A Focus on Florida Coast Geography of Soils and Vegetation in Coastal Environments

Geography of Soils and Vegetation in Coastal Environments; focus on Florida Coast
Introduction
A significant relationship exists between vegetation and soil: soil supports sufficient vegetation growth by providing the latter with moisture, anchorage, and essential nutrients; meanwhile, vegetation serves as a protective covering for soil, safeguarding it against erosion and also facilitating the maintenance of soil nutrition levels using nutrient cycling (i.e., accumulation of litter and its subsequent decay). Thus, soil and vegetation may be said to be reciprocally interrelated. Vegetation is responsible for supporting essential ecosystem functions at multiple spatial scales.
Furthermore, it strongly influences soil quality and attributes such as texture, volume, and chemistry that, in turn, and reciprocally impact several characteristics of vegetation, like floristic composition, productivity, and structure (Eni et al., 1). In this paper, coastal area vegetation and soil geography will be analyzed. But as considerable variation exists between different coastal areas (e.g., the coast of Libya (Mediterranean Sea) is characterized by stones, and a lack of any significant vegetation whilst America's southeastern coast features coastal vegetation and sand), this paper will mainly address the Floridian coastal zone.
Coastal zone soils typically display a small amount of evolution, being impacted by a vacillating water table, depositional-erosional events, organic and carbonate matter, and spatial texture variability. Leaching, gleyzation, decarbonation, and brunification are identified as being the significant soil-forming developments that occur within temperate-climate coasts (Bini et al., 31). Additionally, anthropic intervention facilitates soil development modification: water and sand extraction, tourism enhancement, terrain leveling, and land use modification all play a role in different environmental conditions, potentially influencing pedogenesis. In the same way, coastal regions' natural vegetation might encounter change owing to evolving environmental conditions.
Soil geography involves soil variability and distribution on terrestrial sites, both local and international. In this respect, out of all soil formation elements, climate and vegetation (which is a directly dependent variable) chiefly decide soil geography. For this paper, the two may be ideally perceived to be linked variables. Other soil formation elements such as time, parent matter, and topography, can be deemed to be secondary factors that alter geographical regularities applied by the climate?vegetation linked variable.
Drainage and soils
Florida's flat landscape is characterized as many as 1,700 streams (most of which can be found in the state's northwestern and northern parts) and several thousand lakes (primarily situated in central Florida). Also, Florida boasts a large number of first-magnitude artesian springs in the nation, primarily situated in central Florida. Apart from these, several drainage basins exist, with the largest being the Lake Okeechobee–Everglades basin (17,000 sq. miles [or 44,000 sq. kilometers]). Lake Okeechobee (700 sq. miles [1,800 sq. kilometers]) is the nation's third-largest freshwater lake (Lake Michigan comes first and the Iliamna Lake of Alaska, second). The considerable water network gets its supply of water from the porous limestone substructure of the state that stores water in enormous quantities.
Floridian soils typically comprise of clay, sand, muck, sandy loam, and peat; however, over three hundred kinds of soil have been identified in the region, with six broad soil zones being as follows: (1) Flatwood lowland soil: this can be found in the state's most significant soil zone, corresponding to the lowland coastal region. The area is characterized by underlaid, level terrain with a hardpan hampering drainage and simultaneously encouraging floods. (2) Organic soil: such soil can be found in several areas of the state, especially the Lake Okeechobee–Everglades basin. It is soggy, with submergence usually preventing the oxidation, shrinkage, and decay of muck and peat; nevertheless, drainage of the soil is followed by swift deterioration. (3) The Southern limestone soil: this kind of soil is found in the Big Cypress Swamp, Miami-Homestead region, and Kissimmee valley. (4) Northern slope soil: Typically regarded as being a separate area, it is situated in the immediate south. (5) Northern upland soil: ranging from well-drained loam to dry sand, this type of soil may be found in the area stretching over Florida's north. (6) Central upland soil: this soil type can be found in central Floridian higher-ridge regions, west of the Apalachicola River. Several other soil zones exist in the state, such as swamps extending into interior Florida and dunes lying at the fringes of its beautiful beaches.
