued maintenance of this type of plant commun~ty The fac t tha t , I '" preservat~on of scrub ~n the past has been predicated on preserv~ng 1 sand pine, makes it even more plaus~ble, especially at the reg~onal level, to preserve a v~able young sand pine scrub community L Mitigation L Biologically, Area 2 represents a substant~al portion of sand pine l scrub in southeastern Florida that is of an early developmental stage Recruitment and regeneration of scrub endemics and indicator species L have been observed throughout Area 2 This indicates that disruption of the upper soil prof~les was minimal and that release of so~l seed L banks is occurring However, several areas within the preserve (brush L piles, roads and trails) would require some planting of scrub species in order to hasten reestabl~shment. Several shrub species e g , L Conradina grandiflora and Ceratiola ericoides could be I l_ r r f 17 relocated from other scrubs within the project into these disturbed r areas I Add1tiona11y, it is projected to further enhance certain portlons of the Area 2 preserve with top soil removed from othe~ scrubs w1thln r the project w1th the view of stimu1at1ng the establishment of deslred scrub species The creation of a series of finger1ike ridges ( (Appendix 6) of about 7 acres into the prairie abutting the existmg I scrub, w1th top so11 from other scrubs, would increase potential gopher tortoise habitat and at the same time facilitate the use of a I small portion of it for educational and research programs Successful rec1amatlom through mu1chlng with scrub top soil has been utl1ized ln , ~ several phosphate projects (Clewell and Poppleton 1983) I L L L l L L L L f [ ( ( ( I Open Prairie I I tII '0 o o ';l u t1I r-< ( , ~ Hature Sanct Pin Scrub I l l l L Area 1 I Hature Sand Pine Scrub N \-1 ~2nd Avenue ~ bO ~ ....l :t: ~ .c t1I bOO ...leG ::t: Figure 1 Location of mature sand pine scrub tArea 1) and mitigated sand pine scrub (Area 2) L L L I L 18 ads r [ r r I I 11 ~~ I I , ~ ~ I L. ~ I ( ',- .~ II L~- l L L L L I I ,. . .( . (' 00. U..,. 1\Lll. i; ) ( .. ( II "- 1" . .r \' J. . J ,/ ., \ j ( .,.. ) i r.. I I', ; ./ 1\ 'l) '1 00"" ~ . II' I - t V'- ) I f u I-- I , M' L'UIJl. CoUYl. I \,. n I ? ( I - lJ... COTe,"",,, ""...r ii ".. ........JI .0...0 ''.Jt\J''.) """" I -------~~-____ I \' -.- ~ ----;i r" i i \\ I I Iii II: I:. '., ., Area 2 ~ ~ 19 ., ii ( ~:.:.:.;;. .~ I .. 1 l I Area -v- J"-..- ..11. ... J. I .. k-' r / ( :; " ~ ....-:. i- l .-.. / ;" . ~'" ; , '-....... ~, SIT! 'O..~ / ...... , . ;i, , '. I , r ' . I .~. I :' ~",~ ~ ~ \ - '- i- J ) :' ,r .__.:~~, -=t=. 10...- IIAOO CoUYl. ,.,. -'- 1- ; , Figure 2 Location of quadrats and transects in Areas 1 and 2 of the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce (Transects as solid line, quadrats as squares ) r r II U r. C"') C"') ..., cc C II III :l ~ N C cc -0 ~ cc C"') C"') C""\ C'J ..... 00 CO N 1:- o III \D If''I Lf"\ ..... cc C""\ N ..... ..... ..... -< ..... 0" ~ If''I 0.> E - ,..... ..... ..... I"- ..... - ..... > -0 \D C""\ C""\ C""\ C""\ :""'l u ..... ..... ..... 0 0 0 0 0 c 0 ..., C""\ C""\ II C .~ II :l \D 00 U"'I \D 11"\ N N ..... -< ..... ..... -< ..... ....;t ~ !! cr M n 0'\ II f a:u. > u C II ..... :l a Lf"\ - If''I \D If''I N N -< ..... ..... ..... ..... N ..... ..... f C"') n Ii. II u .! C U"'I .. c: -:t N ~. I"- If''I n 00 -:t C"') n N ..... 11"1 U"'I C1\ .!! E c:> I"- 0'\ U"'I N ..... 0 0 0 :;) 0 :;) CC 0 0 II 0 a:O -:t n lC ..... tl -0 ..... ..... l"- N 0- 0'\ C1\ If''I C C r- -0 If''I 00 I"'- 00 If''I N ..... ..... ..... ..... \D N ,..... .. C NE \D -:t -0 ..., ..... :;) C 0 ::; 0 C C :0 00 0 0 N N \0 0 II > .~ ~ .. Ii II a:O .~ I c II 0 .. II 0. ~ t-J ~'5'2 ..... .. .- ~ U"'I I"'- U"'I \0 11"\ N N ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... N ..... ..... Z &. .. ..., n ~ ~ 8 c: c: II _ ._ a: - - - I '" ...... or> ...., ,n If''I :0 I"'- :0 If''I N ..... ..... ..... ..... N ,..... e- -0 ~ :0 uW N N \0 n ..... 0 :;) 0 0 :;) 0 :;) \D 00 0 Z U"'I I"'- ./"\ -0 U"'I N N ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... N ..... '..... ..., ..., Cll ~ Cll Cll r-f ,..... ...... ,..... u Cll ..... CIl >- >- >- 0 e: 0 Q) 0- 0- 0- ell ..... Cll ..... .u 0 0 0 ..... Cll .r-f Cll Cll bO .r-f .r-f c:: c:: c:: ell ..... c:: .r-f bO .u >- c:: c:: Cll Cll Cll .u 0 Cll c:: Cll Cll ..... .r-f .r-f CIl .r-f U U U Cll ..... U CIl Cll e: ..... 0 e: .r-f c:: CIl ........ ........ ...... c:: .r-f .r-f c:: e: :l 0- Cll .u Cll ~ .r-f .u ~ Q) 0- Cll U ~ .u ~ >- Cll ..... ..... e ~ Q) 0- Cll ~ .r-f Cll bO 0 >- e: m .r-f .... Q) >- e: Q) .c 0 ~ ..... .r-f bO :l .u c:: bO e: Cll ~ U 0- :l ..... m ..... e: Cll .u Cll m Cll Q) .r-f ..... Cll :l ..... 0 e: m CIl Cll Cll CIl 0 c:: m Q) ~ .,.4 u .,.4 0- :l :l .,.4 0 :l .c X 0 0 .r-f c:: ..... Cll .. U U c:: c:: u u Cll bO 0- m .u .r-f m ..... .c II ~ ~ Q) Q) ~ c:: ..... >- >- :l III U :l Q) u U Q) Q) e: ~ Q) >- .r-f ..... .u c:: .r-f u c:: II 0. :l :l .,.4 Q) :l .c e: 0 .r-f .r-f ~ Cll .r-f III C C X rJ"J CI P::: U') c.. c.. c.. < > c.. c.. 0 I r I I I I I ~ .. 1 L l l L L l L I L 20 ..c Q) u .c Cll .u Q) !:Q >- .0 c::: 0 "t: .u Q) c::: c:: >- .... 0 co !:Q .u .0 Q) 0 ..c .u III .u ..... c:: 0 Q) e: Q) ~ Cll ::: Q) III ~ Cll < Q) E: ~ 0 ..... ...... co c:: "t: 0 0 .r-f .c .u .u Cll Q) .u e: Q) Q) u 0[; .u ~ Q) ~ Q) ~ Q) ~ u ..... ~ 0 0 Q) U .u >-c:: ..... ~ ... 0 Cll ~ Q) ~ c:: ~ :l .r-f Cll U') ..... p., ..... Q) ..... .0 Cll E-< r [ -. ..... I ttl ClI \.l <: -' r ClI ;> ~ CIl CD ClI ~ ( j;l.. ClI ~ U ttl I ...... M I CI) p::: c::G I w = Q Z ,..., <: N ( CI) ttl l:Q ClI =:> \.l c:. <: - - ....... CI) t C1l e C1l III C1l I ~ p., C1l ~ U ttl L 0 ...:t L L L L L L L --.--" ~ ttl 4.1 I'"'- ~ C""I ..... N r-- 00 N N '" ..... ..... "" ~ 0 :c ...:t I'"'- ..... .;t E-< - ..... U"'\ ,..., e ~M '" ;:2~ ..... 0 C""I ...:t i .;t i ....... ..... . 4.1 ttl ~ I I \.l 0 r-- ..... I'"'- C""I "" '" ~ N ..... ..0 l'"'- I'"'- ttl ..... N ::l 0" .... ..... a- N ...:t N N '" ..... ..... 00 -.;t U"'\ - N ..... ~ Mj-IN ltl - ~ ~ 0'\ ..... "" 4.1 :0 C""I - N ...... ...... N N ..... ..... - 0 ..... I'"'- C""I C""I ..... ..... :0 E-< N ...:t , I .;t ...:t N ~ .;t U"'\ N ..... ..... ~ N ,..., a- ""'l ..... ..... 00 e U"'\ ..... ...:t x ~F ~...:t N ..... N ..... I'"'- ..... ..... r-- ....... ...:t 0' 4-l ttl ~ - 00 ..... ..... ..... ..... ~ r-- ttl C""I ...... ..... 0 ::l ...:t 0- N ..... 00 Lf"\ ...:t C""I C""I ..... ..... N N N ...... 0 ..... '" ..... ..... ..... N .... ttl III e 0- :l III ttl III ."" ttl ...... :l ttl \.l ,..., 0 ...... U 0 u e 0 : III .0 0 0 ..... ttl ."" ttl ...... N ClI ~ ..... ...... ."" ttl ."" "" t: ttl OC ttl ttl ..... ~ ."" ttl ..c 4-l ttl ...... ttl "" ,..; ~ >. ClI III ,,,,; ttl ..-1 \.l III k c: OIl 4-l ttl c: 0 4-l c: III ..-4 OCttl ...... c: III "'C c: ....... 0 0 :l ."" ClI c: c: ttl 4-; ttl ttl c: >. \.l i-' 0 ,..; ClI III ttl c: ttl U U ''''; ~ e e ''''; ."'; U ."" c: e ttl ttl ,..; :l 0- e.c. \.l t: :l ttl ttl ,..; ."" ..... ttl .0 U ''''; fIl 4.1 ,..; 0- ~ ClI ;> U :l 0- ClI :l "'C \.l c: ttl \.l e 0 0 \.l ttl ClI c: \.l ..... CIl ~ e ttl ..... "" ttl \.l e 0- t: ..-4 OIl 0 III ClI :l ..... ....... OIl \.l \.l :l ClI ttl ..-1 C1l ..c OJ c: \.l ..... \.l 0 ClI = U III :l e ."" 0 ClI e 4-l U e OIl U ttl 0 :l ...... ClI U \.l ClI :l ttl c: ttl ttl ClI 4-l ttl III 0- 4-l ttl ttl 0 ttl .,..; OIl ttl ClI ..... U ..... c: :l ...... ..... ..c 0 III "" III .,..; E-' C1l III III III "'C X 0 t! ttl ttl ''''; e u 0 4-l 4.1 :l III 0 III ~ ttl 0- CI) :l :l :l ''''; 0 0- X 0 ttl ."" 0 ttl ttl "'C ."" c: ttl 0.. ..c :l c: ."" u u U 4.1 ..... 0 ttl OIl ..... .... t: ClI ,..; ttl III III .... ttl \.l ..... 0 U c: ttl t: \.l \.l \.l III ttl \.l ..... >. c: c: ClI ..c c: \.l .,..; :l ttl ..... C1l U >. c: ."" \.l ClI ClI ClI ClI ..... ..... "'C .,..; ..... 0 :l \.l U 0 c: 4-l t: \.l ..... 4-l 4.1 >. ..c ..r:: e . :l :l :l \.l ttl c: e 0 >. c. ClI ClI >. 0 .,..; ..... ClI ClI III ,..; ..r:: u u ,..; C C c <: p., <: CI) p.. ,..J 0 CI) ,..J ,..J U > j;l.. U = <: c... p., Q:; en CI) >: 21 c: 0 4-l c: >. 0 p::: ClI ..r:: 4-l ..... 0 N "'C c: ttl III ttl ClI \.l <: \.l 0 ,..., ..... '" ..r:: .... \.l ClI It - :.. -c: v ttl :l t: C" r: \.l (fJ ClI .0 .... :l ClI \.l 13 ,.. CI) ~ ....... :< ClI ~ U s.. \.l ClI ClI E 0.. E 0 III U e ClI ..... .... 0 III ..... ~ I-< 0 ttl \.l j;l.. C1l ..c: .0 U e; ttl :l C1l Z l:Q N C1l ...... .0 ttl f-< l "" .... .e 0 J.J' t. t':l ('j ~p... ('j ,.. ~ - cr~ "" Q) Q) l:Cl ~ ~ e J.J ~ C ;0- x 0 ~ ~ Q) "".r:. Q) J.J c-..... (/l 0 ~N J.J~ (/l C "'" t':l 0.... \o.l (/l Q) tIl -% Q) ~ ~ -;z.<l: ,-.. ~ tIl Q) ~ ~ --' II) to II) en II) \o.l ~ II) \o.l CJ C'G r- ("\ \ tJ'l \ l:Cl ~ N - - tIl Q) ~ \ ~ --' II) \ to II) (/l II) ~ p... \ II) ~ CJ tIl 0 t ..:1' l C"'\ Q) .... ~ r-' l l l l ---- -------- ------ ~----"-' - -- f f_ r r > u .. c .! ! ~ CT .. ~ a:: II. I ( .. U c .! ~ .!!E .. 0 a:: 0 I I ( [ I l ~z:~ .. .~ 'tl ~ z: .. .. ~ a ! .S cC L l e - u W l L L L I I L 5 c .. .. :l r- o .. Cl> E ~ c .. :l a ~ II. 8 c .. c 'E o o J~ .: ow; .. c Ii I> a:: 0 'f I 0" & ~ W z .. " '0 & III LI"'I o oj '-D .... ..... M ..... 0\ :7\ co M N .... :=> LI"'I ..... co o -:t .... M -:t .... N o ..... -:t M -:t ... :"l III .,-l en -t :::l o en ..... ~ .,-l 0 .u ~ ~ .u >- aJ e ~ en en :::l :::l U ~ ~ aJ aJ P- :::l >- C' U M LI"'I M oj ..... "J -:t N u \ co M .... N ....... o ..... N .... '-D o .... :=> ....... ""'\ N ..... ~ ....... :""l N ..... III .u III t:: ..-1 e aJ ClO en :::l U ~ aJ :::l C' co ..... ..... If''I M oj M Xl N c-- N -:t 0\ "J -:t III ~ o ...... ..... ..-1 -0 t:: III ~ ClO ctl t:: .... "0 co ~ t:: o ~ M '-D .... ....... o .... N .... '-D If''I '-D =' .... N .... ;:; .... "J ..... ctl E III ClO >- ...... o P- ctl ...... ...... aJ t:: o ClO >- ...... o Q.. .... :0 '-D N M If''I U"I N 0\ .... M :7\ .... ""'\ III .u ctl ...... :::l U '.-1 ~ :::l ctl >: ctl ...... .... E en .... :7\ -:t oj If''I ....... -:t -:t '-D ..... If''I ;0 ..... J'\ en t:: III ~ >. ClO III -0 ... .u en .-I ~ < r- If''I '-D N M .... ""'\ o ..... ..... M ..... ..... M ctl :::l :::l t:: ~ aJ U III aJ .c u aJ ..,J M Xl M U"I '-D o M If''I o l<'4 ..0 o ,;;, '-D 5 -' o .u o .c u ..-1 -0 ~ :::l -.-I ...... aJ .c .u t: co .!: U ... o N ....... -:t -:t If''I co "J 0\ 0\ o If''I 0\ :=> If''I en :::l U ..-1 ~ '.-1 ClO ~ ..-1 > ~ o ClO o P- O ~ -0 t:: < .... -:t ....... ..... N oj N '-D co ~ N :0 o :"l '.-1 >. III aJ ..... ctl aJ ...... ctl o ....... LI"'I If''I :""l -:t N N 0\ ....... o .j ....... o -:t ctl 0. ctl U o ...... ctl ClO aJ E III ~ o 0. en o .!: u t:: >- .c Cl:< N -:t '-D N ~ '-D .... '-D If''I o M .~ U"I o ""'\ .,-l >- ctl aJ ..... ctl .-I X o ..... ctl ...... co Q.. oj o -:t N :7\ co o '-D N ..... M If''I oj ..... .... If''I If''I o LI"'I o o .... M .~ If''I If''I :=> o M en aJ -0 .... o U ..-1 ~ aJ III ...... o .,-l .u co ~ aJ U en o .0 E >. ~ o u 23 E E :::l E aJ .!: .u t: ctl .... ...... aJ :r: .=: aJ U .!: C',j .u III s:l:l >. .0 t: o -OW aJ t:: t: >. ..-1 0 ctls:l:l .u .0 III o.c .u en .u..... t:: 0 Q) EN Q) .. C1l :::l III en .. C1l <I: III E .. o .... ...... co t::~ o 0 .... .c .u .u C',j Q) .u E QJ QJ U c:.c.u ~ ~ ~ ~ ..... ~ 0 o aJ U .u t::..... .-I 0 >. ~ co ~ :::l en QJ~ t:: ~ .-I III ......Q.. -:t aJ .... .0 ctl "'" \ \ \ \ \ t t ~ ~ ';) ~ ..... J.,) ~ o \) ..:t ~ ~ D <'3 t-"' '- l \- l l -------- ~--- -------- OJ u e OJ ~ .... -;) ~ - g. ~ >- c E .- I , €' e e e e eo: u e:: e:: t t u u u u u (\) u U r'"l bL r- U'I ..... c--l r- c--l \f"I ~ (""\ ~;: r- r- ~ c--l 0 .... ~.P ~ ..:t .,!J (""\ 0;" ..... .... ..... (1)"0 ..... .... ..... ~ ..... ..... OJ 0;" '" c--l 0 OJ 0 (""\ ..:t 0 .,!J r- 0 ~ e 0 0 ..... r- 0 .~ ~ ~ \f"I .,!J .::r 0 ..:t c--l -<"\ ~ t: r- c--l 0 ..... ..... ..... c--l ..... -.... -' OJ E ~o p ~" .. " .. e e:: e:: e:: OJe- .. .. e:: e:: e:: u u u u e:: e:: t u oro u u u U -0 e 0" 0" Q:, ~....... c--l ("l ~ .,!J (""\ \f"I ..:t ero a- -' ("l r;t') .... <Jl ~ ..... ? r- r- "j;;. .,!J ("l 0"- Q:, Ero e"'1 ..... r- ("l .- \f"I 0 r- 0 ..0 8':.- \f"I .:r ..J; ...:t ..0 ..J; r- .:t \f"I ..... ---l ("l -. ~ e"'1 .:t .- cS 0 0 ~~ 0 ("l ("l 0;" ....... r- '" . b .t3 .... 0 \f"I r;t') .,!J 0 t11 1Il ? r;t') ("". -' \f"I C ...:t e"'1 ..... .... _e ("l ..... c--l ("l ..... ..... ~~ ;:.-o- r$:) ..... r- .,!J .... ..:t ...... .,!J \f"I ..... 0" ..:t .;t, ..... 0 .... ..... ..... .0 ..... 1Il ..... ..... .... Co ~- ro ro ro ro ro t1l t1l t1l <Jl <Jl <Jl <Jl <Jl <Jl III III ~ ~ ~ III ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t1l t1l t1l Q) t1l t1l t1l t1l t1l ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... u u u ~ ..... ....... u u u u u U <Jl III <II Q) III III III III '=' '=' ~ po rJl '=' ~ ~ (: t: ....... (f) '=' '=' .~ t: t: .... ~ .~ .~ t1l t: (: .~ .~ ro p.. p.. p.. v. .~ ~ 0'- p.. p.. p.. v p.. p.. 0 ~. ~ V t1l ~ ..... ---l (""l "0 ("l -<"\ .:r \f"I rot#- .... ~ ~ \ c \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ t t '- L 2.5 ~\l.-l o 0 .....,;1. v~ t1l t1l ~p.. 1ef> s.