PRINCIPAL HABITATS:
Excellent examples of Lake Wales Ridge upland habitats

Virtually all the Archbold Biological Station's 5,200-acre main property is in
pristine natural condition, and the Station's original property (1,000-acre
Roebling Red Hill estate) has never been logged or turpentined. The
Station contains excellent examples of all the original upland habitats of the
Lake Wales Ridge.

[see also: a) Abrahamson, W.G., et al. 1984.
Vegetation of the Archbold Biological Station, Florida:
an example of the southern Lake Wales Ridge. Florida Scientist 47:209-250.
--PDF file; and b) Florida Natural Areas Inventory's list of natural communities
of Florida.]

Southern Ridge Sandhill.
This slash pine/wiregrass variant of a widespread ecosystem is endemic
to the southern end of the Lake Wales Ridge, where it has been nearly
eliminated for citrus cultivation. The best remaining example of this unique association occurs on Archbold property.

Sand Pine Scrub. One of the most distinctive plant communities in the United States, this shrubby formation harbors an exceptionally high density of locally endemic, endangered plant species. Within this association, open sandy knolls are often dominated by nearly pure stands of Florida rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides). Over 100 "rosemary balds" occur on Archbold property, the finest protected expanse of this habitat in Florida.

Scrubby Flatwoods. This open, regularly burned habitat resembles true scrub, but south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii) replaces sand pine (Pinus clausa), reflecting a slightly higher water table. On the Lake Wales Ridge, this habitat is also dominated by a shrubby endemic, sometimes called Archbold oak (Quercus inopina).

Flatwoods. This is the widespread habitat of peninsular Florida, dominated by slash pine, saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), gallberry (Ilex glabra), and wiregrass (Aristida stricta). At Archbold, it occurs in low areas and around seasonal ponds and swales (see photo this page).

Bayhead. A distinctive southern specialty, these evergreen forests of mixed bay-tree species (Gordonia lasianthus, Magnolia virginiana, Persea borbonia) occur on low, poorly drained areas. Sharp boundaries result from periodic encroachment of fire from surrounding scrubs.

Swales and Seasonal Ponds. These grassy depressions occur where drainage is poor. Many are inundated during the summer rainy season and in wet winters. Species composition varies considerably and includes several narrowly endemic plants, cutthroat grass (Panicum abscissum) and Edison's St. John's wort (Hypericum edisonianum). More than 350 seasonal ponds exist at Archbold.