Tropical hardwood hammocks are one of the many natural communities found in Florida, however of the many, they are one of the few characterized by tropical plants. The word “hammock” was primarily used by early inhabitants when referring to a cool and shady place. Later, settlers of Florida used the word “hummock” to indicate areas that were slightly higher in elevation from the rest of the land. In these days, the word hammock is used in Florida to describe forest habitats that are generally higher in elevation than surrounding areas and that are characterized by hardwood forests of broad-leaved evergreens. Tropical hardwood hammocks occur in south Florida and along the Florida coastlines where danger from frost is rare and tropical trees …show more content…
There is a substantial relationship amid tropical hammocks and tropical storms. A lot of these forests were created by wind-born seeds from tropical species. Powerful winds have the capability to shape and reshape whole landscapes. The Hammocks are exclusively susceptible to destruction by strong winds from hurricanes and tropical storms. Thousands of years of adapting to the harsh, coastal winds have affected the form, or habitat of many trees. The fact that these trees have shallow root systems causes them to be easily up-rooted by abrupt gusts of strong winds. Branches on many hardwood trees in tropical hammocks modified enabling them to cope with winds, by spreading out and growing horizontally to minimize damage to the trees and loss of limbs. (Main, 2013). The same way high winds helped to create and form the landscape of tropical hammocks they can also alter or destroy them. Serious tropical storms may possibly cause damage from high winds, storm surges, floodwaters, and inland deposits of silt, mud, and salt. Disastrous hurricanes are accountable for destruction and loss to thousands of acres of tropical hardwoods along the South Florida coastlines. (Main, 2013). Storm surges from severe hurricanes are especially destructive to the hammocks. Storms may cause intrusions of sand, mud, and saltwater into the salt-intolerant inland habitats. Occasional or prolonged periods of saltwater exposure may change the soil conditions and harm the ecosystem. Intrusions of saltwater ultimately wear away the sand ridges that hardwood hammocks cultivate on. Rising sea levels thought to be the result of global warming also poses a serious threat to tropical hammocks. As the water levels rise they encroach upon the usually dry upland hardwood stands and increase the moisture levels and salinity of the soil. (Main, 2013). Plants and trees that are not