~ e::~ ot: c--l3 ~~ o 0 ("l~ Co) \.oi.c Q) v po ..... o l l ..... ro Q) ~ 4: l ("l t1l Q) \.oi c( ------~~ III Q) Q)~ \.oi v"O t: ..... t1l o Q) ..... u ~ ~ (\) III Q) 1~% ~ ~ 0 ~c(C) \f"I Q) ....... ~ ~ f r I r ( f f I Associat1.on H' e S s 40 Acre Preserve 2 26 0 50 23 Archbald Sand Pine L 25 0 23 24 37 Acre Mature Scrub 2 09 0 56 13 Archbald Rosemary Scrub 1 45 0 11 16 I f l Table 6 Shannon-W1.ener diversity (H'), evenness and spec1.es r1.chness (S) ind1.ces based percentage cover for plant speC1.es from d1.fferent scrub stands L L l L L L L L_ 26 ~ (e ), s f r I r r I r I I I I l l L l l L L L 27 REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATION OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE GOPHER TORTOISE (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS) ON THE BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE TRACT. Introduction As per the development order prepared by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and the City of Boynton Beach, populations of the threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) were studied on the undeveloped portions of the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce property, including Areas 1 and 2 Methods The study site was div~ded on the basis of vegetation types as shown in the DRI report Since gopher tortoLse are known to inhabit a wide range of habitats, each vegetation type (scrub, pine flatwoods, dry prairie) was systematically surveyed for their presence Line transects were established visually every 10 meters for reconnaissance Each burrow encountered along a transect line was recorded for location and activ~ty. ActLve burrows were LdentifLed by the presence of tracks, cleared openings or recently excavated soil Inactive burrows showed no fresh signs of use and were usually laden with leaves and other rubble Abandoned burrows were often characterized by erosion of the entrance or cave-in, w~th no signs of activity f r_ f r r f r I ( 1 l L L l L L L L L 28 Results All gopher tortoise burrows north and south of N ~ 22nd Ave were located during February and March (see attached aerial maps) A total of 119 burrows were located on the property and were d1stributed as fo llows Burrow Use Area 1 Area 2 Active Inac t i ve Abandoned Poached 25 10 10 1 35 1 16 Area south of N W 22nd Ave 6 1 11 4 In both Areas 1 and 2, gopher tortoise were most abundant in the grassy prairies Both areas contained a large amount of grasses and herbs as well as wild grape (Vitis munsoniana) which may be an alternative food source during different portions of the year Most of the burrows not associated with the prairie areas were located 1n open sand pine scrub habitats Since gopher tortoise utilize more than one burrow, estimates of abundance are based on a multiplier of o 6 x active and inactive burrows (Auffenberg and Franz 1982) A total of 35 active and inactive burrows were located in Area 1, while all the scrubs south of N W 22nd Ave contained only 7 burrows assume that Auffenberg's multiplier is correct for tortoise populations throughout Florida, 35 and 7 burrows represents an If we f f_ 29 r est1mated population size of 21 and 4, respect1vely This mult iplier r is a "rule of thumb" yardst1ck based on a slngle study in a sandh1ll (longleaf pine-turkey oak woodland) habitat in northcentral Flor1da I Other unpublished data (Osterman, personal communication) suggest that burrow occupancy may be much higher than what the Auflenberg/Franz I index would predict I Disc us s ion I According to field reconnaissance of the total site, gopher I tortoise are sparsely d1stributed throughout the sand pine scrub, but , l occur at relat1vely high dens1t1es 1n the pra1r1es where food 1S plentlful Table 1 summar1zes gopher tortoise dens1t1es in var10US I habltat types in Florida and Georgia Mean gopher torto1se dens1ty for Florida sand pine scrub locat1ons was 5 1 torto1se per hectare L Auffenberg and Franz (1982) note that generally the highest l population densities are found where light levels are h1gh and 1n areas containing a diversity of grasses and herbs In areas where oak t canopy had become dense from fire exclusion, the results were a decline in the herbaceous components and a subsequent reduction in gopher tortoise populations Although gopher tortoise densities have been estimated for various hab1tat types, the actual carrying capacity for sand pine scrub 1S t still relatively unknown Auffenberg and Iverson (1979) showed that tortoise densit1es in sand pine scrub were clearly correlated with '- grass cover as follows I I L f r r Astor Park A Sand Pine 30 Density S:;ras s Cover ha acre % Basal Cover 6 94 2 77 63 5.44 2 17 51 3 11 I 24 49 .. 3 55 I 42 38 I Locahty Habltat Astor Park, B Sand Pine I Dania Sand pine I Salerno Sand Pine It is clear from their data that as percent basal cover of grass I decreased, gopher tortoise densities also decreased. These data indicate that in und1sturbed sand pine scrub communities, tortoise I densities may vary from 4-7 tortoise per ha, slightly less than what I is found in some sandhill communities One could expect slightly higher densities (10-12/ha) in managed scrub ecosystems where , \. maintenance of grass is favored over shrubs If we assume, for management purposes, that Area 2 can be 1 successfully managed to support the average of reported densit1es 1n l Florida (2 tortoise/acre including resident populatlons), relocation of all tort01se (46 based on Auffenbergs estimate) from the entire l property would achieve a stocking rate of 1 15 tortoise per acre, well below the average number supported in sand pine scrub l In support of these determinations for the relocation of gopher t tortoises into Area 2, Ms Joan Diemer of the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission agreed that the area could support the l estimated population of 46 animals and noted that the proposed habitat management plan would benefit the tortoises (Appendix 4) She also L suggested fencing the 40 acre preserve to reduce emigration and L recommended the use of radiotelemetry over a two year period to l r f Table 1 I r I State Ga Ga Ga r Ga I ( ( Ga Ga Ga , ~, Fl I L F1 F1 l L F1 Fl F1 L Fl l F1 L Fl L L Gopher tortoise dens~t~es fo a var~ety of vegetat~on types Habitat Dens~tv/Ha 32 Reference Rayonier Snake Sanctuary- Long1eaf Pine/Scrub oak Natural Stand 3 3 Slash Pine Plantation 10 1 Silver Lake Station- Longleaf Pine/Scrub Oak Burned every 2-4 years 15 8 Silver Lake Station- Slash Pine Plantation 9 3 Pitts-Long1eaf Pinel Turkey Oak forest 2U 6 Howard-Longleaf Pinel Turkey Oak forest 0 38 Abbeville-Xeric Red Oak Hammock 9 38 Alachua-Xeric Red Oak Hammock ) 8Y Archer-Longleaf Pinel Turkey Oak forest 5 45 Trenton-Longleaf Pinel Turkey Oak forest U 8~ Tampa-Long1eaf Pinel Turkey Oak forest 10 41 Sandhill Islands La U Cape Sable-Coastal Dunes 11 3 St Mark's Wildlife Refuge-Scrubby Flatwoods (Managed) 13 0 Tampa-Longleaf Pinel Turkey Oak forest 17 1 Alachua Co -Long1eaf Pine forest 2 5 Landers & Speake 1980 Landers & Speake 1980 " Landers & Speake 19~0 Landers & Speake 19~0 Auffenberg & Iverson 197Q Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Auffenberg & Iverson 197Y Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Osterman 1985 \o1ester 1983 Kushlan & Mazzotti 1984 Means 1985 Rask 1983 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 f Table 1 cont State Hab~tat DenH ty /Ha Reference 33 Fl Longleaf P~ne forest 3 5 Auffenberg & Franz lq82 Fl Longleaf P~ne forest 2 9 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 Fl Longleaf Pine forest lU 23 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 .. Fl Xerix Harmnock 3 09 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 Fl Improved pasture ~Roller chopping) 6 4 Tanner & Terry 19~1 Fl Ruderal 8 0 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 Fl Seaside Dune Scrub 13 76 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 Fl Astor Park (A)-Sand Pine Scrub 6 94 Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Fl Astor Park ~B)-Sand Pine Scrub 5 44 Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Fl Uan~a-Sand Pine Scrub 3 11 Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Fl Salerno-Sand Pine Scrub 3 55 Auffenberg & Iverson 1979 Fl Sand Pine/Scrub Oak 1 43 Auffenberg & Franz 1982 r I r I ( r I [ l l L L l Mean Gopher Tortoise densl.ty for Georgia = 3 98/acre or 9 83!Ha Mean Gopher Tortoise density for Florida excluding Sand pine Scrub = 3 25/acre or 8 U4/Ha Mean Gopher Tortoise density for the Florida Sand Pine Scrub = 2 30/acre or 5 70/Ha Mean Gopher Tortoise density for all Georgia and Florida sites = j 23/acre or 8 OO!Ha L L L L L I L l l L ~ t-~;:r ..~... ~ J " ~ ... ! ..1', '" ." : ,~ ~~ } . . J . < " ~ " :" 'r -..4;- :-" ~~L " . _:.: to { . ~ . .~. . -~. 1-' ~., , . r: \1 ft ?\ "~, ~''-; ;'-'>'i ; ~~ ~:n;; ~ :\ 'f'," ~ _,l~ ~ l.t '; -~ Y: . . 'f. ~'A I.,t;, ~ " .~' . ..... ~"'.~... '. , .::'.' If,. .' L\.!' ~",', ~ i:&f'.J i. ~ " ;S.......:..i'..J. ... , .... ,;.~ '" ,r. . . !:,\<1:1J I ~~.......1 ~\t "1. .t,~\ '~~..~. ;.~ ,~, ,~1M .1~ 'tr~st . .... . ~ k'.. ,,~. .} L , _ L I l_ 34 Location of gopher tortoise burrows south of N W and west of High Ridge Road in cleared scrub 22nd Ave .- >>___-- --1 ... "" .. I '/ I . t_.....,. K' i 1_ .' ;-. ". r- r.t;;J'i' .~-;i, ..f:......" -~l.. ; ~~. -$.-'~ f \. ..... \ .:. t . ,;. - , .~.". I~t" ., -1 >>\. ~ ~ < \. oJ 0"-;'1. .~t..,.J...H'~" ~~ ".' B~.....:f ,. f \ .. l t r .,. I " , ..'., \, " ',i. ,. \ I' ~ !. ~ . ., l' ..... 1 ~ ... J '.. I of ,'..' '. '.; AI ~\ "'f t.,- i.~ t\.~~ 1~: 1,~'q::' ,\ of "t I . ,ll tll ~ ,f ... >-- , ' 'J ~;~. 1 ~ :r ~\. J''1 ': . ~ " .".'. " i..: l ~ : . I t.l 't', ,,'" tf: . t~ ..J' ,~ c 1. .,."' ~ ,.;1'. " ")' "i .... ,,\. J '; '!" '''' l" . ~ \'> "..,J.'f l"; .... . '1* 1/~'l.l:"!~,..,...Jl',' ''''1' . 'IiI.;' .~ ~..~.;. ..~~,,:~...L ~- ,Y' '-"'~ ..' ~/.. .' \'.~. ,. 4 "". .t '~-tl."'i.' ,W + . ""c" A'!' ..h~~~~' ~ :1.....1 ~.. -OW ;.r. l..rl.' td <~ ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~;~JL.i;if ~ 1~'" / r~~ - J .. ,. ~ ~.' ;. ,.f "" .. "1 '- ,'r1 .... iii....'., , . .... 0; 'L :{-~ \0 " ... ; , ~~ ,I. \ ' -. Location of gopher tortoise burrowS in Area 2 L L L '<;" ::;:.."" ...;;..lot:-ii"-~-ll""''''''''ll-'~ .'f}: .-<5>';1...J .\ ,.""rif --.z <.( "'\!'i- .-"'t~ .,..... y''''-" 0> < '1-'.i..~.....- --_...~'\ -.,.. "... -.,..;:r'T l.(~ ~.... ~""':":~I"'~ \ ,I 'l"J-# ..-:....1...;'t~ J..' ~_'i\~,,,:~~o':' ';'.!1i~_:t'I?"'.;~J~~r.. Ij). ~ .:J. .-1 - ',.1 ... '-"'; 1 ~."" '1 t ~f.l-~""::. '.' : .~. ;. ~~41 tti't~, ~1V~;~\'';'~::~ ~v'i ,"\~ .;" r ' ~ '~i/f:l':"~-~" jf~~, ". -; ~~~.:.;~ "'L."t.~ ~ . .. ~ .' ~~,~ . ~~~~~ t~~~ t~';~ ~1 ~~ 'f -f~ ; E1'" l; t L ~'(f""'~" AC:&..~' J".t~r.r-~ '~~f;..tn i., ?rn.\-:i ~ 4<., ;_-:'1*.. _.... ~ .. t~i*: ~ ~ ~ \0 ~~ ~..).( ..!~~ _.~.. ..,:) n 4~ \- ':II" t ,.~~ r~'\71 4.{:~,ltJ" J.. i?J~.~,,;~ ': ~ -. I y \)..... r.' "".W' "!,;~~ ~J; '~.?il.~' .:~, ~ ~~~ -~.' ~J1.# /~Hcf-Y'.( . ;!~'i;~'.'''i'' r ~ "/i,_ '~@lj~' ~ ",~" ';r.t'~iii:1 '~,~~ 1 · , . <I: ". . ,,_, 4' 0/.. ~~ -r ~, .:'\'~ ~"'~' .' ~ ,,\,..... 'I( ~.J . f ~~ OJ,. .<., -.. .'- t ", 'I -,,' ~~ '.:~ .,' .r., . '\~'~"J.'t"t ... '.'if:' t ~ If"r. j ;/.t ,U- '.f. . f ~ L,,~~~~' .~'I' ..~ ~h.' ~".!'. '..'j , l~, ~;~J,~1Jt(/. :tti~;J'~~d'~.,,;~' .,i'ip~' ~:q~~~~ . 1 ') .~ :"fl"-" ~ .~~~~~~t"ti <:'. ~'l~. ~( '.: I :!~,t ~ ~~ j~,cf ,;( ,~~~ :l~'~~1..tfj)'~ ~ \~~~z~t.' :-~~,.~.~: . ~ ~:,-~~1I;~'" .'~. 1 .~1~ .~rl}~ . ,~~ n':.-; .."'! -..' ;~~ ~.... .~\..;:'~t;....,..." :, .r~ T\f:J~I..r"l \'t . ~~'i: " i d $ ~"~,~'l -. t;t~~~'';''j~~At r ~~e"il' ~ ~~~-f. t" . ;I~~\~~.. ~ 1 ;~e}""I~~+~. .....~ f ...~, ... ,j. Jrf"j tr"~f r~ a;. /~~~ I' ~ ~ -~.. ~~1i~..5-',! ..~, ~ .....,. ~. ~..~~{~~ r~~~~'~~1~'" :r" :~.. '{_\~ ~i'. 1r1t!~tt~::;Y~~' ,~' . di'~~J::~ 'j: ?~y~ ....i,.. 'F ~', ... . ~i~:~ ',' '>t~~ ..,.; ~ ~:p./.:I..' t"4i1.~l, '~Ol~ ~ ~..: ~,t1V 4). '" ~ Ii,. !t:h'\Y.f"... "4.. ~: '~l.;; ~ ,~'~.!~~~""~;&'" t.' ~',,; ~.~ ~~~~,;V' J,:,,'f: Jtj~.:~.~~ ~ AJt'~- ~~" ~'~' .' "':r ~~.'ol.~:.Ct;t: ....1"'- "- ~"'1'II. .,., '.. 1~, +I'{....,' it' 1 tht' l, ,f- ,1.;:1:_11\ f .f.4. ( ...,.. NI 'lI7 '. 1 ' >lO. .. , :: -)j~~ .f~ .."'~tt.4"- R '~'l.o .: I' oM Cj'~"J')' "lli" .,ll 11 '1- ,r~... . .. ~~"~ -.' Ai', 1lf. : '. ~f~lt~~ .~.~~;,'~' .~~ .~ ~ -f. ~. i( 'lw' ~'?1l~ ~~"";i":''-:~ :\:'14 : I i.~~..:3~~fA: . .,...- t):t~ ~ "f~'';'''' ~~.;~:t( ~"'1f .t~~. ~t\l ~, ~' .;~,;;t':~~frlJ ~ .~.r~rt. ~ ..~~/._.t~'~"~ ~t"/~t!:.:-.. ~~I1'y~ d~ji'i~t~'~.. ~... ! " ~f il 1;;Jr1-"f~._~ ~~..~.~':.:...~~:- '~~" '\";' \~.;,~ "r1~~::1.po~...-i'y'~ <~ (::A- ~~~ -",~\..:U\ ~. ~:"'~' ~~1~.. 1 ..,:N .,W..,.,."i'::l 11. ,..t.I'H'Jt~". 'i~'\J~ .r y,.t.' ','!!t 1 ~ ...~_ , ~~~;' :I<~~J,:t: !...~i. r3"i:iiJ'.lI; ,!'f:_..,,~ ~.~ ~:l'... '.:.\i~."~ ~.. (~'("'1 ", .~ .~-,~.;~~~~~l~: :~"i~~L,t, .' .~ .'iT (f.;i,~!~f:"'~:T,..: .. ~'r'?'; A~ ~ ~ ; 6~1ft3. '~~~~f'~~~J~~.;.tllj'ij ~ -'- " -~~~~~~:7~N~fS'Jt rib' A-c.:1;-);r}i '~ll i' 'Jf.:~"':;"I~' 1 ~'lf'1..~)';::~~i~: : ". ,).~~:" 'IU'~", ,t(.t.~nt-14~'!~~., .';"~i ;I.i ~ ~I':t -Ifr. . .-r~~!\"'[i ~ '~~".~' :~! i\~'fI'A~' ~>-J ~:;;...:~ ,,& I 0' if- "-1i (' ,..,,!.. ,\'tt'k,_ . '~ .