A characterization of successional vegetation patterns on abandoned
farmland in the Hole-in-the-Donut area of Everglades National Park
was performed. Vegetative community composition and structure were
examined in detail in twenty-one study plots located throughout the
study site. Successional assemblages are described qualitatively and
quantitatively. Distinct community types are defined using methods
that emphasize site-to-site comparisons. The relationship between
vegetation and substrate, farming history, hydroperiod, and spatial
arrangement was examined. Results were used to summarize and predict
trends of old field succession on abandoned farmland in southern
Florida. Post-farming vegetation patterns do not resemble prefarming
conditions. Successional forest, frequently dominated by exotic
species, is a relatively new community in southern Florida. It is
likely a final stage in secondary succession on abandoned farmland.