As a member of the basin wetland community group, basin swamps are large, closed communities with an outlet only during times of high water levels.  Soils in basin swamps are usually acidic, nutrient poor peat (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).  Basin swamps in Brevard County are mostly determined by their hydrology and are usually inundated 200-300 days a year (P. Schmalzer, personal observation; Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).  Trees and shrubs that can withstand long periods of water dominate the vegetation with few herbs and grasses.  The typical vegetation in a basin swamp includes blackgum, cypress, slash pine, red maple, swamp redbay, sweetbay magnolia, loblolly bay, Virginia willow, fetterbush, laurel greenbrier, Spanish moss, wax myrtle, titi, sphagum moss, and buttonbush (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).

Fire occurs in basin swamps on a very irregular interval, anywhere from 5 to 150 years or during drought conditions.  As infrequent as it may be in this community, fire serves an important purpose.  It prevents both hardwood trees and peat from dominating the community.  A basin swamp would develop into a bottomland forest or bog without the presence of fire.  Fires are also needed for the regeneration of pines and cypress trees.  On the other hand, muck fires burning into the peat would damage the system by killing most of the trees, lowering the ground surface, and eventually transforming the swamp into a pond or lake (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).

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