Florida scrub, WWF ecoregion in Florida, United States.
Florida scrub is a plant community found on sandy ridges across both coastal and inland parts of Florida, in the southeastern United States. It is made up mainly of evergreen shrubs and dwarf oaks that grow on dry, nutrient-poor sandy soils.
Florida scrub developed at the end of the Pleistocene, growing out of an older plant community that once ran along the Gulf Coast. Over time, fire and shifting sea levels shaped its range and the mix of species that live there today.
The Florida scrub has a striking open look, with low shrubs and patches of bare sand that contrast sharply with the surrounding forests. Visitors walking through a protected site often notice how quiet and sparse the landscape feels compared to other Florida habitats.
Florida scrub can be visited at several protected areas across the state, many of which have trails that pass through the sandy terrain. Going in the morning gives you a better chance of spotting wildlife, since many of the animals that live here are most active early in the day.
Many of the plants in Florida scrub are adapted to fire and actually need it to reproduce, with some releasing seeds only after exposure to heat. Without occasional burning, the open sandy areas would gradually be taken over by denser forest and the scrub would disappear.
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