~?o~;: ~ . .,~. . ~ "1':" '-If")' ~(.,.~ i~:r t1;J...r ~~..\i' /~ 11...4 ~..",~ :L.:.,("',~.~, :, t.1 ! :~~.." . ,. .:'7:!'....,. f' '.. ~'r r:i1.f- ;;'f ,~q~ !t'. " , "'4.; , . .~j~~'>.:', "fj:' ~tJ. 1 , . 'I',.. . ~ ft .. t. 'J , '., t ( ... ~ t: 'IT.' ~^..., Ill.\..: ..". 1 ,.tl'''1~:::,,~_'tr' :ri~~ .~, - ~~. :}1 ';-1. 'f"i'lt ,,{t .!111 ~ ' ,~ A6,-1 .-;.; ~ ~~...i.;:>-;:j "!'. -. J A ;: ~\.l'.~n' j,+!~, -4 '!r ~ . . Is f'.&f)Jf J-""'~ .,.. I. 4 /I .. /~~~.. ~'?-.tt.lo.... ~ ' V ~"~~';,'..~:=r;~.~f.:t~t~t;n,.&,." .l~~~f.;"~ _';r.' ~ i"~;;'''~) ~~ '.: jtu)'-- '-f..'. j/ .ir't~"" 't . ~,'';:.J~'8'' I, · '~,F. ". "\ ~ ' i. .~...;~~}~~!it ',.. .;.::1~ ~ t r.'iI-" 4 ~,. ,,~.~, ' t>>. i ) A' \3. t ~'~tf ,. .. ~~"",.J. ~ I . < . . ~lc~I,'~'~~i~ ,. ~~~.. ~'i~~'.i~:~, ~~ .', .. r.f~,/r~/.{, !t....t t ~ ,I i !l.tS':,~,~4} ~ ,~~;L~~I~~ f~L I '. "~':"~'l . '~l I W'~;., iJ!ilfJ l!.;" ..' 2'!,. ....'~. I ~l ~1'? ."~""l' ll~ \'( ~'... a'PI .. . J~"'t.;'~(, ,if't,';..':'o'.,~.~~.J.;::;/" ~f'(.i 41,. ,'" ~:~Jfrl J. M ~...r :!'~.~ '!!(..~ \i~~.):~;_'~;;-t1-'J;L-... i 1.'~"!it"2 ,. !~~:~~il.;j~ . 1;.. ,,~'l -!..i '"""".,.....-' .r >~4 ~~ "'.['1:.":;r.'\l ~ ~L.;~ ~\..... 'J ;'~t.'i~" to' ~~ l: .,."" ~ .~ .., I .... . .. . ~\.., ".. .I(~i~ ~~.. ... .. .i;..:.i.f '1# . ~..?!! r ~}>. +~, I !' ...' t;.'y ~.. h" J! 4 ... '. . ,,;;,, f~<.":'::: fj (. i '\ ~.- - ''t-.r."t6 ,~;~ I' ''''.:'19'~ \r;I. i1 V .....~ 'L'" './..:; ~ r . I .T1 Jr:J:~~'!~-", ~,.:.\1 ~f" ,rl." .,-' 'il.::1:il~":lr"t~ . '" ~?f-'i'l.'t '-----:-:.. -... .-----....: ~. 1;1... ", ~<l :..~ ., -i-~--"" , .l~.. . '!ioo1J '-j4< "flf'" ~~ .A~) ~. I -J~~ ,c'o ~;j ~'r~1t...r; .(~1.l4fr;i{"' >i. i \ ,\0 ~~y II ,,}~,,~ l.~ I,. #~tt~;~~' ,'- '~:5~ t'. ~..i'~ ...r;:;~-:r :rr:t~.. , ..,." '7..$ . T I. i,f.1T ~. ~. ~I ; 1 ',l'; .,,"::'';,\ :~~~..J..,:\..,.;~ ,. ~.... ~ .''3 , ~"to . ,..,." .~'" . ':- r I ~\~"'';~.~~I,;.t'.r'h'fM~jl"!-7l . . -, 1 ~'f f.,'~ h~ 111"', .YJ f ..f'ft(S ..., ..."\ l;~ ' ~ .~~-lr-'I:,\-4 ..t;I_I..t;~',j ~' ,_.1 ,.:~S;'f'~ -;.___.... ~~ ...'tt t4 .:-~i'. ,..., _.~....~1~..t. li ... ~ ~_~.. . if.!'" .1;'~ ~'I'.:::-~.~ 'r.... f ',:, I'~ '" 4";'!i ~,. .. I, 1 ,jj I ....... I.~ ~ 1" t -tf; -1 ......)0 '~nl itti1 ~ :, "ll !t!\... f1 ' .~, '.. ....Z'f' ~!/ V 1.;, (. ~ .... ;~4 1,.~li'I'~T , ,."f.:.....w"~;.'~ .,'" .,,t,~S':.,,.....,. (I'd') ..J~~'.A4l! -~ . :"I~ ,T." "11.-';' I ~ ". '~If" ~ E ' ,\" 'I" I." .If ~. L "'''t ~ \. I i~'r ',.",,+: ;. -, --) i (.t: ,~ ;l~' 't'f t. .Il....,.;,..,. .. ,. "J~ 'f~~~:;.!,~a~J~~}~l~ :.~,t 1~.t\;'!t f{~~lJ~~',,;lJlh'~~~~~\~J.5 ~ "'~' ~ --Ill!.-,!," ',';.',", ~"~L' 11 "'. 'f;,f{J:. ~..~>> ~ ~,I'f'7~~~.';<!~~1/' ~.~ ,.' .~ ' ~~.,.t. ~t'~l\. 4 /1'31r '.' ~~. ~!iii!l.J'J..'? ~." ,f' ~.~J'~ ;f:~~';? '4o<~ .~~~./ 6- i~'':' I.)' .... t'i'f~..; Jt.r. (,.' ~ :..:r~ .' .' j~~'.;' It' r"':Q.'1 ~5:'W11' t,t..1, . "ll . ,f.' 'd-t.l ',' '\" f) ; 1 - . I ,. -,( r^ J _ - .. .~'~,f '~""., ~ ;'. T." '~'i ~. r'\.~"! ~". ' ';"~ rW'.-!f' t"~M".li,Zf. ,. t~ " !' , f"L ~ ~1:-... tlr 'A~~~i _ . -.tNL~~.J t,"l~-.J.J) r'~" If !I () ~;~,~~1f~~~ I' ~l. ;.,~~~() ~ <~fJ {.~~~~ 1) )~~ l~~ ~ ~~:~J ':! \}J / .,.'~~ ., _ ~ 'h:' l. ffi~i:'~~ 1~' : '~( 1 ~~'"411 ..'~~~ '\-..}.,fi.l "i ~ '.. t l'l -f. .-1 ~~~ [ . \ ,~ ;lo,~ ".. tf' - r "', ~ ,'i ~.Yl . 1 +: t .". , ,:);y.~' ",tt~""ih~.~~'~~ , '.' ~r\. '1 ~p(..., ::1~J..tl; r. ,.' j.J A ., I .~ -{., ':~,,;>>.,... l..'lS>ll.~~',ft.. ~i . ,. ~.L~~;f:."c1; ~ .. .1 , , , ~ ii"1! ....' i :;t'.;"'_ ,., ...... ~, !...~ J. -P''' ._'::1" ( l l , B .. . l t. ~ r . '. .. ~'~.~. r<I d I rl' , 'i~~~ "':~" / ,J.J:n ., 't , ... '\ -:~~tJ',~ " \' ~... {J;~ \ >.~. ~1 , II ~ - ,~,. t. .. j~';J'1 . \ " ...~ .t , ,... .',. ~ 3b Location of gopher tortoise burrows in the young scrub immediately south of Area 2 L L r \ \ .: \ ,t'. l l l ~ , ~:; I, ":). I '. ed leal: in C Road, o~s doe bul:l: Ri Q t.oise f \ligu t.o-c t. 0 <'\ue-c d ~es f gOr an . n 0 p..'Je e'Ct.y cat.1..0 22nd 1'-C01' 1..0 ~ \oJ of tUe of da-CY boun tU b soU tUe'Cn sc-cu soU tUe on -' - .-- ---------- -------- ----- r ... I I l ~ , l t11.- ~!'~~ - ~ '.v~c ~~-~I'" f~~ _ ,"'l L in the grassy prairie, her tortoise burrows Location of gop d of Area 1 d uine f1atwoo s scrub an L L r [ r J ( ( I I I [ L L L l L L L L L 39 REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATION OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE FLORIDA SCRUB LIZARD (SCELOPORUS WOODI) ON THE BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE TRACT As per the development order proposed by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and the city of Boynton Beach, populations of the Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus woodi) were studied on the undeveloped portions of the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce property. including Areas 1 and 2 Methods Sceloporus woodi 1S largely restricted to a single plant association, the sand pine scrub (Jackson 1973a) The study site was divided for field study on the basis of vegetation types Since scrub lizards prefer open sandy areas in search of prey items, all bare zones were visually checked on several occasions for lizard activity during warmer weather Line transects were established every 10 meters for field reconnaissance Dur1ng weather suitable for lizard activity, open bare areas along each transect were visited at least twice daily, and as many as 4-5 times daily A minimum of 10 minutes was required to determine if scrub lizards were present capturing observed lizards Small f1sh nets were used in Results and Discussion f [ r r I f I I I t I L L L l L L L l 40 Initial populat1on census for the Florida scrub lizard was made over a 13 month interval, beginning January 6, 1985 Lizard activity is low in the winter months when ambient temperatures are low Lizard activity in the spring and summer was much higher tha~ in the winter months. The distribution of 11zards collected along the transects were as follows Are a 1 Are a 2 Area south of N W 22nd Ave Total 6 11 18 35 Observat1ons of lizard act1vity in Area 2 indicate that populations as of March 1986 may be somewhat larger, especially w1th increased cover surround1ng several of the large bare areas Estimates of densities of scrub lizards in sandhill or scrub vegetation are lack1ng for Florida Maximum populat10n densities occur in rosemary or evergreen oak scrubs without sand p1ne and in early successional stages (less than 30 years) (Carr & Goin 1955, Christman et al unpublished report, Campbell and Christman 1982) Only one study provided an estimate of population densities (average = 10 1 yearlings and adults per hectare, maximum = 30 per hectare), but they concluded that It true densities are certainly higher (Jackson and Telford 1974) It Its poor ability to disperse across habitat barriers reduces it capacity to colonize isolated patches of suitable habitat (Jackson 1973a, 1973b), thus requiring a contiguous preserve area of different aged stands Based on available data, sufficient area can be managed within Area 2 to accommodate relocated lizards f [ r 41 REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE FLORIDA GOPHER FROG r (RANA AREOLATA) ON THE BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE TRACT r As per the development order proposed by the Treasure Coast .. f Regional Planning Council and the city of Boynton Beach, populations of the Florida gopher frog (Rana areo1ata) were studied on the ( undeveloped portions of the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce property, inc 1 uding Areas 1 and 2 r Methods { The study site was divided for field study on the basis of f l vegetat10n types as shown in the original DRI report Since gopher frogs commonly share the burrows of the gopher tortoise, a wide 1 variety of vegetation types (scrub, pine flatwoods and dry prairie) L were studied. The location of gopher tortoise burrows has been previously L described Each active gopher tortoise burrow was checked between dusk t and midnight for the gopher frog for a period of 18 trap nights Funnel traps were positioned at the entrance of each burrow at dusk l Each trap was visually checked the following morning to prevent dessication or exposure of the frogs Artificial light was also used L to visually check the roof of each burrow for the presence of the L frog L Results and Discussion L f [ 42 r After a preliminary examination of all active and inactive gopher r tortoise burrow, no gopher frogs were found on the property, even though the species has been collected as far south as Dade county. I Similar trapping in the Yamato scrub for gopher frogs also showed the .. I absence of this species, which may be due to the lack of seasonal ponds I I I , " 1 L 1 t L L L L L f r 43 r REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATION OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE EASTERN INDIGO SNAKE (DRYMARCHON CORAlS COUPERI) ON THE r BOYNTONBEACH PARK OF COMMERCE TRACT ( As per the development order prepared by the Treasure Coast ( Regional Planning Council and the city of Boynton Beach, populatlons I of the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) were studied on the undeveloped portions of the Boynton Beach Park of I Commerce property, includlng Areas 1 and 2. I Methods { Despite the frequent occurrence of the eastern Indigo snake in the I sand pine scrub environment, laboratory studies indicate that it is very susceptible to dessication The shelter of the gopher tortoise burrow appears to be the critical factor necessary for the survival of this species throughout areas of critlcal mOlsture stress Populatlon size was determined by visual observatlons made along L the plant and anlmal transects Indigo snakes are commonly seen sunning in open, sandy areas and are usually not frlghtened by man l Results and Discussion L J "'- No Indigo snakes were found during the numerous field investigatlons of the site, however, there have been reports of Indigo J - snakes by local property owners in the NW corner of the study area L f f r ( I I I I I l 1 l l t l L L L L 44 The difficulty in trapping or locating this speC1es may reflect the lack of ava1lable populat1on statistics in the published literature r [ 45 r REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATION OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF SMALL MAMMALS ON THE BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE TRACT r I .. As per the development order prepared by the Treasure Coast I Regional Planning Council and the city of Boynton Beach, populat10ns I of the threatened Florida mouse (Peromyscus floridanus) were studied on the undeveloped portions of the Boynton Beach Park of I Commerce property, including Areas 1 and 2 I Methods , l Preparation of a DR! report for the property resulted 1n a 1 vegetation map that showed the extent;..- of sand pine scrub Prior knowledge of the habitat requ1rements of the Florida mouse ind1cated L the mice would be l1m1ted to this community and the immediate L boundaries (ecotones) L1ve trap lines were established within the areas of interest l (Figure l) Trap lines consisted of several Sherman live traps placed systematically along a compass course traversing suitable habitat L The number of traps per line varied depending on the hab1tat L configuration but were placed 10 meters (32 ft ) apart on the lines Ind1vidual trap sites were marked and all traps were returned to the L same locations when trapping was done on separate occasions Traps were prov1ded with cotton nesting material and 10-15 sunflower seeds L when set to capture mice L f L 46 r Captured animals were ident~f~ed to species, aged, sexed, body mass determined, and marked, ~n the case of Flor~da mice, with r numbered monel ear tags I Populat~ons of Florida m~ce will be evaluated as to abundance by three procedures 1) captures per trap night (1 trap ~t for 1 night ( equals 1 trap n~ght), 2) min~mum number of mice known to be alive, and 3) Lincoln index estimates The Lincoln index was calculated as I I (Total # of captures in) (Total # of mice marked) No of Mice= (recapture phase ) x (in mark phase ) No of marked mice recaptured in recapture phase I Results , l l All trap lines were trapped between December 1985 and January of 1986 A total of 286 trap nights yielded 3 captures (Table 1) L P floridanus - 3 Spotted Skunk - 1 L Cotton rat - 4 l Capture of Florida mice occurred in the ecotones or margins of the mature scrub on both sides of High Ridge Road along lines 3 and 5 No L mice were captured within the canopied scrub areas (lines 1 and 4) or L the more recently cleared scrub areas (line 2) The Lincoln Index was not claculated for any of the lines because of the paucity of L captures L Discussion L f r r r I r I I ( 47 t L l L L L According to the trapping results, the Florida mouse was probably at one time much more common in the Boynton scrub prior to disturbance and developmental pressures which divlde once contiguous tracts into isolated or fragmented islands A survey of other scr~b areas suggest that habitat structure and composition does not support populations of this species. Disturbance of scrub areas via heavy machinery may have contributed to their demise throughout the area by eliminating gopher tortoise refugia More recent findings by (Stout and Roberts, unpublished) indicate that the Florida mouse is capable of digging its own burrow This would suggest that the presence of gopher tortoise may not be required for mouse habltat, whlle in fact the clearlng of the understory may have eliminated lts food source The fact that Florida mice were captured only along the margins of the scrub suggests that it may be very tolerable of dlsturbance Relocation of 3 Florida mice into Area 2 would pose no threat to the success of this speCies, since Area 2 appears to be a young, vlable scrub with healthy populations of gopher tortoise and Florida scrub lizards Nothing has been published in the open literature on densities of Florlda mice in sand pine scrub Unpublished data by I J Stout, based on grid trapping in Orange County, Florida, indicated these densities during February~arch on different sites in different years 1 6 per acre, 7 3 per acre, 3 2 per acre, 4 8 per acre, and 1 2 per acre The average of these data is 3 62 Florida mice per acre f r I r I I I I I l 1 l l l L L L L L 48 Average densities over a year may be much lower and much Var1at1on 1n densities may be expected between years. l \ \ t t l t l l l l ~\ C" C"l - C"l ~ c:t:J C"l - C'l ~ .n ctJ - ~ C'l - C'l -o~ (!,) po4 c..c:t:J tll- ~c:t:J f:-I~ U)~ ~4 c:::.ctJ - r- - C"l ~ 4 cf) - -.!:> - C'l ...... L \ 'I( 'I( 'I( U) ,I..) .r:. 