Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Wetterer, James K.

Abstract

The Abacoa Gopher Tortoise Preserve is a 60-ha section of the Abacoa Greenway (designated RangeⅠ) consisting of scrubby pine flatwood habitat. For this thesis, I used the iNaturalist app as a tool to identify and create a comprehensive list of all plant species in Range Ⅰ. I organized this information by IUCN conservation status to distinguish between invasive, native, and endemic species. I compare this list to similar floral surveys done in this preserve to obtain a view of how the composition of the preserve is changing over time. I used the initial conservation targets for the Abacoa Greenway to determine whether the standards for percent penetration of invasive/exotic species and fire treatment were being upheld and how this may have influenced the floral composition. Lastly, I discuss the species found within the preserve that contain known nutritional or medicinal properties that could be valuable for human use.

Comments

Thesis (B.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2023

Extent

39 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00244

Download

Share

COinS