Information on Tropical Hardwood Hammocks

About Tropical Hardwood Hammocks

• The word "hammock" was first used to mean a cool, shady place, according to University of Florida horticulturalists Annisa Karim and Martin B. Main. Later, the term became commonly used when describing forested areas slightly higher in elevation than surrounding land. Tropical hardwood hammocks are found where freezing temperatures are rare and where tropical plants can survive.

Tropical Hardwood Hammock Distribution

• In the United States, tropical hardwood hammocks occur in the state of Florida where the specialized habitats occur on mounds of sand, limestone and shell at elevations that do not flood. These hammocks contain a collection of evergreen and semideciduous trees and shrubs that keep their leaves most of the year in moist, richly-organic soil. The habitat supports plants mostly of West Indian origin that have naturalized into the Florida climate. The Bahamas and the Greater Antilles have a number of similar habitats, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service site.

Species in Tropical Hardwood Hammocks

• Many different types of plants make up the ecology of the tropical hardwood hammock in Florida. The Bahama strongbark, the buccaneer palm and the Lignum vitae are a few of the threatened plants that can be found in Florida hardwood hammocks. Other species are not endangered, such as the lancewood, the marlberry, the pigeon plum and the gumbo limbo. Some of the animals that inhabit these unique areas include the American alligator, American crocodile, key deer, Florida mastiff bat, striped mud turtle and Lower Keys marsh rabbit. A number of rodents and butterflies can also be found in hammock regions. A variety of birds use the hammock areas as their migratory stopping point, including the Kirtland's warbler, mangrove cuckoo, great crested flycatcher and pine warbler.

Protection of Tropical Hardwood Hammocks

• Because of the rapid and continuous development of areas in Florida, many of the plants and animals that populate these unique hardwood hammocks are under the protection of environmental agencies. Millions of dollars are spent each year to monitor the health of the plants and animals in these areas and to learn the best ways of preserving these areas for future generations.