Biologists come from all over the country to study scrub. Florida scrub is frequently considered to be Florida's most distinctive ecosystem. With so many interesting ecosystems that exist in Florida, such as mangrove swamps, hardwood hammocks, dry prairies, and freshwater marshes, the title is an honorable one. Florida scrub has some very striking differences. Age Florida scrub is a very old ecosystem found on coastal and ancient inland dunes throughout the state.
Rain drains through scrub soil very quickly.
Even within an hour of a heavy rain, very little water will remain on top of the sand. Most of Florida is sandy. But while many habitats have rich organic matter mixed with sand, scrub soils have lost almost all of their organic components to the action of wind, waves, and water and are chronically low in nutrients. Because water soluble compounds leach out quickly, only plants adapted to the dry, sandy soil and low nutrient levels can survive. Fire-frequency Fire affects almost all plant communities in Florida, but the frequency of fire in scrub is higher than for other habitats.