101-' o~ ~ o c.. ~ tll ~ f:-I 101-' U) o c.. tll ~ Of:-l ~ ~ 'I( ~ 'I( 'I( 'I( 'I( 'I( 'I( 'I( 'I( 49 ,I..)~ ~ tll Op.. 101-' 1oI-'.c (!,) () tll .. (!,) ~~ o ~ ~ ,I..) 0 tll,l..) ~ ~ (!,) ~ 000 (!,)~ ~ (!,) ...r:. U)~ (!,) ~ Gl .,..l~ U) ~ 00-0 ~ =' .,..l~ c..U) c.. tll~ ~ 0 ~ (!,) .-leU) tll .,..l tll ~ ~ ~ tll...o tll e~.o .-I =' .-I .. ~ tll U) () e ~ (Jl U)~Q,l 1oI-",..l () o ~ ~ Q,l ~c..~ ~ tll ~ tll ~ 0 e,l..)(.) IS =,~1oI-' U)~O ("lC'lC"lC'lcf) r-r-r-4C"l ~ o ~ ~ tll ,I..) (!,) Q,l ';::P 44444 C'lC'lC'l~~ ~~.o.o ..s ~. 0 =' =' ........~~~ ~ 0 () () () -0 () rJ) rJ) rJ)~~-- ro Q,l Q,l Q,lrJ) ~~~ ~-o.,..lp..p.. p..~p...r:..r:. -otll-OU)U) ~ (!,) ~ tll tll ro.-ltll...-l.-l U)(.)rJ)rJ)rJ) (!,) ~ ~ ~ ~ f:-I ......C'lC"'\4.n ~ Q,l .-I .t;, f:-I ---.-----.- ---- -- ----- ------------- f r I r f .....-:. I : ,...- I i ,I .' .. .. .. I , - - - . <' - .. ---->- ~.~~ :.-.M ~1 .", " I .( ... ii 50 " 1101 Ueol ~1I.11. -- ,- _l -l L l - 1~-- l L L L L I..UIJI. UAAl.. \on ..GTO.-o..... "'-.A_" 'ITI ~ =.... '-' I .. I I I l- I I I I \ ( . (. f ~) \ . r.. / I _I!II~) I. ( i .( I ) I~. I t ~;- ) t 1 1". ~ 1 ~ / . ( · .., . t ( , . r.A I . i J. / I ( I i r f" ~ I .~ ~ ,-: .~.< .~ -...! I \ . "-. ) \ I \ ~ ....;,.6 .. ~ .. ............,. ~ ,. I. ~ .,,_..~-.. --- IO",IOM 1lA0I ~ (.,. t r , - Figure 1 Location of Florida mouse trap lines in the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce scrub (Numbers indicate suitable Florida mouse habitat ) r r I 51 REPORT ON THE PROPOSED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN r FOR AREA 2 r As per the development order proposed by the Treasure Coast .. r Regional Planning Council, the disappearance of sand p~ne scrub hab~tat w~th~n the reg~on has caused concern for the remain~ng I remnants and the preservation of its unique plants and animals In an effort to preserve the largest contiguous area of sand pine I scrub, the developer of this property has agreed to set aside 40 acres I west of High Ridge Road and north of N W 22nd Avenue, a portion of which is young sand pine scrub (Append~x 7) The tract of land known r as Area 2, has suffered deterioration due to sporadic understory clearing and livestock grazing, but this study has shown that the area [ is a viable scrub that supports a number of scrub plants and an~mals L of regional concern Established transects and field observations of Area 2 indicate L that this proposed 40 acre preserve has a higher species diversity of indicator and obligate scrub species and provides considerable more L acreage in which to manage both plants and animals than Area 1 L The purpose of th~s report is to define the proposed management philosophy and methodology for preservation of Area 2 L Bas~c Management Philosophy L L The objective of the resource management plan is to preserve, through management, the subjected p~ece of property as a L f [ r r r J f ( 52 representatIve sac?le of an original Florida ecosystem, thereby maintaining its natural dIversity of plants and animals Resource Description l l L l l L L L L The predominant plant community of concern IS sand pine scrub It occurs at elevatIons of approximately 15 to 25 feet and shows eVIdence of early pleistocene shorelines that occur in visible, parallel dune ridges The scrub is a very xeric type of plant community and is adapted to the dry, well drained, and relatively infertile sand of the old dunes as well as sporadIc fires Sand pIne (PInus clausa) IS the dominant tree and is usually found in closed canopy situations of mature stands, as found north of N W. 22nd Avenue The characteristic woody understory specIes adapted to xeric conditIons of the scrub include various scrub oaks (Quercus geminata, Quercus myrtifolia, and Quercus chapmanii), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), and rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides) Fire generally does not enter sand pine stands except when fuel levels are high and moisture condItions are low This often leads to very hot crown fIres that are hot enough to kill the sand pines and other vegetation However, fires are necessary to regenerate sand pine forests, as it reduces hardwood competition, triggers the release of sand pine seeds, and improves the seedbed If fire is excluded from scrub, the sand pines eventually will dIe of old age, after approximately 60-70 years, and the habItat may ultimately grow into a xeric oak forest If a fire is carried through r r 53 I the area, the mature trees are k1lled and young seedlings begin the r cycle again This plant commWlity also contains many endangered, threatened, ( and endemic plant and animal species that depend on this type of habitat for survival ." Some have different environmental requirements I even within the same plant community, and will require different I management procedures if they are to be retained on site A second plant commWlity on this site (Area 2) is the open I prairie It is characterized as a nearly treeless plain that includes formerly cleared areas that are now dominated by ruderal or weed I species The common associates includes natal grass (Rhynchelytrum ( repens), broom sedge grass (Andropogon virginicus), ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and many other common weeds. I It is a relatively flat and moderately to well-drained terra1n In naturally occurring dry prairies the fire frequency appears to be L every 1 to 4 years, which is slightly more frequent than that which L generally occurs in mesic flatwoods. The higher frequency of fire 1S probably the primary factor that l1mits pine recruitment 1n this L commWli ty True dry prairies are endemic to Florida and largely confined to a t few regions of the state Most representatives of this community have L been converted to pasture, fields or citrus groves They are disappearing rapidly and have been important habitat for several L animals that occur nowhere else in the eastern United States (e g caracara and burrowing owl) L L f f 54 I Management Procedures r In the stated objectives for the management of the property, there I are major responsibi1~ties for the long term preservation of the vegetation, wildlife, and soil, plus the area's natura~ resources In I this role, the following comments are reasonable judgements as to the management "state of the art", so that the area will be sufficiently I protected for the future and not just short-term realities I Assessment of impact and management recommendations are based on f~eld observations, comparison of past records, and a review of pertinent I literature Fire management t F~re has a necessary historical role in the perpetuation of sand I pine scrub and maintain~ng its diversity of vegetation Man's efforts to suppress f~res and the development of firebreaks provided by human l activ~ty (roads, etc ) have created the need for instigating prescribed burns to maintain scrub In addition, the burning of the l areas at d~fferent times will also help promote a diversity of L different age stands of vegetation. This documentation is largely established as a theoretical ideal L time sequence for rosemary (Ceratio1a ericoides) and sand pine (Pinus c1ausa) as both can be aged and their life histories have L been well studied This plant community appears to be adapted to a 30 I '- to 40 year cycle. A survey of randomly selected trees, starting near the south end of the property and working north, will be cored and the L age of each tree estimated by count~ng growth rings Using this data, L ( r r I f I I ( t l L L L l L L L L 55 the scrub community will be divided into two zones that will be used for future management purposes to promote a diversity of different age stands of scrub A fire model for the scrub will be used to judge the effects of the thermal dynamics of a proposed fire This model considers the amount and combustibility of fuels, required moisture content, aLr temperature and humidity, desired wind speed and direction, and any other changes that may alter the fire's progress The fire prescription includes concerns for smoke management The plan addresses the need to maintain the ecological diversity of the scrub. Instead of burning all the fire-adapted communities at one time, the 40 acre preserve will be partLtLoned lnto zones that will be managed and burned separately Thus, the wildlife will be able to use recently burned tracts, as well as formerly burned areas The open prarle will be burned yearly in the late spring or early summer to increase the grasses for the gopher tortoises If burning turns out to be an unacceptable means for maintaLning the existing scrub, due to smoke management or excessive explosive fuels, then mechanical means, such as hand prunnlng and chopping, will be instituted. This is viewed as a good alternatLve because it does not cause soil dlsruption and compaction The relocation of gopher tortoise into Area 2 will occur at total densitLes (resident plus relocated individuals) of 2 per acre All gopher tortoise will be fitted with a transmitter so that monthly movements and activity of relocated tortoise can be followed using telemetry Monitoring of all gopher tortoise will occur for a two r r 56 I year period or as stated in the requirements of the permit At the r time of the resurvey, all burrows will be counted and mapped, and any tortoises encountered will be examined for condition. Body weight I changes of all marked tortoise before and after relocation into Area 2 will be used as a measure of condition f Following acceptance of the preserve area and the issuance of I proper state permits, scrub lizard relocation will be initiated at/or during the same time the Gopher tortoises are being moved To provide I for safe capture and transport, each scrub lizard will be caught with a fish net and transported to the site in an aquarium I Because of the presumed commensal relationship with the gopher , - l tortoise, the Florida mouse is usually not relocated onto the site until such time as the former has become established in burrow 1 systems However, recent evidence (Stout and Roberts, unpublished) suggests that the Florida mouse may actually dig its own den in the L absence of gopher tortoise burrows. If these data turns out to be L correct for the Florida mouse, relocation of mice into Area 2 can occur independently of the gopher tortoise Also, due to the reduced l rate of captures in summer and high frequency of hyperthermia encountered, all relocations will be conducted preferably during l cooler temperatures The methodology for live trapping will be the L procedure as stated earlier and the monitoring period will be as long as necessary to determine survival rate All mice will be ear tagged L so that if it is determined that a survey can be undertaken the following year without compromising the population, one can be L conducted L I r 57 I A methodology \nll be developed to establish "zero" population levels on Area 1 follow~ng efforts to relocate that population to Area r 2 (Appendix 1) When conducting a prescribed burn, it is desirable to attain the I conditions which are most natural As this biological community is f perpetuated by natural fire events, one objective of prescribed burning is to mainta~n the ecological d~vers~ty within these areas I The projected fire model study predicts many of the items that will determine whether there can be an "acceptable" fire at the site, but a