Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1978

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Craig, Alan K.

Abstract

Floating islands are common natural features in modern Hillsboro Marsh. Most floating islands: 1) occur as detached, free-floating batteries (raft-like peaty masses that rise from substrate), and 2) form in habitats containing abundant waterlilies. New batteries are quickly colonized by marsh, and often terrestrial, plants. Differences in species diversity and early succession occur between two ecologically different subareas. In one subarea many batteries succeed quickly to mixed graminoid-arborescent vegetation. Floating batteries form hydrologically unusual Everglades habitats and support some locally rare plants. Battery formation produces local topographic elevations and depressions. Apparent size-successional vegetational and landform continuumns seem to link batteries with small extant tree-islands. Radiometric evidence suggests presence of batteries in peat profiles of two tree-islands. Everglades floating islands most resemble others reported in southeastern United States and appear dissimilar morphologically and in mode of origin to those reported from elsewhere worldwide.

Extent

102 p.

Comments

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1978.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Identifier

FADT13940

Format

pdf

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