Geological and Physiographic Setting 
The Floridian Peninsula's east coast is subaerially situated over a considerable carbonate platform comprising of a dense sedimentary sequence which may be traced back to Mesozoic (Jurassic) age and Cenozoic (Miocene) age (i.e., roughly between one-hundred-eighty and five million years back) (Benedet et al., 360-365). According to regional research, the Floridian Atlantic beach's calcium carbonate concentration is as much as 55 percent (by weight) (for instance, Cocoa Beach); several Floridian beaches have over 40 percent of carbonate content (or less than 60 percent of siliciclastics) (Benedet et al., 360-365). This high concentration of calcium carbonate in beach sediments has mainly been ascribed to warm local waters' elevated carbonate production. 
Average near-shore sediment grain size grows as one moves from the northern beaches to those in the south with an increase in calcium carbonate content and a decrease in siliciclastic content (that is 0.20 mm (Volusia County) to 0.4 mm (Miami-Dade County) 100 meters from the shore. However, coarser southern region values can stand at 0.7 – 0.9 mm on account of shell fragmentation (Benedet et al., 360-365). Anastasia Formation bedrock is either exposed above or buried below (though at only 2-3 meters in case of native berms). The dunes that front the state's back beaches have mostly been leveled to allow for the construction of high-rise buildings. Hence, in the current age, incipient dunes can only form in areas where infrastructure or edifices are constructed far from the seashore. Seawalls impede the formation of dunes in several back beaches along these developed shorelines.
Sediments and Waves      
Floridian Atlantic coast beaches are marked by diverse composition, because, within the siliciclastics matrix, biogenic matter admixtures exist, which add to the calcium carbonate concentration. This biogenic matter is generally more coarse-grained, derived offshore, locally, while the siliciclastics (finer-grained in nature) originate in the 'metasedimentary,' crystalline areas of southeastern America. The general trend of bigger grain size as one moves from the north to the south may be explained using linear regression; moving mean trend lines. Further, the general composite grain size trend in terms of station value, though somewhat changeable, remains clear, though not reaching up to the clarity of smoothed curves. Lastly, extreme curve peaks have been linked to significant Anastasia Formation submarine exposure within the Indian and Brevard counties (Benedet et al., 360-365) characterized by winnowing of shell fragments offshore through wave action and their onshore transportation.
Research zone wave characteristics were outlined using the statistically significant peak period and wave height averaging. The research efforts are grounded in hind-cast wave information between 1976 and 1995 at a total of six chosen offshore sites. Mean significant wave heights over the research zone ranges between 0.9 m (Station 09 offshore Dade County) and 1.3 m (Station 15 and Station 18 offshore Brevard County). Minimum wave heights are observed in summer (for instance, averagely, 0.59 m (Station 09) and 0.84 m (Station 18)) whereas highest significant wave height is predominantly witnessed in winter (for instance, 1.1 m (Station 09) and 1.55 m (Station 18) on an average). Finally, mean peak periods vacillate between 7 s (Station 09) and 9 s (Stations 15, 18, and 23) (Benedet et al., 360-365).
Regional Beach Type Assessment    
Beach wave statistics and grain size (period and Hb) are brought together for gauging ? values for describing the kinds of beaches found along Florida's eastern shoreline. A ? result plot suggests coastal compartmentalization into a total of four separate morphologic segments representing analogous beach morphotypes. 
Compartment 1 (or the Daytona coastal segment) running between Volusia County (northern Florida) and Brevard County (central Florida) features beaches exhibiting ? values normally >6. Hence, this coastal segment has dissipative beaches, described by the Wright and Short classification scheme (93-118). The next compartment – the Sebastian coastal segment – is situated between the Brevard County aforementioned and the southern tip of the Indian River County, marked by ? value from 2 to 4. Hence, this segment comprises of intermediate morphotype beaches. Compartment 3 or the Fort Pierce coastal segment, bordered by St. Lucie County to the north and Martin County to the south, is impacted by a couple of crucial inlets (St. Lucie and Fort Pierce), with ? values between 5 and 8. From this a-dimensional ? parameter span, its morphotypes vary between intermediate and dissipative beaches under the Wright and Short classification (93-118). The final compartment – Miami segment – lies south of Martin - Palm Beach County to Key Biscayne and features a gradual ? value decline from 5 (northern Palm Beach County) to approximately 1 (Miami-Dade County in south Florida).