I smoke complaint or burning regulations established by the county or I city can preclude this management option Once the f~re prescript~on has been established, the Division of Forestry will conduct the burn , l similar to their arrangements with private property owners throughout the state (i e burning of pasture lands) because of the 1~ab11ity, l equipment requ~red, and the permits needed L Thus, policy and guidelines for prescribed burning can be established, but real~stically a mechanical/burning comb1nation will L probably be the management future for th~s site Any area within the proposed preserve site that will requ~re l restoration because of past impacts (old trails, dump locations, etc ) L will be planted with native scrub species L THREATENED AN IMALS Several reptiles and a mammal are considered highly adapted to L scrub (i e , reaching their maximum population levels or found only I L within this habitat) and deserve further comments All are referenced l__ f r 58 in the Florida Comm~ttee of Rare & Endangered Plants & Animals I reports r Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus woodi) I Florida Mouse (Peromyscus floridanus) .. r Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) I General Habitat Requirements The gopher tortoise is largely restricted to upland pine forests with dense herbaceous ground I covers and firm, sandy soils (e g., sandhills). It also inhabits I scrub communities and coastal savannahs Population dens~t~es are \ generally reduced in the former largely because the loose sands often ~ do not support burrow construction and the general sparsity of herbaceous plants limits food suppl~es (Campbell & Christman 1982) I Population densities are generally greatest on islands (ca 20 l tortoises/hectare (8 tortoises/acre), Wester, 1983) and in isolated coastal savannahs (ca. II 3/hectare (4.5 tortoises/acre), Kushland & l Mazzotti, 1984) where tortoise predators are absent or infrequent In typical sandhill communities, tortoise densities generally vary from l 0.3-11 9 tortoises/hectare (0 12-4 76 tortoises/acre)(T Logan, cited l in Kushlan & Mazzotti 1984) and are directly related to the density of herbaceous ground cover (Landers & Speake 1980) Densit~es greater l than l7.l tortoises/hectare (6.84 tortoises/acre) have been reported for annually burned sandh~lls (Rask 1983) In typical sand pine J -- scrub, tortoise densities have been shown to vary from about 4-7 L L f r I r I I I I ( J - 59 tortoises/hectare (1 4-2 7 tortoises/acre) (Auffenberg and Iverson 1979) and were directly related to grass cover It was reported at the Fifth Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting (November 9-11, 1984) that tortoise densities average 10 4- 20 4/hectare (4 1-8 l/acre), but may reach a density ~ high as 28- 33/hectare (11-13/acre) where predat~on is m~nimized and habitat lS ideal Management Recommendations The most important management factor for Gopher Tortoises is ecological burning (Landers & Speake 1980) The herbaceous ground cover requires fire to stimulate new growths of more succulent and nutritious grasses, the major foods of gopher tortoise (Lander 1980, Means 1985, Rask 1983) Additionally, I l L L l L L L L ecological burning reduces the growth of hardwoods whose dense foliage could shade out herbaceous grasses (Komarek 1974). Managed forests that have been routinely burned have higher tortoise densities than sandhills that have undergone succession due to the artificial exclusion of f~res (Landers & Speake 1980) The seasonal timing of ecological burns may also be important Fires during spr~ng and summer not only stimulate succulent new growth, but also prepare the soils for burrow construction (Means 1985) Th~s may be especially important for young tortoise establishing their first burrows (Means 1985) Human related soil disturbances may also have significant effects on tortoises (Lohoefener & Lohmeier 1981) Silvicultural ground preparat~on techniques (e g , roller chopping and web plowing) destroy 49-72% of the tortoise burrows (Tanner & Terry 1981). Tortoises are f f 60 t probably not killed when their burrows are destroyed, but they typically do not reconstruct or use destroyed burrows (Landers 1980) ( Instead, they generally move to other areas or construct new burrows (Tanner & Terry 1981). In scrub communities, the most suitable areas I for burrow construction often occur along roads where yehicular I traffic has compacted the loose sandy soils (Campbell & Christman 1982) I Other management concerns include the indiscriminate use of herb~cides, tortoise harvesting, and human related increases in I tortoise predator populations Aerial applications of herbicides have I been potentially implicated ~n tortoise die-offs (R H Mount, personal communication) Tortoise "pullers" have significant impac t ,- on populations, not only on tortoises that are harvested, but also by 1 harm~ng those that they attempt to harvest (Taylor 1981) Hobbyists can also impact tortoise populations, especially when they collect the L larger, mature individuals The low reproductive potent~al of the gopher tortoise intensifies the detrimental impacts of all harvest~ng L practices (Landers et al 1980) Human related increases in predator t populations can be attributed to the introduction of exotic species (e g , fire ants and armad~llos) or to the increased success of Some L native species (e g , raccoons) because of human related influences (Landers et al 1980, Landers 1980) L L Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus woodi) General Habitat Requirements The Flor~da scrub lizard is L largely restricted to Florida's endemic scrub communities, but also I L r r 61 r occurs in nearby sandhills and xer~c hammocks where ground cover, i.e., grasses and leaf litter, is sparse because of disturbances r (Jackson 1973a & b, Campbell & Christman 1982). Maximum population densities occur in rosemary or evergreen oak scrubs without sand pines I and in early successional stages (i e less than 15 years since major .. I disturbance) of sand pine scrub (Carr & Goin 1955, Christman et al , unpublished report, Campbell & Christman 1982). Only one study I provided an estimate of population densities (average = 10 1 yearlings and adults/hectare maximum = 30/hectare), but they concluded that I " true densities are certainly higher" (Jackson & Telford 1974) In I all habitats where S woodi occurs, the essential characterist~cs are dry, well-drained, deep sandy soils with numerous patches of open, , \ unvegetated sand and high insolation levels (Christman et al unpublished report, Campbell & Christman 1982, Jackson 1973a & b) L General Life History The primary prey species of !- l woodi are predominantly non-flying arthropods or those that spend much of their time on the ground (Jackson 1973a). Known predators l include coachwhip, black racer, scrub jay, and brown thrasher (Jackson & Telford 1974) Reproductively, !- woodi is characterized as an l ".. . early maturing, mult iple-brooded, small cl utch spec ies" (Jackson & l Telford 1974) Mat~ng occurs from the end of March to September, while egg deposition occurs from early April to October when ground l temperatures exceed 20C (Jackson & Telford 1974). The simultaneous presence of yolked follicles and oviducal eggs or corpora lutea L suggests that 2 to 3 clutches of eggs are probably produced each year L Under ideal conditions, 4 to 5 clutches may be produced in a year L f r 62 t (Jackson & Telford 1974) Hatchlings are present from late June to early November June hatchlings may reach sexual maturity by the I following spring while August hatchlings may not mature until their I second spring (Jackson & Telford 1974) The Florida scrub lizard has been regarded as a "~ed" spec ies I because of its colon~zation of patchy, early successional or d~sturbed habitats (Campbell & Christman 1982) However, its relatively poor I ability to d~sperse across habitat barriers (e g , low flat woods, ( grassy sandhills, and swamps) reduces its capacity to colonize isolated patches of suitable habitat (Jackson 1973a & b) r Management Guidelines Periodic, major disturbances of the canopy and ground cover vegetation in sand pine scrub habitat are essential for the maintenance of viable S woodi populations t These disturbances may be natural catastrophic fires or silvicultural clear-cu ts In either case, patches of open, unvegetated, h~ghly l insolate sand would result and produce ideal habitat for !- woodi If the canopy or ground cover in sand pine scrub is allowed to close l because of protection from major disturbances, ~ woodi l populations would diminish substantially or even disappear (Christman et al., unpublished report) Natural recolonization by !- woodi l where it has been extirpated is highly unlikely (Jackson 1973a & b) L Thus, exist~ng populations should be managed so that suitable habitat is continually available for them to move into L Their dependence on arthropods for food suggests that the indiscriminate use of insecticides could impact the reproductive L biology of S woodi, although no studies have been conducted in f r I I ( ( I I I f I t L l l l L L_ 63 this regard. The control of exotic competitors or potential predators (e g , Anolis sagrei, Armadillo, and Bufo marinus) may also become important Hydrological manipulations in the surrounding areas which could substantially alter the scrub habitats may also be a concern Population Estimates Essentially four techniques may be employed to estimate populatlon dens~ties or relative changes ~n population densities of S. woodi (1) capture all lizards w~thin a specified area, (2) trap lizards using a dr1ft fence, (3) line-transect measurement of observed lizards, and (4) mark-recapture study of trapped lizards. The first two techniques have been employed with S woodi (Jackson & Telford 1974, Christman et al , unpublished report), while the last two bave been employed with other mobile vertebrates (see Burnam et al 1980) Each method has inherent problems and drawbacks The first and fourth techniques are time consuming endeavors and not warranted for this study The thud requires the least time to set-up but probably provides less accurate data, because of meteorlogical, behavioral, and other influences on lizard observability. The second technique requires Some initial set-up time and expense, but is by far the simplest and quickest method for assess~ng relat~ve population changes The drift fence technique is adequately described and depicted by Christman et al (unpublished report), Briefly, long aluminum sheets are erected ~n open sand~ areas to obstruct the movements of lizards (also snakes, small mammals, amphibians, arthropods, etc) The lizards follow the obstruction to one of its ends, where 5 gallon r r I r ( I r I ( ~ [ L L L l l L L L 64 plastic buckets are buried flush w~th the ground Lizards which fall into the bucket generally cannot escape Some investigators further enhance trapping efforts by placing aluminum funnels within the 5 gallon buckets, and/or they place a slightly elevated board over the bucket for the lizard to crawl under Additionally, ;creen-wire funnel traps may be placed along the drift fence to trap animals before they reach the buckets (Note 5 gallon buckets should have drainage holes in the bottom to keep them from being flooded or hydrostatically elevated ) Once establ~shed, drift fences and bucket traps requ~re very little maintenance and will last for years They can be inspected once a week for short periods (April and May are probably best for S woodi) and made inoperative by f~lling the buckets wlth sand when not needed Add~tionally, the dr~ft fence techniques will provide an assessment of populatlon densities of many other animals bes ides S woodi Assum~ng that the probability of trapping lizards remains constant from year to year, an annual est~mate of relat~ve abundance can be obtained by tabulating the number of !