Monday, November 23, 2015

Hammock Park

Hammock Park

Address: 1945 San Mateo Dr, Dunedin, FL 34698'

Weather: Around 79 degrees with an 80% humidity. Started raining while on field trip




                Hammock Park was the final destination for our field trips, upon arriving it was noticeable that this park wasn’t as controlled by humans as others we have visited. There was a great deal of underbrush, we got to see the unique coastal forest and how it functions with others. It is about 80 archers of hard wood forest, and has some citrus tree still left over from previous usage.

                There is 5 miles of nature trails at this park, and it is still the original boundaries that were laid out from 1965.  There are some mangroves visible at this park, there is also wild bolson apples which is invasive. The ecosystem here is gap secession, which is where trees fall to allow light for others. Also, there are all layers of the canopy, and fungi breaks things down instead of fire having to be used.

                Though out the field trip I was able to hear different animals moving, so it is clear that many animals use the underbrush as their homes to hide from danger.  We were able to see a gopher tortoise in its nest while walking around the park. There was an area that there was a controlled growth occurring, which was all fenced off.  In an ecosystem like Hammock Park fire is because oak trees can’t survive.  There was many situations of Epiphyte where other plants were growing on top of trees.

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