The Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests are an
ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...
in the
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biome
A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...
, in the
Eastern United States. The ecoregion is located in the central and southern
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
, including the
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians and the
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virgin ...
. It covers an area of about in: northeast
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
and
Georgia, northwest South Carolina, eastern
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, western
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, and central
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
; and small extensions into
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, and
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
.
They are one of the world's richest temperate deciduous forests in terms of
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
; there are an unusually high number of species of both flora and fauna, as well as a high number of
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
species. The reasons for this are the long-term geologic stability of the region, its long ridges and valleys which serve both as barrier and corridors, and their general north-south alignment which allowed
habitats
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
to shift southward during ice ages. The mountains also contain a large variety of diverse landscapes,
microclimates
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squa ...
and soils all constituting microhabitats allowing many
refugia areas and
relict species to survive and thrive.
Climate
The climate varies from
humid continental in the north to
humid subtropical in the south. Summers are hot at lower elevations, warm at higher elevations. Winters are cold at higher elevations and cool at lower elevations.
Flora
In terms of biodiversity, the only comparable temperate deciduous forest regions in the world are in central
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and in the
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains,
: pronounced
* hy, Կովկասյան լեռներ,
: pronounced
* az, Qafqaz dağları, pronounced
* rus, Кавка́зские го́ры, Kavkázskiye góry, kɐfˈkasːkʲɪje ˈɡorɨ
* tr, Kafkas Dağla ...
. Both the Appalachians (along with the neighbouring
Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests is an ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund. It consists of mesophytic plants west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United Stat ...
ecoregion) and central China contain relict habitats of an ancient forest that was once widespread over the Northern Hemisphere. There are species,
genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
, and
families
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...
of plants that occur only in these two locations. The
Great Smoky Mountains are particularly rich in biodiversity.
The Appalachians are home to 158 different species of tree, more than anywhere else in North America. There are two main types of forest; deciduous
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
forest at low elevations (between 250m and 1350m), and coniferous
spruce-fir forest
A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfamil ...
above that. Until the 1930s the oaks were mixed with
American chestnut
The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts. ...
but these were largely wiped out by the
chestnut blight
The pathogenic fungus ''Cryphonectria parasitica'' (formerly ''Endothia parasitica'') is a member of the Ascomycota (sac fungi). This necrotrophic fungus is native to East Asia and South East Asia and was introduced into Europe and North America ...
fungus in the early 1900s.
Cove forests
Cove forests occur in coves and on low north- and east-facing slopes in the southern Blue Ridge and central Appalachian Mountains. They are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the country. Typical trees of these forests are sugar maple (''
Acer saccharum
''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...
''), American beech (''
Fagus grandifolia''), eastern hemlock (''
Tsuga canadensis''), Carolina silverbell (''
Halesia tetraptera
''Halesia tetraptera'', commonly known as the common silverbellKY State Nature Preserves Commission''Halesia tetraptera'' or mountain silverbell (or Carolina silverbell; syn. ''Halesia carolina'' auct. non L.), is a species in the family Styrac ...
''), tulip poplar (''
Liriodendron tulipifera
''Liriodendron tulipifera''—known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tulipwood, tuliptree, tulip poplar, whitewood, fiddletree, and yellow-poplar—is the North American representative of the two-species genus ''Liriodendron'' (the other ...
''), red maple (''
Acer rubrum''), white oak (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
''), northern red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
''), yellow birch (''
Betula alleghaniensis
''Betula alleghaniensis'', the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the pa ...
''), yellow buckeye (''
Aesculus flava
''Aesculus flava'', the yellow buckeye, common buckeye, or sweet buckeye, is a species of deciduous tree. It is native to the Ohio Valley and Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. It grows in mesophytic forest or floodplains, genera ...
''), and basswood (''
Tilia americana
''Tilia americana'' is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae, native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Oklahoma, southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to ...
''). Oaks gain numbers on drier sites.
Low-elevation pine forests
Southern Appalachian low-elevation pine forests occur on a variety of topographic and landscape positions, including ridgetops, upper- and mid-slopes, and in lower elevations (generally below ) such as mountain valleys. These forests are dominated by shortleaf pine (''
Pinus echinata'') and Virginia pine (''
Pinus virginiana''). Pitch pine (''
Pinus rigida
''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...
'') may sometimes be present. Hardwoods are sometimes abundant, especially dry-site oaks such as southern red oak (''
Quercus falcata
''Quercus falcata'', also called southern red oak, spanish oak, bottomland red oak or three-lobed red oak is an oak (part of the genus ''Quercus''). Native to the southeastern United States, it gets its name the "Spanish Oak" as these are the ar ...
''), chestnut oak (''
Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''), and scarlet oak (''
Quercus coccinea''), but also pignut hickory (''
Carya glabra''), red maple (''
Acer rubrum''), and others. The shrub layer may be well-developed, with hillside blueberry (''
Vaccinium pallidum
''Vaccinium pallidum'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family known by the common names hillside blueberry, Blue Ridge blueberry, late lowbush blueberry, and early lowbush blueberry. It is native to central Canada (Ontario) and the c ...
