Fire in North American Wetland Ecosystems and Fire-Wildlife Relations: An Annotated Bibliography

44. Cohen, A. D. 1974a. Evidence of fires in the ancient Everglades and swamps 
         of southern Florida. Pages 213-218 in P. J. Gleason, ed. Environments 
         of south Florida: present and past. Miami Geol. Soc. Mem. 2.

Cores extracted from peat reveal many charcoal-rich lenses at depth. Since these lenses cannot be traced from one peat core to another, the conclusion is that ancient fires were restricted to the more fire-prone communities, particulary sawgrass. ( Fires maintain sawgrass communities, but may convert grass or sedge marshes to open water.) There are no reasons to believe the Everglades have historically sustained prolonged dry periods which would permit widespread burning of peat [From author's abstract]

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