Florida coastal vegetation
Florida's sandy coastal zones feature a heterogeneous environment owing, partly, to geomorphological diversity. Various landforms may be observed, and the flora growing therein are impacted, to a large extent, by oceanicity (or the impact of the ocean on continents) (Psuty et al., 314-25). What results is an assortment of vegetation. In addition to a load of factors that stem from the oceanic presence (for instance, wind velocity, salt spray, among others), a temporal gradient also exists in the substrate age, increasing towards this direction (Araujo and Pereira). When it comes to broader coastal plains, the high gradient might not be observed to be continuous if one moves inland on account of the existence of landforms such as rivers, lagoons, and estuaries, either currently or in past ages. 
Closer to the ocean, sandy deposit flora communities commonly display a healthy zonation pattern that may be subdivided into the interior thick coastal copse and outer pioneer area. Flora communities found further inland may not always stick to a linear strand plain- or dune field-wide sequence (Araujo and Pereira). However, they are found to be situated along a slope of greater community complexity, or in other words, more richness of species, biomass, height, and cover.  The Floridian peninsula's southern-most end and nearby coastal regions make up the land regions of continental America nearest to the Tropic of Cancer, hence being characterized by near-tropical climates in addition to having coastal and geological characteristics in common with those of the Caribbean basin. The region to the Florida Keys' north is generally considered "subtropical," as it reflects a climate having tropics-like temperature though often witnessing below freezing temperature to be significant, from an ecological standpoint (Armentano et al., 226). As the Florida Keys region seldom sees temperatures <5°C, it may be regarded as a tropical area.
While the majority of natural landforms of the Floridian southeast coast are made up of grass- and sedge- dominated freshwater wetlands of the Northern Temperate flora, sufficiently large regions are also taken up by West Indian and temperate flora. The Floridian coastal region's woody communities may be grouped under three classes depending upon the substrate and species composition: tree isles on the shell, peat, or marl deposits found on limestone crags; various kinds of extensive swamp forests; and pinewoods on limestone crags.  The term tree isle has been used by the majority of authors for referring to small woody vegetation areas imbedded within a landscape of a different vegetation type (Armentano et al., 225-281). The "matrix" of occurrence of these islands in any region can be freshwater or mangrove swamp, Rockland pinewood, or brackish or freshwater marsh. The substrate of tree islands is typically different from the adjoining vegetation substrate. Hence, in the ENP Taylor and Shark Sloughs freshwater sawgrass marshlands, tree isles may be found on limestone or wooded peat ridges in a region of peat or freshwater marl (calcitic mud). In coastal areas, hardwood hammocks may be found on sand outcrops, marl, or anthropogenic midden deposits in marine clay or mangrove peat areas. In slash pinewoods on the Long Pine Key (ENP) and Big Pine Key (lower Florida Keys area), hardwood hammocks may be seen on raised limestone ridges. In all instances above, roots take up a fine surficial layer of rough unsaturated organic matter.
A couple of significant tree isle classes differ from one another depending on key controlling elements and prevalent flora. Tropical hardwood hammocks can almost invariably be found on well-drained soils and rocky ridges, fertile with species characterized by tropics-centered distribution ranges. Further, tropical hammocks form the predominant cover of some remaining undeveloped Florida Keys upland regions. Swamp forests mostly constitute species having temperate area-centered distributions, adjusted to weakly-drained soils. They can be combined into small distinct stands or in the form of parts of bigger tree isles, including hammocks on ridges; either way, they experience regular flooding resulting in peat soil formation. Lastly, swamp forests may be found as widespread temperate hardwood, or Taxodium stands dominating landscapes or making up savannahs having a graminoid ENP or BCNP understory; however, these are not regarded as tree islands.
Factors affecting the Floridian coastal soils and vegetation
Climate 
South Florida enjoys a subtropical, 4-seasonal climate, thereby mostly supporting flora growth through the significant part of the year. Of its four seasons, the most distinct is a hot, wet June-October season and a drier and cooler November-May. Roughly 80 percent of the region's rainfall occurs between June and October. The region typically witnesses significant amounts of drought in the spring and may be regarded as having a tropical, seasonally dry climate. Rainfall in the summer is mostly in the form of thunderstorms (i.e., cyclonic) with an annual occurrence of heavy rainfall associated with tropical storms. Hurricanes developing from time to time frequently bring with them considerable rainfall and devastating winds resulting in tidal surges and floods that end up causing harm to the region's tree islands (Armentano et al., 225-281).  
