Last weekend I got to spend time in Archbold Biological Station. It is a private research area on the Lake Wales Ridge. The Lake Wales Ridge is a very unique and interesting ecosystem. It is home to 20 plants and 6 animals that are federally listed protected species. Two of the more well known of these are the Florida Scrub Jay, Florida’s only endemic bird and the gopher tortoise.
The scrub was the habitat I enjoyed the most. Scrub is Florida’s desert. It does have cactus(I only found it once the hard way) and several other spiny plants. It is also full of scrub oak, rosemary and palmetto. There is a grasshopper and moth whose lives revolve solely around rosemary. The scrub does receive up to 50 inches of rain a year but due to the sandy soil, is quite dry. Many plants overcome this with extensive root systems and small or narrow leaves to combat water loss. The scrub is important because the sandy soils allow rainwater to drain and replenish the aquifer.
The habitat is visually overwhelming. There are so many textures squeezed in everywhere, it is hard to find order in it. I focused on a lot of intimate scenes, something a bit new for me. I did my best but definitely want to try more with a return trip.
2 Comments
Thanks Phillip, its a manual blend of 3 exposures. Not always easy, but still the most natural effect for me.
Oh my gosh! I love this place! I love it because within a mile’s walk you can experience multiple habitats. I especially like the pines and scrub areas. The pines are just to stately to ignore with the saw palmettos that reach up 6-7 feet in the air right next to them! The scrub is just so different. The textures, the sights, the atmosphere! There are so many opportunities for awesome pics. Your up close stuff is great. Keep up the good work. You’re other stuff is great, but being a (mostly) Miami girl, I like Florida’s uniqueness. It only seems to be tapped by the locals.