A July walk through Archbold Biological Station

    I've been to Archbold Biological Station a few times, I had heard of it many years ago, and it sounded fascinating. A place where researchers can study plants, animals, and any number of other things in that particular habitat. The Organization of Field Stations website does a much better job describing what Biological Field Stations do*. Archbold comprises over 5,000 acres of Lake Wales scrub habitat for researchers to study. One of my favorite research results is that they have found after decades of research and data collection is that the saw palmetto, Serenoa repens are thousands of years old. After measuring their growth for decades and then recently doing DNA testing they were able to track their trunks back to their center of growth and realized some of these palms are 6 to 8 thousand years old. In a previous blog, I mentioned that the Florida rosemary is also thought to be hundreds of years old. Now just think how much of this ancient Florida scrub has been plowed over to provide us with Fresh from Florida orange juice, or more residential sprawl. Here is a link to a movie produced by Archbold explaining what they do Archbold Biological Station 

Here are some photos from my visit;

Right inside the entrance, an area that doesn't get burned.

 Scrub habitat that has recently been burned.

Look at all the Zamia 'Coontie', no wonder Atala butterflies lay so many eggs.

Another shot of this area, almost all of the green is Zamia 'Coontie' plants.

Grasshopper?

Because of the sand, animal and insect tracks are easily seen, it had rained the night before so any tracks showing were pretty recent. 

Bobcat, going both ways.

Tire tracks are from a researcher traveling the area on an ATV.

Followed this one for a while, pretty definite trail.

Armadillo

coyote tracks

The diversity of plants and animals in a place that appears so harsh an environment is amazing. Here are some of the birds, plants, flowers and lichens that live here.

The Florida Scrub Jay, an endemic species, only occurring in scrub areas.

 

Commelina erecta'Day flower'

Scrub oak with acorns.

Scrub Pawpaw with fruit Asimina obvata

I'll just call it a Skink, there are five species here.

The last half of the trail where the public is allowed has branches and trees down and is overgrown. It looks as though no one has been through there lately.

The one area near water, is now under water, with waist-high plants covering the trail.  If walking through areas like this bothers you, then wait until winter when it should be easier walking.

Here's a couple of cute little Earthstars, Geastrum sp. up by the Visitor Center. They are related to Puffball mushrooms.

Earthstars

I hope you enjoyed the tour!






* http://www.obfs.org/what-s-a-field-station-