Hurricane incidence in the area has been observed to be approximately one hurricane every 6-8 years anywhere in the area; major or severe hurricanes strike roughly once in 14-50 years (records of occurring hurricanes date back to the year 1871). Main tree island-linked ecological factors encompass prolonged famine, low temperatures in winter, extremely wet spells, and other extreme events. A famine event was experienced in almost all decades of the past century.  In the case of severe famine, rainfall might be depressed by around 35 percent below the average (Armentano et al., 225-281). Robust regional rainfall gradients can facilitate tree island species growth and composition. Therefore, yearly rainfall amounts to roughly 1400 mm (60 inches) along the Eastern Floridian Coast in east Miami-Dade and Broward counties. However, it is between 15 and 20 percent lower within one mile from the coast as well as on Miami Beach and other surrounding coastal barrier islands. 
Average rainfall witnesses a sharp drop west and south across the Floridian peninsula and down along the Keys. Hence, period-of-record mean figures span between 1544 mm (Homestead) and 1280 mm (northwest ENP), 965 mm (Key West), and 1140 mm (in the vicinity of northeastern Florida Bay). Ocean water closeness buffers coastal regions against masses of cold polar air, which spread across the state's southern part in winter. Even a little farther inland, the likelihood of below-freezing winter temperatures can be twofold (Armentano et al., 225-281). Freezing temperatures that were, averagely, reported once in two years on the south Florida mainland in the recorded period (until the 90s when they started occurring less frequently) are seldom observed in the north Keys, and in other regions, not at all. The mainland coastal zone also, to some degree, experiences a maritime climate. Hence, in this region, low temperature is minimized as facet impacting species distributions. The above trend potentially accounts for some differences, at least, in the hammock compositions of the state's interior, Keys, and coastal regions.
Sea Level Rise
In coastal Florida and eventually the whole Floridian peninsula, one of the chief factors impacting succession, in the long run, is sea level. In a situation characterized by sluggish increase in average sea levels – the general trend in the past 3200 years (except for the past six decades that have seen an acceleration in sea level increase), marine transgression and vertical peat accretion have ensured maintenance of a massive mangrove forest along Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico (Armentano et al., 225-281).
Theoretically, accretion can bring about a sufficient soil surface rise for eventually supporting hardwood species that are accustomed to well-drained and low-salinity soil environments. However, mangrove-region hardwood tree isles chiefly exist as either storm-deposited marl or sand outcrops or Indian midden hammocks that rise above the nearby mangrove forests (through human action). 
Not much groundwork exists for presuming that the above areas can retain their position given the current rise in sea levels. A lack of mangrove peat, recorded by researchers, beneath the Floridian coast's hardwood hammocks indicates mangrove forest substitution with palms and hardwoods marked by relatively small salt tolerance rarely occurred previously; the likelihood of its occurrence today is even slimmer considering the acceleration in the rise of sea levels. At the current rate, and even before (i.e., roughly 3200 years back), the rate of peat accretion has not proven adequate to maintain tidewater-related elevations (Armentano et al., 225-281). As a result, we have witnessed the prevalence of marine transgression that, if kept up for sufficiently long, supports coastline flooding, mangrove peat submergence, and coastal vegetation loss/retreat, which likely includes hardwood stands on storm depositions. The likelihood of new community development on interior-displaced storm outcrops is not clear. However, while substantial uncertainty exists in this regard, upland coastal habitat elimination might be anticipated to progress in the much the same way as that occurring in the Keys, where the pine habitat was destroyed in the current century by saltwater intrusion.
Conclusion
In the context of coastal physical subjects, sediment budget and human coastal topography manipulation are perhaps underrated and considered a minor disturbance in the instantaneous or Holocene timescale. However, several modern applied coastal geomorphology problems come under the decadal-centurial timescale, which is influenced by, and concern of, humans. Thus, understanding human impacts and likely changes in this range has been linked to robust feedback relationships. 
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