Hello everyone,

We have a few questions regarding Live Oaks (Quercus virginiana) – Naval 
Live Oaks in particular:

1. How, if any, have various groups of humans influenced the natural 
history of Live Oaks?  

2. Kit Anderson states in his book, Nature, Culture, and Big Old Trees, 
that live oaks have adapted to living around humans, mainly that their 
quintessential form really is expressed when humans clear out the 
undergrowth/give the trees lots of space.  We would like to know if the 
academic community accept/reject/tolerate Anderson’s interpretation?

3. Are Naval Live Oaks on the Santa Rosa peninsula (FL) scrubbier because 
of wind, salt and their proximity to the Gulf?    

4. We would like to know more about the soil science of shell middens and 
shell mound habitat and about Naval Live Oaks association, or lack of, 
with them.  Meaning do these oaks prefer the alkaline conditions, the 
drainage, and the nutrients?

5. We would like to know more about the Native American Ethnobotany 
database website – http://herb.umd.umich.edu.  Also, are there other 
ethnobontanic uses of Live Oaks beside what is listed in the database?

6. We realize there is some disagreement over the taxonomic relationship 
between Sand Live Oaks (Quercus geminata) and Live Oaks (Q. virginiana).  
Where do Naval Live oaks fit?

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Sara E. Viernum
Clifford J. Webb

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