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Wetlands
The United States Department of Environmental Protection defines wetlands as:
"...lands where saturation with water is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its surface (Cowardin, December 1979). Wetlands vary widely because of regional and local differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology, water chemistry, vegetation, and other factors, including human disturbance."
The following are a few examples of the types of wetlands that can be found on UCF's campus:
1. Cypress domes occur in regions of depression usually within a flatwoods matrix and are dominated by two species - the bald cypress and the pond cypress. The term, “cypress dome” or cypress head refers to the phenomenon of larger cypress trees growing in the middle of the dome, with trees getting get progressively smaller as they go out from the center. A large number of epiphytes, plants which grow on the tree, but do not feed off of the tree are also found near or in cypress domes - some examples include bromeliads, orchids, and ferns.
2. Ephemeral Wetlands can hold water at certain times and at other times be completely dry. They are commonly known as upland temporary ponds and can be found throughout campus depending on seasonal rainfall.
3. Seepage Wetlands, such as the pond pine community located on campus, are moist during most of the year. This type of community does not naturally burn as often as an upland system such as pine flatwoods. The pond pine community on the UCF campus is an important component of UCF’s stormwater management, as it helps to treat water leaving the campus and making its journey through the campus green space into the Little Econ River and eventually into the St. John’s River.
4. Freshwater Marshes found on the UCF campus include both basin and depression marshes. These communities provide critical habitat for many plant and animal species, specifically many species of threatened and endangered wading birds. Additionally, the Florida Sand Hill Crane, a threatened avian species found at UCF can regularly be seen in the marshes throughout campus.