Spatial patterns of sand pine invasion into longleaf pine forests in the Florida Panhandle

Land use practices since European settlement have had profound effects on the composition and structure of certain forested ecosystems in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. One significant change since the turn of the century has been the invasion of upland pine forests by sand pine in the state of Florida panhandle and peninsula. This study quantified sand pine extent and expansion and examined links between sand pine distribution and environmental factors in the Florida panhandle. Geographic information system analysis using aerial photographs (1949 and 1994) showed sand pine expansion and also increased canopy cover of sand pine over time. There was a high rate of conversion of longleaf pine to sand pine from 1949 to 1994 (44%), and conversion of sparse sand pine stands to dense sand pine stands (69%). Therefore, widespread changes in the Florida landscape were evident during a relatively short time period. Adjacency analyses showed a strong negative association between longleaf pine and dense sand pine and a positive association between riparian vegetation and dense sand pine. Distribution of sand pine across elevation demonstrated that sand pine expanded inland and upland into longleaf-pine forests. In 1949, sand pine was selectively located on sites below 30 m in elevations; by 1994, sparse and moderately dense sand-pine stands were found at all elevations. Thus, any area that may receive an input of sand pine seeds, most notably from riparian areas, is vulnerable to establishment.