Hardwood Forested Uplands

Mesic or xeric forests dominated mainly by hardwood trees, includes:

• Slope Forest (G2?/S1)
• Upland Hardwood Forest (G5/S3)
  • Dry Upland Hardwood Forest
• Mesic Hammock (G3/S3)
  • Prairie Mesic Hammock
• Rockland Hammock (G2/S2)
  • Thorn Scrub
• Xeric Hammock (G3/S3)

High Pine and Scrub

Hills with mesic or xeric woodlands or shrublands; canopy, if present, open and consisting of pine or a mixture of pine and deciduous hardwoods, includes:

• Upland Mixed Woodland (G2/S2)
• Upland Pine (G3/S2)
• Sandhill (G2/S2)
• Scrub (G5/S3)
  • Rosemary Scrub
  • Sand Pine Scrub

Pine Flatwoods and Dry Prairie

Mesic or hydric pine woodland or mesic shrubland on flat sandy or limestone subtrates, may have a hard pan that impedes drainage, includes:

• Wet Flatwoods (G4/S4)
  • Cutthroat Grass Flatwoods
  • Cabbage Palm Flatwoods
• Mesic Flatwoods (G4/S4)
• Scrubby Flatwoods (G2/S2?)
• Pine Rockland (G1/S1)
• Dry Prairie (G2/S2)

Coastal Uplands

Mesic or xeric communities restricted to barrier islands and near shore; woody or herbaceous vegetation; other communities may also occur in coastal environments, includes:

• Beach Dune (G3/S2)
• Coastal Berm (G3/S2)
• Coastal Grassland (G3/S2)
• Coastal Strand (G3/S2)
• Maritime Hammock (G3/S2)
• Shell Mound (G2/S2)

Sinkholes and Outcrop Communities

Small extent communities in karst features or on exposed limestone, includes:

• Upland Glade (G1/S1)
• Sinkhole (G2/S2)
• Limestone Outcrop (G2/S2)
• Keys Cactus Barren (G1/S1)

Freshwater Non-forested Wetlands

Herbaceous or shrubby palustrine communities in floodplains or depressions; canopy trees, if present, very sparse and often stunted (includes low canopied sloughs), includes:

• Prairies and Bogs - short hydroperiod; dominated by grasses, sedges, and/or titi.
  • Seepage Slope (G2/S2)
  • Wet Prairie (G2/S2)
    • Cutthroat Seep
    • Calcareous Wet Prairie
    • Pitcherplant Prairie
  • Marl Prairie (G3/S3)
  • Shrub Bog (G4/S3)

• Marshes - long hydroperiod; dominated by grasses, sedges, broadleaf emergents, floating aquatics, or shrubs, includes:
  • Depression Marsh (G4/S4)
  • Basin Marsh (G4/S3)
    • Lake Bottom
  • Coastal Interdunal Swale (G3/S2)
  • Floodplain Marsh (G3/S3)
    • Freshwater Tidal Marsh
  • Slough Marsh (G3?/S3?)
  • Glades Marsh (G3/S3)
  • Slough (G3/S3)
    • Pond Apple Slough

Freshwater Forested Wetlands

Floodplains or depressions dominated by hydrophytic trees, includes:

• Cypress/Tupelo - dominated entirely by cypress or tupelo, or these species important in the canopy; long hydroperiod, includes:
  • Dome Swamp (G4/S4)
    • Gum Pond
    • Stringer Swamp
  • Basin Swamp (G4/S3)
  • Strand Swamp (G2/S2)
  • Floodplain Swamp (G4/S4)
    • Freshwater Tidal Swamp

• Hardwood - dominated by a mix of hydrophytic hardwood trees; cypress or tupelo may be occasional or infrequent in the canopy; short hydroperiod, includes:
  • Baygall (G4/S4)
    • Bay Swamp
    • South Florida Bayhead
  • Hydric Hammock (G4/S4)
    • Coastal Hydric Hammock
    • Prairie Hydric Hammock
  • Bottomland Forest (G4/S3)
  • Alluvial Forest (G4/S3)

Marine and Estuarine Vegetated Wetlands

Intertidal or supratidal zone dominated by herbaceous or woody halophytic vascular plants; salinity >0.5 ppt, includes:

• Salt Marsh (G5/S4)
  • Salt Flat
• Mangrove Swamp (G5/S4)
  • Buttonwood Forest
• Keys Tidal Rock Barren (G3/S3?)

Ponds and Lakes (Lacustrine)

• Clastic Upland Lake*
• Coastal Dune Lake*
• Coastal Rockland Lake*
• Flatwoods/Prairie/Marsh Lake*
• River Floodplain Lake*
• Swamp Lake*
• Sandhill Upland Lake*
• Sinkhole Lake*

Rivers and Streams (Riverine)

• Alluvial Stream*
• Blackwater Stream*
• Seepage Stream*
• Spring-run Stream*

Subterranean

• Aquatic Cave*
• Terrestrial Cave*

Marine and Estuarine

• Mineral Based
  • Consolidated Substrate*
  • Unconsolidated Substrate*
• Faunal Based
  • Coral Reef*
  • Mollusk Reef*
  • Octocoral Bed*
  • Sponge Bed*
  • Worm Reef*
• Floral Based (mainly subtidal)
  • Algal Bed*
  • Seagrass Bed*
• Composite Substrate
  • Composite Substrate*

* These concepts are unchanged from the 1990 Guide.