- woodi trapped during a specified per1od, e g ,lor 2 months with traps checked weekly, or 1 or 2 weeks with daily checks By keeping the trapping periods, check times, and locations constant, the population dynamics can be estimated, and the success of various management techniques can be evaluated By assuming that trapping success is directly proportionate to population levels, relative population estimates for f r I r I ( I I I ~ ( ( l l L L L L --------------~ 65 different areas can also be compared (Christman et al , unpublished report, Campbell & Christman 1982) Florida Mouse (Peromyscus floridanus) General Habitat Requirements Florida mice are limited to well-drained sandy soils that support sand pine scrub, scrubby flatwoods, pine-turkey oak associations, and certain oak hammocks (Layne 1963, Layne & Ehrhart 1970) The species is endemic to Florida (Layne 1978) Florida mice often live commensally with gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), pocket gophers, and perhaps other rod~nts (Layne & Ehrhart 1970) In the absence of burrows, they use natural cavit1es such as those formed when tree roots decay (Dick Roberts, personal observation) and new evidence indicates that they do some burrow~ng in the absence of existing openings (Mary Keim, personal communicatLon, Stout, and Roberts, unpublished) Florida mice consume a d~et of herbaceous materials and insects (Glenn 1970, Young & Stout 1984). Reproduction occurs primarily from August through November w~th a minor effort in winter (February) (Layne 1966, Stout, unpublished observations). Mean litter s~ze is 3.1 based on wild caught females. The populations undergo annual cycles of abundance with relatively high densities achieved at intervals of 7-10 years (Layne, unpublished data, Stout, unpublished data, Stout 1982) Density estimates for P f10ridanus are not available in the scientific literature Stout (unpublished data) stud~ed 3 trapping gr~ds (each gr~d was 1 28 ac~es) in 20 year old sand pine scrub in Orange County Populations during one annual cycle peaked with winter f r 66 I following fall breeding as gr~d C- 4 6/acre, grid E- 4 6/acre, gr1d L- 7 O/acre In another year with less acorns available, the number r of mice was reduced grid C- 2.5/acre, grid E- 3 8/acre, and grid L- I 3 8/acre In summary, densities are variable within years and tend to be highest in winter and lowest in summer Likewise, >>etween-year f var~ation is pronounced and probably linked to food ava~lability and weather factors in a complex interaction ( Management Recommendations Management of scrub to benefit P floridanus requires maintenance of vegetation and presence of poten~ial home sites Florida mice are present and sometimes abundant in scrubs of various ages Age, here, refers to the time of recovery since a fire or timber harvest Ehrhart (personal communication) has , ~ \ found Flor~da mice to be fairly abundant within 2-3 years following the harvest~ng of sand p~ne from scrub in the Ocala Nat~onal Forest Stout (unpublished data) has trapped extenslvely in scrubs in Orange l County that are 20-30 years old. Densities in these scrubs are variable, but typical of other areas Layne (unpublished data) L reports stable populations of Florida mice in sand pine scrub of the L Archbold Station that has not been burned for over 50 years These data suggest that Florida mice persist in scrubs throughout the period l between disturbances Part of the explanation for this behavior ~s the fact that scrub plants resprout so rapi~ly following fire or clear L cutting Thus, cover and food are more or less continuously L avallable In addition, Gopher Tortoises and their commensals surv~ve the fires in the tortoise burrows and re-occupy their former home L areas L f r I r I f I I ( , 67 In summary, management of scrubs for Florida mlce requires 1 ) Periodic prescribed burning of the scrub (interval between fires is a site specific option) 2.) Maintenance of on-site gopher tortoise populations or presence of gopher tortoise burrows (Florida mice use gopher tortoise burrows that are no longer used by tortoises as well as active burrows. Based on currently ava~lable data, it is not possible to claim a particular age of scrub is "best" for Florida mice Other l~sted species that have been searched for but not found were the Eastern Indigo snake and the gopher frog The follow~ng is added information I l l L l L L L Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi General Habitat Requirements The Eastern Indigo snake lS a wide-ranging species which requires a diversity of properly managed habitats to maintain viable populations Home ranges have been estimated to be 200-300 or more acres of habitat mosaics which include types from xeric uplands to hydric lowlands Xeric and mesic habitats seem to be preferred Because of their susceptib~lity to dessication, indigos are generally associated with tortoise burrows in xeric habitats Although home ranges of individuals overlap (especially those of the opposite sex), an estimated 10,000 acres of properly managed habitat mosaics are required for long-term survival the small size of Area 2 (40 acres) and the diverse habitat G~ven f r I r r r ( I I f l l L L L l L L L 68 requirements of D corais, it is doubtful that viable indigo populations could persist if the surrounding areas are developed residentially or intensively agriculturalized Management Recommendations Maintenance of a diversity of habitat types and seral stages within types is probably most important This could be best accomplished in fire-adapted communities by developing ecological burn zones and regimes wh~ch maxim~ze seral stage d~versity Additionally, the maintenance of gopher tortoise populations at or near their carrying capac~ty would increase the number of burrow refuges for "aestivating" ind~go snakes Protection from collectors and snake hobbyists is also extremely important, as ind~gos are favorite pets among them Gopher Frog (Rana areolata aesopus) General Hab~tat Requirements The species is largely restricted to Florida's sand p~ne scrub habitats and also on sandhill communities of turkey oak (Quercus laevis) The species ~s un~que in that it utilizes the burrow of the Florida gopher tortoise, quite a departure from other Florida frogs, but also has been found in a mouse burrow (Peromyscus polionotus) and other holes Whereas the Florida mouse will use inactive tortoise burrows, the gopher frog seems to prefer active sites (74% in active burrows, 25% in inactive burrows, and 2% in old burrows). The most important requirement for this species is the proximity to breeding ponds. Without them, they could not ex~st Generally, these breeding ponds are shallow, grassy ponds which the frogs will travel great distances to flnd r r 69 I Management Recommendations As stated, the spec~es largely r depends on an active gopher tortoise population and ponds for breeding They have been looked for in the field by the use of a r flashlight with no success so far It has been reported that there .. are really no significant differences in observability of the frogs r during the night, morning, late afternoon, and evening surveys (Franz, I personal communication), but they were generally absent from near the burrow entrances between 11 00 AM and 4 00 PM during the summer I Also, they have not been found in central Florida during the breeding periods (March through April and September through October). ( If you learn their call notes, they can be determined if they are , present and where If found and if relocation (to gopher tortoise burrows) is necessary, the frogs may be readily trapped by placing a l screen-wire funnel trap in the burrow entrance (diameter of the trap should be tha same as the burrow entrance) l L EXOTIC PLANTS One of the most serious threats to any native plant community in l South Florida is the invasion of exotic vegetation Exotics can modify normal ecological processes or relationships, including L predator-prey and herbivore-plant relationships, nutrient and energy l cycles, and soil-building and erosion processes It has also been shown that the general stability of our natural communities is also L reduced L One exotic plant spec~es ~s an existing threat, namely Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) and has been noted within the L r r I r r ( ( I ( ! I t l L L l L L L 70 area of study The permanent removal and/or treatment with accepted herbic~des (Garlon 4) of exotics must be completed with the reforestation of native plant species relating to that particular plant community. ROADS AND TRAILS The planned use of the preserved site should restrict the construction of fire roads to as few as possible and restrict research vehicular usage (by Mytinger and Roberts in their "E I S of Military Reserve and National Guard Activities on a portion of Jonathan Dickinson State Park"). Once these areas are impac ted, their rate of recovery is slow and the entire community may be affected r r I r r r I I I ~ l L L l L L L L L 71 Summary A study was made to compare the natural values of sand pine scrub of Area 2 with those of Area 1 in the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce Development Because a species list alone is usually. not satisfactory for portraying the special characteristics of a plant community, a quantitative evaluation of Areas 1 and 2 was made using the following well-known field techniques l) Nested quadrats, 2) Line-intercept transects 3) Grid system of transects for systemat~c sampling, and 4) Ground truth reconnaissance The following finding indicate that Area 2 is of better quality than Area 1, especially in terms of long term management of this rapidly disappearing ecosystem 1) Preservable sand p~ne scrub hab~tat ~n Area 2 ~s almost 3-fold (33-35 acres) that of Area 1 (11 9 acres) 2) Species composition was considerably higher in Area 2 (63 species, 20 obligate) than in Area 1 (33 species, 11 obligate) 3) Community diversity, as expressed by the Shannon-Wiener Index, was higher for Area 2 (2 26) than the mature scrub of Area 1 (2 09). 4) Thinning of the Area 2 preserve has stimulated several early successional scrub species endemic to sand pine scrub (Ceratiola ericoides, Lechea cernua, and Lupinus diffusus), desirable species not commonly found in Area 1. f r I r r ( ( ( ( 72 5) The Area 2 scrub ~s at an early stage of development and the use of prescribed burn~ng as a management tool would be delayed for many years, whereas the mature scrub of Area 1 is approaching conditions that would demand the use of large scale me~hanical manipulation coupled with prescribed burning 6) Based on prev~ous studies (Yamato scrub, Jonathon Dick~nson State Park), a minimum of 10 acres ~s required for long term management of sand pine scrub Because of its size, Area 2 can be managed ~n several different age stands, an important criterion for maintenance of an~mal populations 7) It has been determined by Ms Joan Diemer of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission that the Area 2 preserve could accommodate the relocated gopher tortoise and Florida mouse populations without habltat man~pulation She also stressed the fact that Area 1 showed signs of poaching and would require immed~ate hab~tat man~pulat10n for the safety of the an~mals She also stressed L l l L L L L that preservation of sand pine scrub as well as animal habitat was her main object~ve in relocation matters 8) The proximity of Area 2 to the proposed city park would allow a portion of the scrub of Area 2 to be utilized, through a series of boardwalks (Append~x 5), for environmental education. 9) The possibility of construction of a major I-95 exchange at N W 22nd Ave would el~minate a portion of the Area 1 preserve WhlCh would produce new, possibly intractable management problems f r , r r I I I I l- t l L l L L L L L 73 In summary it is our recommendation that the 40 acres designated as Area 2 in the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce Development be utilized as a natural preserve area. " f r I r ( I f I ( t I l l L l L L L L - ---------- ---- 74 Ai.~NUAL REPORTS Annual reports will be submitted to the city of Boynton Beach, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Regulation, and the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission The reports will summarize the animal and plant components found on Area 2, w~th special emphasis as to the quality and rate of change of the scrub preserve The reports will address the following 1 A revised checklist of the plant species of Area 2 2 Line transect data to be collected semi-annually and summarized as follows 1 Dominance <Relative dominance) 2 Frequency (Relative frequency) 3 Importance Value 3 Seasonal observat~ons (flowering/fruit~ng) of selected plant species will be monitored quarterly and summarized for Area 2 4 Average plant height will be recorded for species along the transect 5 Seed recru~tment along the transect will be recorded semi-annually for comparative analysis and summarized for the annual report 6 Soil transplant site location will be accurately mapped and r r I r ( r ( I I , l L L l L L L L L ----.-- ----------- 75 monitored for plant recovery, as per the above parameters and a comparison made with the remaining portions oj Area 2 7. A location map of all listed plant species will be provided 8 A map of all gopher tortoise burrows (active, inactive and .. abandoned) will be provided for later relocation into Area 2 9 All additional animal burrows (armadillo, fox, burrowing owls) will also be recorded 10 A summer survey of the Florida scrub lizard will be initiated and all captured individuals will be mapped, indicating areas of activity and recounted for relocation into Area 2 11 An additional Florida Mouse survey will be conducted and all information pertaining to location, size, sex, age and body mass will be provided 12 All other listed animal species that may occur on the site will be resurveyed and the results of each survey summarized 13 The age of the sand pines will be determined for Area 2. 