Brazillian Pepper

It can make itself at home in native vegetation (Kramer, 1997), but it mainly thrives on disturbed soils (Public Affairs Office, 1997b). It is found from Brevard and Pasco counties and is persistently seen on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. This exotic plant is a threat to wildlife management areas and causes maintenance problems (Kramer, 1997).
             Attracted mostly to ecosystems disturbed by nature or humans, the Brazilian pepper is currently invading Florida's Everglades National Park. With the help of birds such as the American robin and the catbird, seed are dispersed throughout the park. Being a shade intolerant species, the seedlings sprout readily and easily strive in open areas as well as dense canopies. Although the fruit of the tree is consumed by many species, none destroy the seeds like the Torymid wasp. The larvae of this insect eradicate the seed eliminating the spread of the plant. This exotic tree is also the home of the Rhesus monkey that was released in 1933 during a filming of a Tarzan movie (Kramer, 1997).
             Much of Florida's habitat was created by humans through agriculture, residential tracts, and planted forests. Habitats created and disturbed by humans are one of the two sites that attract nonindigenous species. The other is islands or peninsula areas. Having both traits, south Florida is vulnerable to invading exotic species like the Brazilian pepper. The tree is completely destructive towards native plants forming dense stands and displaces them and understory plants. Its leaves also decompose rapidly, allowing little leaf litter to accumulate beneath the stands. This exotic species, along with other exotics, alters the ecosystem by increasing evaporation and poisons and irritates wildlife and nearby plants. When invading mangrove tree areas it has been studied that the mangrove birds have been abandoning the area. Also, the shading caused by the tree kills plants used as food by the white-tailed deer.