Unfortunately, organisms that limit native species here are not typically successful when attacking a relative that comes from a different part of the world, tropical Asia or Australia in the examples above. A powerful exotic species dramatically decreases the diversity of a habitat. This is as true of the exotic Nile Perch in Lake Victoria, which has caused the extinction of scores of species of cichlid fish, as it is with Australian Pines in south Florida. The community that forms after the introduction does not collapse into death but is less rich in species, less rich in types of species, simpler in food web structure, and less able to adapt to the myriad conditions that occur continuously. During large storms the sand beneath the shallow mat of roots formed by Australian Pines is washed out, the tall trees topple and form an immense woody jumble that does not resemble a native sandy shore.
Native shorelines survive hurricanes surprisingly well.
If they are damaged the newly opened area is colonized in a clear set of successional stages composed of plants already present in various parts of the surrounding area. The impacts on other types of organisms can be severe. Sea turtles nest with great difficulty on Australian Pine-laden beaches. Roots and toppled trees present barriers not encountered along most of a native sandy shore. A walk along the trails of Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca, or John D. MacArthur State Park will show what a native south Florida shore community can be.