14 A summary of the fire model will be provided with the cooperation of Bob Doran, Everglades National Park 15 Acceptance of the Annual Report by the city of Boynton Beach will be coordinated through the Planning Director and the city Forester f r I r ( r f I f ! l l L L l l L L L 76 .. Append ix 1 f r 77 I METHODOLOGY FOR REMOVAL OF PEROMYSCUS FLORIDANUS FROM AREA 1 OF THE r BOYNTON BEACH PARK OF COMMERCE I The following discussion is intended to address the question of r relocating ~ floridanus from Area 1 to 2 within the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce More specifically, it has been requested by Daniel I Cary, of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, that in the process of relocating animals, all individuals of ~ floridanus be I removed and relocated rather than an arbitrarily designated subset, e g , 20 individuals of mixed sexes The central question becomes one I of def~nition when does the population to be moved reach zero , - l density in Area 1 Bac kgro und Informa t ion t Removal trapping of small rodents has a long history Zippin l (1956, B~ometrics 12(2) 163-189, and 1958, J wildl Manage 22(l) 82-90) discussed the statistics and method logy of removal l trapping and its application to est~mating the size of populations, e g , of small mammals The method requ~res that traps be arranged on l an area of interest in some systematic manner Trapping effort is L constant during the course of study Snap traps or live traps may be used In either case, animals are physically removed from the s~te l The trapping should be conducted over a short period of time with a high density of traps. Moran (1951, Biometrika 38 307-311) gives L these assumptions for estimating population size L 1 probability of being caught is constant for all animals on each catch~ng occasion, L r r I r r ( ( I I , - ( L l l L L l L L 79 out area may very well occur. This is evidenced by a sudden ~ncrease in trap success after a linear decline (see dotted line in Figure 2) Such a result may occur on the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce Another way to detect the zero population is to have trappable animals marked in the area of interest Zero population is achieved when 90% of the tagged animals have been removed This procedure allows 10% of the tagged animals to be lost due to movement out of the area, death, or a change in trappability Previous efforts to trap out Populations A considerable literature exists on removal efforts to estimate population S1zes I will not attempt to review these studies at th~s time The major po~nt of the papers is that induced immigration is nearly always a problem I have on two occasions ~n Florida "trapped out" small mammals The first effort was 10 p~ne flatwoods habitat on the University of Central Florida campus The study has been published (J Mammalogy, 64(2) 210-217). In this case, trappab1e cotton rats (Signodon hispidus) were removed in 5 days from two 0.49 ha grids The subject of the paper is the subsequent immigration pattern of cotton rats onto the removal grid. In a second, yet unpublished study, I removed animals from a grid in sand pine scrub on campus The grid was 0 52 ha in area and was trapped for 5 nights Peromyscus floridanus wa~ not present on the grid, however, cotton m~ce and gloden mice (~ gossypinus and Ochrotomys nuttallii) were removed within 4 days Recommendation f r I r r ( r I ( 80 One hundred sherman live traps should be systematically placed on Area 1 Trapping should be planned for 10 days. Captures should be removed and held in captivity until relocation can be accomplished Sane effort on the part of the animals to "home" may be expected. A short period in captivity may reduce this urge to return "home" Each days capture success should be plotted on a graph Capture success may be expected to decline to zero in about 5 days. A sudden upturn in the cumulative capture curve will signal the start of movement into the habitat vacuum. L l L l L L L r r 20 I r lIice 15 ( <1ught I per lJ;)y 10 I I I f I l L L l l L L L 5 I I 81 .. / I / / " ,/ ,/ <\ o o 20 l,O ()O 00 CUl11u1<ltive Tot;)1 l<Jptures figure 2 1 inc<1r rcgres910n of capt\lre.> of mice D~nill5t the clllllulntlvc llumber of c<1ptures over n 5 d;lY removn t per iad TI1c~ lille extend!; to the x axis Dlld :.\Ig~esl!1 a pop\llnlioll sl7.c of ahollt 100 mice The unshed lllle illtlJc;]leJ tlte trem! if remov;]l Ie.1!!!': to invasioll of the tr"l'pf'(! (lilt habItat r r I r r I I I I 82 Appendix 2 Checklist of Area 2 J t l l l l l L L L f r I Scientific Name Common Name Trees r Pinus clausa Pinus elliottii Sand pine Slash pine ( Shrubs I Asimina obovata Asimina reticulata Befaria racemosa Ceratiola ericoides Conradina grandiflora Licania michauxii Lyonia ferruginea Lyonia 1 uc ida Palafoxia feayi Polygonella polygama Quercus chapmanii Quercus geminata Quercus myrtifol~a Sabal etonia Schinus tereb~nthifolius Serenoa repens Vaccinium myrsin~tes Ximenia americana Jointweed Chapman I soak Sand live oak Myrtle oak Scrub palmetto Brazilian pepper Saw palmetto Huckleberry Tallowwood I Pawpaw Pawpaw Tar flower Rosemary Scrub min t Gopher plum Rus ty lyonia Staggerbush I I , I Herbs L l Abrus precatorius Andropogon virginicus Aristida gyrans Aristida stricta Aster tortifolius Bulbostylis ciliat~folia Cassytha filiformis Chamaecrista fasciculata Chrysopsis scabrella Cyperus planifolius Cyperus retrorsus Dalea feayi Dichanthelium dichotomum Dichanthelium sabulorum Euphorbia polyphylla Hedoyotis procumbens Helianthemum corymbosum Heterotheca subaxillaris Indigofera hirsuta Lechea cernua Lechea deckert ii Opuntia compressa Prickly-pear cactus Rosary pea Broom sedge grass Wiregrass Wiregrass White-topped aster Hair sedge Love vine Partridge-pea Goldenaster L l L Spurge Innocence l Camphorweed Hairy indigo L l 83 S ta t us ObI. .. Obl Obl ObI. Obl Obl ObI. Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl ObI. ObI. r r I r Opuntia humifusa Paspalum setaceum Phytolacca americana Pityopsis graminifolia Polygonella robusta Polypremum procumbens Rhynchospora megalocarpa Schrankia uncinata Scoparia du1cis Selaginella arenicola Setaria geniculata Seymeria pectinata Sida cordifolia Sisyrinchium solstitiale Smilax auriculata Solidago chapmanii Stipulicida setacea Tillandsia recurvata Tillandsia usneoides Tillandsia utr~culata Vitis munsoniana Prickly-pear cae tus This paspalum Pokeweed Silkgrass Jointweed Rus tweed Scrub sedge Sensitive briar Sweetbroom Sand spike moss Foxtail grass I I I I Blue-eyed grass Sawbriar I Ball moss Spanish moss Wild pine wild grape t - I L L l l L L L 84 Obl Obl Obl ObI. Obl f r I r I f I ( I 85 Appendix 3 Checklist of Area 1 , I l l L l L L L L r r I Scien t ihc Name Common Name r Trees I Pinus clausa Pinus elliottii Sand pine Slash pine Shrubs f Ceratiola ericoides Conradina grandiflora Lyonia ferruginea Myrica cerfiera Palafoxia feayi Polygonella polygama Quercus chapmanii Quercus geminata Quercus myrtifolia Saba! etonia Schinus terebinthifolius Serenoa repens Ximenia americana Rosemary Scrub min t Rus ty lyonia Wax myrtle ( Jointweed Chapman's oak Sand 1i ve oak Myrt le oak Scrub palmetto Brazilian pepper Saw palmetto Tallowwood ( r Herbs L Andropogon virginicus Aristida gyrans Bulbostylis ciliatifolia Cassytha filiformis Cyperus retrorsus Dalea feayi Dichanthelium d~chotomum Dichanthelium sabulorum Lechea deckertii Opuntis compressa Pityopsis graminifolia Rhynchelytrum repens Rhynchospora megalocarpa Smilax auriculata Tillandsia recurvata Tillandsia utriculata Vitis munsoniana Prickly-pear cactus Silkgrass Natal grass Scrub sedge Sawbriar Ball moss Wild pine wild grape Broom sedge grass Wiregrass Hairsedge Love vine L L l L L t 86 Status Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl Obl ObI. r r I r I f I I I .. Append ix 4 Letter of Recommendation ,- ~ l L L l L l l l 87 f f I r I f I I 'I , l I l t l l l L L L FLORIDA GA1'iE AND FRESH \VATER FISH CO~t\lISSION THO~AS L. HIRES, SR. WILLLo\~f G BOSTlCr.., JR. C. TO~{ RAI:-'EY D \~. ].H. BAROCO MRS. GILBERT W H ..iMPHREl ChaIrman. Lake Wales Vice-ChaIrman Wimer Haven \.{iam; Pensacola Miccos~ ROBERT M. BRANTLY Executive Director F.G. BANKS. Assistant Executive Director Wildlife Research Laboratory 4005 South Main Street Gainesville, Florida 32601 (904) 376-6481 March 24, 1986 .. Don Richardson Ecological Consultants 7301 Summerbridge Drive Tampa, Florida 33614 Dear Don I appreciated the opportunity to view the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce development site I have also reviewed your draft management plan for the sand pine scrub and indigenous fauna As we discussed on March 12, I concur with your recommendation that the gopher tortoise colony in the ruderal northeast corner of the site, as well as the scat- tered tortoises south of N W 22ND Avenue, be relocated into the proposed 40 acre preserve in the northwest corner I must stress that, whenever possible, I would prefer that an established tortoise colony be retained in situ However, in this case, the problems stemming from potential human predation, the proposed constuction of an 1-95 interchange, and the difficulties of managing a disjunct tortoise population in a small habitat island warrent an alternative stategy, ie, the relocation of tortoises within property boundaries Although our understanding of tortoise carrying capacity, densities, and correction factors (number of tortoises per number of burrows) is currently incomplete, I feel that the 40 acre (16 ha ) preserve can realistically accommodate the relocated tortoises (based on your estimate of active burrows) Recent data gathered on 2 nearby development sites indicated that the correction factor for scrub/scrubby flatwoods during the winter months may be as low as 0 3-0 5 multiplied by the number of active burrows (this data is based on tortoises obtained through the use of a backhoe)' If!th'is,co,r;rection factor is app"lied to the Boynton' Beach site, tile total number of tortoises may only be 20-30 (or a potential tortoise stocking density of 1-2/ha on the 16 ha preserve) As you indi- cate in your management plan, applying the Auffenberg and Franz 1982 correc- tion factor (0.614 x Active and Inactive burrows) gives an estimate of 46 tortoises (or 2 8/ha on the preserve--an acceptable stocking density) Even if all tortoise to active barrow ratio existed, a stocking density of of 4/ha (66 tortoises) would not be excessive in this open grassy habitat Your proposed habitat management regime, ie, periodic burning/mechanical disturbance and the creation of a scrub "finger" in the prairie, should greatly enhance the long-term prospects for this tortoise population The f r I r I I I I I 2 89 use of radiotelemetry over a 2 year period will provide valuable data on both resident and relocated tortoises It will be especially interesting to see if the tortoises use the created scrub habitat I would, however, recommend fencing the entire 40 acres (rather than the 10 acre prairie) This will allow the tortoises to move out into the open scrub, reduce disturbance by humans, and prevent the relocated tortoises from "homing" or moving south into the proposed development area I hope the above comments are helpful to you I have also enclosed my revisions on pages 21-22 Should you desire additonal information, please feel free to contact me Si ncere ly, U=-"- k O~ ;Joan E Diemer Biological Scientist III JED/apc , l I L L l l l I L L f r I ( [ I I I I r l l l L L L L L L 90 Append ix 5 Boardwalks r r I 91 BOARDWALKS r Preservation of 40 acres of sand pine scrub and dry pra~r~e I habitat in the Boynton Beach Park of Commerce development will provide .. I a unique opportunity to enhance public awareness concerning preservation of a portion of Florida's rare plants and anlmals ( To accomplish th~s goal, the developer (Quantum Associates) wishes to provide a system of elevated boardwalks, to the extent allowed by I all permitt~ng agencies, (Figure 1) that will connect with the proposed city park immed~ately due west of the preserve area A circular boardwalk will provide access through a portion of the sand pine (Pinus clausa) scrub forest, the dry pra~r~e grassland, and the newly created sand pine scrub ridge (Appendix 6, F~gure 1) A short Junction ~n the boardwalk will extend out into the prairie area and w~ll terminate at an observation deck This portion of the boardwalk will be elevated approximately 4 feet above the ma~n walk l area The observation platform will provide a v~sual panorama of L gopher torto~se activ~ty plus our efforts to create sand pine scrub hab~tat by using the mulch~ng technique of Clewell and Poppleton l ( 1983) The boardwalk should be constructed using standard guidelines as l established by the Florida Department of Natural Resources, Division L of Recreation and Parks, to ensure safety and long-term performance A guardra~l w1ll be prov1ded in order to discourage patrons from L walking into scrub areas Visual aids (wooden s~gns describing special plants and animals) w~ll provide information necessary to L r r I r I I I I ( 92 educate local residents This env~ronmental fac~l~ty could be incorporated into a var~ety of programs sponsored by local public schools, county parks and recreation, or Pine Jog Environmental Sciences Center l l l l l L L L 93 \ "and ?ine Boa-rdVla1\l:. \ \ \ l l l \- l l _""._ .