08/24/2026
Cypress domes are fascinating landscapes, especially in the Everglades. National Geographic August issue takes readers into their unique ecology and unravels the many facets that have intrigued me for over a decade. From the air, they appear like little volcanoes, their parabolic shape hollowing out in the center where constant water and some industrious alligators have prevented trees from growing. These depressions maintain water, providing gators, fish and wading birds a last refuge to survive the dry season, which is when I love to explore. What’s really interesting is how these contained forests are formed. Since cypress trees are deciduous, their leaves fall into standing water each autumn, where they slowly decompose, creating carbonic acid that erodes the limestone below. Over time, this deepens the depression and creates more substrate for roots, allowing larger trees to grow toward the center of the dome. In essence, they are creating themselves. 🤯
