• Soils: Acidic, nutrient poor peat.  Usually inundated 200 days a year (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).  Typical soil types include Bohicket, Homosassa, Lacoochee, Tisonia, Turnbull, and Weekiwachee (Soil Conservation Society of America, 1987).

FUEL MODEL:

Fuel Model 3 is best fit for modeling fire behavior of this stage.  Due to the amount of yearly inundation and high fuel moistures in a marsh, fire requires a significant amount of wind to gather momentum.  Under the influence of wind, fire may demonstrate high rates of spread (Anderson, 1982).  The fire pattern is usually patchy, being swept from one patch of vegetation to the other (Wade, 1980).  Both fire intensity and severity under normal conditions would be low due to high fuel moisture content.  Under drought conditions, both fire intensity and severity would be high since the vegetation is usually tall without water on the ground and there is usually a high amount of dead organic material to burn thoroughly.

TYPICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR:

[Using FBPS: FM 3, FFM 8, MFW 5 - 10] (Refer to p. 32)

DESIRED STAGE:

This single stage community is in the condition at which basin and depression marsh communities are to be maintained.

RESTORATION/MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL

• Restoration Phase:
  • No restoration required.
• Maintenance/Management Phase:
  • Moderate to high, fast spreading, frequent prescribed burns should be conducted.
• Special Management Concerns:
  • Keep fire out of this community during extreme drought to avoid muck fires.

EEL SITES WHERE BASIN/DEPRESSION MARSH COMMUNITY OCCURS

• Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary
• Malabar Scrub Sanctuary
• Valkaria Scrub