Hole in the Donut

There are two primary types of cypress swamp in Florida, the dome — so called because view from a distance, it appears dome-like — and the strand, similar to the dome but elongated and featuring moving water, albeit sometimes slowly moving water. In either case, these holes are created when decaying vegetation acidifies the water, which in turn dissolves the underlying limestone bedrock. Make your way to the center of either the dome or the strand and you'll find deep, open water like that pictured above. As seen from above, it looks like a hole in a donut (although the description is more apt for a dome swamp.) In these holes, the water is too deep for cypress to grow, but are otherwise teeming with life — fish, turtles, frogs and alligators find a home in these places. Other animals, including wading birds, gather to drink and forage. These places sustain life, especially in the dry season when the surrounding land might be parched. By the way, a swamp by definition is a forested place with standing water most or all of the year. And for the record, a marsh is a similar place dominated by shrubby plants. Both play vital roles in cleaning ground water.

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