On the campus of the University of West Florida, there is remnant pine sandhill that has not seen fire in many years, hardwoods along hillsides and ravines, and swamp forest along the flood plain of Thompson Bayou, Ferry Pass Bayou and the Escambia River. The hardwood forests here are referred to as "mixed mesophytic", meaning moderate in moisture level, between Xerophytic (like the pine sand hill: dry), and Hydrophytic (like the swamp forest: wet). The mixed part comes from a mixture of deciduous trees like tulip poplar, Beech, Hickory, and Sparkleberry, and evergreen trees like Spruce Pine, Live Oak, Laurel Oak, and Magnolia.

One of the dominant physical characteristics of hardwood forests is the stratification. The largest mature trees form a canopy at the top of the forest where they get maximum light exposure. Saplings of canopy trees are often found in a suppressed state under the canopy because of shading, but can rapidly respond to light gaps resulting from the death of a canopy tree. In the next level of stratification are the understory trees. These species are shade tolerant, existing on filtered light (Dogwood, Magnolia, Sparkleberry). Understory shrubs are found below these trees, and are even more shade tolerant (Elliots Blueberry, Florida Anise). On The forest floor are found the ground cover plants that exist on very low light levels (Partridge Berry, Reindeer Moss, Ferns). As much as 95% of the light hitting the canopy is filtered out by the time it reaches the forest floor. Vines and Epiphytes form a special category of plants mechanically dependent on the large trees to reach the canopy (Lianas, Briar, Grape)

In an undisturbed forest (at equilibrium), nutrient availability is dependent on mineralization of detritus (dead plant material) on the forest floor Less than 5% of annual production consumed by herbivores, the rest falls to the forest floor where it is subject to mechanical and biological breakdown. On the forest floor there is a thick organic layer over the mineral soil with a gradient from "litter" (whole leaves/branches) on top to broken fragments over a felt-like mat of intertwined roots and fungi (mycorrhizae and saprophytes). Most of the plant roots in the forest are in this layer on top of the mineral soil (A horizon). That is why clearing forest land usually kills any trees that are left: most of the feeder roots are destroyed. It is in this organic layer that mineralization of fallen leaves and twigs occurs, returning the nutrients to the living plants in a tight recyling.