| Session I: Upland Plants |
Abstract #: 97106 |
FLOWERING AND FRUITING RESPONSE OF ASIMINA TETRAMERA SMALL FOLLOWING
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OF MATURE SAND PINE SCRUB IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Anne C. Cox 1, and Richard E. Roberts 2
1 Florida International University, Department of Biological Sciences, University Park, Miami, FL 33199
2 Department of Environmental Protection, District 5 Administration, 13798 SE Federal Highway, Hobe Sound, FL 33475
ABSTRACT
Fire management techniques and mechanical manipulations were applied to a mature sand pine scrub
community in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in southeast Florida. The research was conducted in 4.05
hectares of scrub on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge for the management of listed species in scrub habitat. The primary focus was Asimina tetramera Small (four-petal pawpaw), a federally endangered species that showed reduced flowering and fruiting under the closed canopy of Pinus clausa (sand pine). Following management applications in May 1996, more Asimina tetramera plants flowered in the burn treatments (>53%) compared to plants in the non-burn treatments (<34%). The chi-square value of 16.55 was significant at the .05 level. In addition, more flowers per plant were produced following treatments than were produced in 1995 or 1996 (ANOVA, p<.0001). Monitoring will continue to determine whether flowering response changes over time. Land managers with small parcels of scrub habitat with listed species will benefit from the results of this study.