~ _ ~"""\""""'-~~~-:\., ~::-'7-; I '\ ". "'\... ,~~~l' ..... <..::~ "'" _------ .' .." .wl ..,..~ ' I ' ~..~.. -"'" .7".)' '{ /:~~~. ~.~ .&. . \. \....,.- " !.:If ", '.' .'.' I "- - ..c~i;~"" . ,o.::--~ - - -"'-', f 'iU. I.!.! ,: · . , ~ . ... · .~ ." . ' .. " ~~. . ~ ,; _, ~~...... ~&.4 (." " ~,~~~ \ ~ ~~) ~,_ ,', '}~ J> .~ tl'tX~"" ' ~ ~.~ .~ " .' ".' '~~q';; . ~'- ,": ~ ~ . J . \4.1 ,.. ~. . 1-." c 'l!. ':i..,} " " , " ",' , :' " , ',~" ;,_~.' ." ',~, ,,,J /, ~~.:l . ~! i.F . r.' - ;/ . II ..~..."""" r~ . ", ',' ~ I mb~~ /;,,~- ~. ,v ,.i' . \LIt, .' '. . -;. ~:.~' . , ,: .,' ~ """ I' .;. ,j '. -.,." . ~ ~ . .1 .. , ~.J " '. .~ "...... -. ~~~~:~. ,; .~ ; ,( l' -tIIf .. ,~~. ~ ~t: .' '4. '. " ,..,J,. ".....A........ j. "' y""""'" ..' --, ,. T , \.~. ,~~#~ ," \\ 7' '" ;~ - . '\ ~ ~. .' '. J~".' '" . -'It.' .~ji;v." ~iJrh;'1.~.:; \"'.-' ,.. {J~(.,. ~ :.: il ' ... .\ ... "'..~ ' 'J' , ',' .... ~ l/~ .- ""'~ /)'~ V.. \ _ 't .../ .. ,.,. , . ',1 .9 .r ~ ~etland Boa-rdVla1\l:. \ " f.6j-' . ' --..:,i, ~. ." II II ,~II ~_.:: 'J. ~ ''f ~.' frn. \ ~ .; II ~ '; '. ,~\ ~ II ,,":; ... s.~ ." .. ~ .,tl.j"~. "- -- ~ l' .......:~ - ..: l'\ '1 c." " · J' ~?, \ \ .. _~, ..~_'''' r) h f, . ..' -:r; .' : ~ m 1.\ ,{/~ . ~.~ ,'1 .t7:..~~\..:1r~~ "!(f.I' flit 'I' r.. ~.~.. ~ " "7 I' f \II' (... '. '() . ;.:,.' :li'"c' u ': ' .\01 . "Iii" 7;} J'" ..'"(lo ...'r:'1' '1'. ~ .' ' '" . .::~c;:,}~""" ~. . -' ' .' ',:,:. . aM ~."" ~\'~" ~. ",". , ,,.. , ..' . .~- . p~ '.", :,.,,' ,; ,,' . ...." ,,,,' . .01' If"'" ~ . :\;\ ..1ii (tl ' ' ,,': ,~:,.1H'~ ' . .~ t,' If.lf..l- ....:--...' ,r'; \" ~ . ",,,,, 0;.... ,;. . ~., ';' ., , , . ~ ." '. " I. ')it}l ' .., ,l' \ ~~" " >\\\ " ~~'" ~~: '. ,I~c.~ .. . '. .,Ii( ~~ ," . ...., '.,;. ' - . c..' ~ "''I.I; ,~, ...\ ~' .." ..' ~ "" "'" ';;.'1 _ _' 'I(..:. '''J ~ ,~ p"<:Ji;;.I ~ I'" 'l. . .....'!'" .1'..0:: . $'''\ ~~ , :.... i. ~ ... ,.r r..t ~. ti \;, ~ " , ~{ t ;.).' . }... I;,;l~ ' " W ".\ . I . .... - " 1-1 . .. .. .\ 1 \1 .r'~ 1 '-:;\1/1. ~ . ':i ' . ,"~'N ~ .~ ~. J '~, "'f . ". " 1 I , I ~J \\ [j lloa<d",ail< ria" SCbe"",tic ! '. " ~ .~ t:1.gu:re 1 .' ......------------------------ \ - ---- - --- .---- r r r r ( ( I I I I I l l L t l t l l_ 94 Appendix 6 Sand pine Scrub Mulching Technique r r I J I f ( I ( I 1 L L l l L L L 1- 95 METHODOLOGY FOR THE FO~~ATION OF SAND PINE SCRUB USING THE MULCHING TECHNIQUE QUANTUM PARK AT BOYNTON BEACH Prior to any movement of heavy machinery ~nto the dry pra~r~e at the northern end of the preserve, all gopher tortoise burrows will be staked and flagged to prevent burial of burrow entrances At this time, an area of approximately 7 acres will be created contiguous to the existing sand pine scrub community, thereby creating a full 40 acres of sand pine scrub with~n the boundar~es of the Sand P~ne Scrub Preserve (Figure l) The habitat to be created will not exceed natural elevations found in the sand pine community All sand will be harvested from sand p~ne areas ~mmediately south of the preserve (Figure 2) W~th the use of a front end loader or small pan, the upper 18-24 inches of soil w~ll be excavated and hauled to the site Placement of the so~l will start at the edge of the sand pine forest and progress northward into the pra~rie Man~pulation of the soil after it has been dumped in place should be kept to a minimum so that the seeds and root tubers will be at the surface and available to germ~nate or sprout S~nce all roots, stems and plant remains will be utilized, no cleaning of the soil is necessary Based on the acreage to be created, approximately 20,000 cub~c yards of wh~te sand will be hauled to the site All vehicles will enter the prairie along the western edge of the sand pine scrub forest and under no circumstances will heavy mach~nery be allowed within the canopied areas VEHICLE ROUTE FIGURE ~l LOCATION OF SAND PINE SCRUB AREAS TO BE CREATED CREATED SAND PINE SCRUB (SAND FINGERS) ~ , \ \ \ \ t l l l L l L l \ l 96 .~~-- ~.._.------ f r r r ( r I I I I l t l l L t I l l " ,.-,......- illl~i- j I II :::=, -:- 97 ;. f-<..... \ ,,~ J-.......~l" ,,'} -. ,AtJJ ~ f=~' \ :I~1Lf:-'50~~ II ~~~ 11':'f~M ~ .~~/ = I . :J ~ ;:t~r~i.'~ '::11'-;.., 0 o'~r.o:. f~-- I "..:>;;Td: 0 ~v. ,~~$ '. . '..' ~~~--'" r~- ~ I Z .I. ~. .(~ ~ '. ~ e / ~I'!:. ".A-'o .a. ....~ >:' . .-.} - ~ . ".oj . L {t . ~. \:l - ......- .. -1= -......: .R _ ~ ,~/ '" fo": I ): .', 1-- '~ . . '. . ~ :;! ~ . . ,\ 111 /;r- 5.F ~) i:. ~. ~~~ -=-~ '. : 4Uti~. ~;. . __' - " . ~ .v~!lc' :';A'f' . i\ !... r--.J -=- \ ... ~ ~~!~ 'I ~ . jJ'v~1L '" 1 ,,' . '- ._~,. vi).'.~ :': .. - =. '/fl1;.. ~- '~'ITJ~~... ....J~. "''It...~ ~-.tr/ ..'~!'-. . ~. Ill'" . H' It. r-) .,,.. ,., _ ~~..,~ . \,,1/: J - . ~.: . -=- 1I1i!V1 . . ':.: o. ~.. '''': ~ ~ .FL.'J~t.~ 0 =i, :: ~'. "7./J ~iII'J :.. -~" ~'. ":'. '~.- ...... _' j'~aJ.11 ' 0 'iK .: . ',~ -. : o. rattlI.,/ 1: - .. T" !. - . J i:rJ' rrl1 . .rll~ ~'. ,'ltl. · -/ fli} ~ I {~ ;- ;-=-; .: j":" -::-lii"~ / 'T- i ,," '~1 . '':~t' . ~ Jll'~o ! - - _-;,. J. 't., r ~ . -_.~:-""JIE. .. . , ~ o .r-. J~ . ~ ~"': " ~'thY ~y -. ...!:--... r - . of' ..~~_~ 4, '!?~-' ". 0 " ". ~l ~~. ~'II ' ~~"3' I -.&f:\' 0 .~' ',~ -', : N.. , _ " . ( 11 ra;' ~ . ~ . _~~' -:.' " 0 . "~ . ~~.~. . . l' . ...... '~ 0 l ~-., ;,:' " _'. ~ -.,; 1',.- ~ -:- ~~."'f.' i< " , , .~'.' '0 'k. ... ~ ~"''''o-,'.'.. to. ~ .. . ~/, ~ . >J, .;,. . . . '.. .' ~,;"'{,,-'" ,"... . '. P- 'Jl 0 t- o ,.~~........ ,-, "01 ,.~":> 0'", 'o~' " " '~' I 'OJ ,7. ~ U r. . ;,~;'~~ 'I ~ "'~ '#0',' '. ~/ 0 . - ~"Ao."'~" .~ ',.~ :_~,; , ~~~,r~':1'. ,.-~ . '~~/'1#i:.") l J:; '- ~~~~I "-.l~~. ( . . .~ ~C. r Ii "Z ,'. ,', . ~~ :' ( . 8 .,~~ ~~ .- ~\ 1"'.'.~i~." Z ~'i@'F: ;~~"~ '... .', / ,",,' " 'I'j ~ ~1~ ~~. ~~l'L.:~~. ~ , i-' ' :.: I'~" ,~-:.... '. ,. , .~ '0 . . ~~' 0:"" .' .. J . . . .u ']. . r~~ . , . 1 r ' . .,'., ~ . IIJ1l( II....~~. 0 i' .: ~., . \ol ~ i' .' '..~ . ~.~, ~lr;~.~ ~ ,~.:. ,~ . .. IIIIN -..~~ ,., .'.. .fh. -J4) ~lP";'.'~ ' \'I!i~", .~.~ t'; , r: . fY .~:>'\: "~, . o? fl ;.'~", ~H ~ '. ~ : ~., :. ~'..~: :';r ~~!4'! - . > ~,., . ~ \ ' 1B .'.. : " r r; . . Y 'r ~ . 4 ".J :;:. ",~. ," ~ 1; '~:i ~ . ~~gR~J~ES1' AREA ~y ,.~' ,I ~ . . ,''J ~. '. ~ I u~. ) -:~~. " 1j~ ~il'~ .. . ~. ~~....."... ~ .8 _ . ,_ ....... I' :i\ "~ " ~. ' . ,'..... '" . \.:~ (/. "'J ~ : '~7>" ~y~ '~"rj.l\ ~. . (., : ~l- ;: .:~ '?" ?) ~./i~';!I.' J4(~, ~ V/. i'H.:f !J "{ ~,~ ." rrt:J. CMl/Ifl_ -, ~' l ~~ ,. . - t ' . r r I f I f I I f f I 1 l l l L L L 98 Append ix 7 Boundary of the Sand P~ne Preserve I L f r N 8!1o 16'Z'" E IZ54.65' 99 r HIS I"ZI 939 30 N U-:l ---... '.. " C11 , r , , , .... \ .... , ... I .,. n. . az , .:0 , ( I \ -'''PA~K \ , "- , , , \ r , . \ . \ , ,......,,~' SAND PINE PRESERVE I I ~ I III 0 I ~ 0 ... '0 '''' I ... ... I CI .. ~ ... ... t l L CW-..o He IlaCIl... De a. Longtll Tan.ont CIl...ll 10 S..3 .. 0.7 eo 41 ... 10 S34." II as 20 Hit '!U.II IS SulI .. 007 eo U H4 sl S17.. le20eow asl.n L II S.llll .8 007 eo U 1S4 tl Sl7." IIH20IOl! n~,A I:lI 150.00 OZ4 Gt ~7 SS..,. III .0 NUUn! SU.74 U 150.00 OZ401 I 358.24 111.11 .N S' .. IS ! JII.5t III .50.00 014 lit M Ill' 41 lot.14 N "I 14 00 ! '" II .. 7111.eo _ 41 SI .S 7. ..... II U! 1I4 ~ IS ,. .7 7..7 50 OOS IS OS ISI .1 UI I. to 14 I. l! na.lll l II 7117 eo 000 ea O. 1t0 :55 I!S II .:11 48 l! UO.N II IS. 70 Olll 30 00 l7.n .. .. I SII 00 l! ".11 70 S217 .. 007 H 41 S7S II e 71 '7S SI OJ l! US '4 7S S217 44 001 48 II ISO" 101l.3I ... so IS l! ISO 00 n SIlO 00 on SI II IIU Ii Vs III S. IS 48 l! 111.11 73 150 00 0" 07 S4 IN II leo 81 II .. SS \I 2lI3.1:lI t 74 IllO 00 031 II n .... II ISI 117 II II .7 l! 437 ... 711 SOs. !IO Oil 43 .ll 3:57 III 110 9 II 01 O. \I 3!l:l I:lI 71 1031 !IO 017 .. 3:5 S17 07 U117. SO II II W 1111 14 77 S031 eo 017 II 31 313 71 Slll 01 I III sa l! 111.9 71 S031 liD 003 18 OS II III 3S .S " III 9 l! .. 14 71 SIIII 01 010 III .. 324 II IU." 71l1'I.W sal.~ l IS.OI 3S r r 100 ( r Bibliography I Auffenberg, W turtles Sons, New and J In M York. B Iverson 1979 Demography of terrestrial Harless and H. Morlock Turtles John Wiley & Pp 541-569 I Auffenberg, W. and R Franz 1982 The status and d~stribution of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Pp 95-l26 In R B Bury, ed , North American Tortoises Conservation and Ecology Wildlife Research Report 12, USDI 126 pp I [ Burnham, K P , D R Anderson and J L Laake 1980 Estimation of density from line transect sampling of b~olog~cal populat~ons Widl Monogr 72 l-202 l Campbell, H. Wand S P. Christman 1982 The herpetological components of Florida sandhill and sand pine scrub associations In N J Scott, Jr , ed , Herpetolog~cal communities A symposium of the Society for the study of amphibians and reptlles and the Herpetolog~st's League, August 1977, U S F~sh and W~ldlife Serv~ce, Wildlife Research Report 13 163-171 I L Carr, A. and C J Goin 1955 freshwater f~shes of Florida Gainesville 341 pp Gu~de to the reptiles, amph~b~ans and University of Florida Press, L Christman, S PHI Kochman, H W Campbell, C R Sm~th and W S Lipp~ncott, Jr Unpublished report Successional changes in community structures Amph~bians and reptiles in Florida sand pine scrub. l L Clewell, A. and J Poppleton 1983 Sand pine restoratlon at a cla~med phosphate mine, Florida Proceedings of the Florida Instltute of Phosphate Research Conference, "Reclamat~on and the Phosphate Industry", Jan 27, 1983, Clearwater, Florida L Glenn, M. E 1970 (Peromyscus) Water relations in three species of deer m~ce Camp Biochem Physiol 33 231-248 l Johnson, A. F 1982 Some demographic characteristics of the Florida rosemary Ceratiola erico~des Michx American Midland Naturalist 108 170-174 L Jackson, J zone F 1973a Evo 1 ut ion 27 The phenetics and ecology of a narrow hybrid 58-68 L Jackson, J F 1973b Distribution and population phenetics of the Florida scrub lizard, Sceloporus wood~ Copeia 1973 746-761 Jackson, J F and S R Telford, Jr 1974 Reproductive ecology of r r I 101 the Florida scrub lizard, Sceloporus wood~ 1974 689-694 Cope ia r ( Komarek, E V 1974 Effects of fire on temperate forests and related ecosystems Southeastern United States In C E Ahlgren and T Kozlowski, eds Fires and ecosystems Academic Press, New York Pp 251-277 r Kushlan, J A. and F J Mazzotti 1984 coastal populat~on of gopher tortoise Environmental effects on a J Herpetol 18 251-239 I Landers, J. L 1980 Recent research on the gopher tortoise and its implications In Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting of the Gopher Torto~selCouncil Pp 8-14 I Landers, J L, J A. Garner and W A. McRae 1980 Reproduction of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwestern Georgia Herpetologia 36 353-361 I Landers, J Land D W Speake reptiles in southern Georg~a Wildl Agencies 34 515-529 1980 Proc Management needs of sandhill Ann Conf S E Assoc Fish & I ( Layne, J N 1963 A study of the parasites of the F10rlda mouse Peromyscus flor~danus, ~n re1at~on to host and env~ronmental factors Tulane Studies 2001 11 1-27 1966 Postnatal development and growth of Peromyscus Growth 30 23-45 t Layne, J N floridanus 1 Layne, J N 1978 Peromyscus floridanus In Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida, Vol--l Flor~da, Gainesville Pp 21-22 J N Layne, ed University Presses of l Layne, J Nand L M. Ehrhart of deer m~ce (Peromyscus) 1970 Amer Digg~ng behav~or of four species Mus Novitates 2429 1-16 L Lohferner, Rand L. Lohmeier 1981 Comparison (Gopherus polyphemus) habitats in young slash longleaf pine areas of southern M1ss~ssippi 239-242 of gopher tortoise pine and old J Herpetol 15 Means, D B 1985 Gopher tortoise management Experimental stud~es of tortoise population response to habitat man~pulations Unpublished research proposal submitted to the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Comm~ssion, Tallahassee Rask, L M 1983 D~et of the gopher tortoise in longleaf plne/turkey oak sandhill habitats in central Florida In Proceeding of the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Gopher Torto~s;-Council Pp 19-21 Stout, I J 1982 Small mammal community ~n sand p~ne scrub Bull t [ 102 l Ecol Soc Amer 63 (2) 68-69 r Tanner, G W. and W STerry 1981 Effect of roller chopping and web plowing on gopher tortoise burrows in southern Flor~da In Proceeding of the Second Annual Meeting of the Gopher- Torto~se Council Pp 66-73 r Taylor, R W 1981 The gopher tortoise its use as food by man In Proceeding of the Second Annual Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Counc~l Pp 56-65 ( Wester, E 1983 Island populat~ons of gopher tortoises in a reserv~or In Proceeding of the Second Annual Meet~ng of the Gopher Tortoise Council Pp 22-23 I I Young, BLand I J Stout rodents in sand p~ne scrub 1983 Food supplementation of small Florida Scientist 46(Suppl 1) 26 ( , l l t t t \ I l