''), black huckleberry (''
Gaylussacia baccata
''Gaylussacia baccata'', the black huckleberry, is a common huckleberry found throughout a wide area of eastern North America.
Distribution
The plant is native to Eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region, the Midwestern and Northeastern Unit ...
''), or other acid-tolerant species most characteristic. Herbs are usually sparse but may include narrowleaf silkgrass (''
Pityopsis graminifolia
''Pityopsis graminifolia'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names grass-leaved golden-aster and narrowleaf silkgrass. It is native to the southeastern United States, occurring as far north as Ohio and M ...
'') and goat-rue (''
Tephrosia virginiana
''Tephrosia virginiana'', also known as goat-rue, goat's rue, catgut, rabbit pea, Virginia tephrosia, hoary pea, and devil's shoestring is a perennial dicot in family Fabaceae. The plant is native to central and eastern North America.
Descripti ...
'').
Oak forests
Southern Appalachian oak forests, widespread in the southeastern United States, occur on dry, upland sites on southern and western aspects and ridgetops. The composition of these forests varies throughout their range but often includes chestnut oak (''
Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''), northern red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
''), eastern black oak (''
Quercus velutina''), white oak, (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
''), and scarlet oak (''
Quercus coccinea''). Hickories such as bitternut (''
Carya cordiformis''), shagbark (''
Carya ovata
''Carya ovata'', the shagbark hickory, is a common hickory in the Eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over tall, and can live more than 350 years. The tallest measured shagbark, located in Sav ...
''), and mockernut (''
Carya tomentosa''), are found here, as are black tupelo (''
Nyssa sylvatica
''Nyssa sylvatica'', commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and e ...
''), red maple (''
Acer rubrum''), white pine (''
Pinus strobus
''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...
''), and white ash (''
Fraxinus americana'').
File:Chestnut Oak in Weiser State Forest.JPG, ''Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''
File:Quercus rubra tree.JPG, ''Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
''
File:Quercus velutina 001.jpg, '' Quercus velutina''
File:Keeler Oak Tree - distance photo, May 2013.jpg, ''Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
''
File:Quercus coccinea JB.jpg, '' Quercus coccinea''
File:20130817Carya cordiformis1.jpg, '' Carya cordiformis''
File:Carya ovata Kiev1.JPG, ''Carya ovata
''Carya ovata'', the shagbark hickory, is a common hickory in the Eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over tall, and can live more than 350 years. The tallest measured shagbark, located in Sav ...
''
File:Nyssa sylvatica tree.jpg, ''Nyssa sylvatica
''Nyssa sylvatica'', commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and e ...
''
File:Acer rubrum 001.jpg, '' Acer rubrum''
File:Pinus strobus 3-eheep (5098079930).jpg, ''Pinus strobus
''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...
''
File:Fraxinus americana 002.jpg, '' Fraxinus americana''
Dry calcareous forests
The
Southern Ridge and Valley/Cumberland dry calcareous forests occur on dry to dry–
mesic
Mesic may refer to:
* Mesic, North Carolina, a town in the United States
* Mesic habitat, a type of habitat
See also
*Mesić (disambiguation)
*Mešić Mešić is a Bosnian surname, a patronymic derived from the masculine given name '' Meša'', it ...
calcareous
Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.
In zoology
''Calcareous'' is used as an adje ...
habitats in the southern
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. They are often found on deep soils in a variety landscapes within their range. Trees are mainly oaks and hickories, with other species less abundant. Oaks include white oak (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
''), northern red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
''), post oak (''
Quercus stellata''), chinkapin oak (''
Quercus muehlenbergii''), and Shumard oak (''
Quercus shumardii
''Quercus shumardii'', the Shumard oak, spotted oak, Schneck oak, Shumard red oak, or swamp red oak, is one of the largest of the oak species in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is closely related to '' Quercus buckleyi'' ...
''). Hickories include shagbark hickory (''
Carya ovata
''Carya ovata'', the shagbark hickory, is a common hickory in the Eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over tall, and can live more than 350 years. The tallest measured shagbark, located in Sav ...
''). Other trees can be sugar maple (''
Acer saccharum
''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...
''), eastern red-cedar (''
Juniperus virginiana''), or pines.
Dry oak forests and woodlands
The
Allegheny-Cumberland dry oak forest and woodland forest system is found on ridges in the southern
Ridge and Valley
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...
. The forests are typically dominated by white oak (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
''), southern red oak (''
Quercus falcata
''Quercus falcata'', also called southern red oak, spanish oak, bottomland red oak or three-lobed red oak is an oak (part of the genus ''Quercus''). Native to the southeastern United States, it gets its name the "Spanish Oak" as these are the ar ...
''), chestnut oak (''
Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''), scarlet oak (''
Quercus coccinea''), with lesser amounts of red maple (''
Acer rubrum''), pignut hickory (''
Carya glabra''), and mockernut hickory (''
Carya tomentosa''). A few shortleaf pines (''
Pinus echinata'') or Virginia pines (''
Pinus virginiana'') may occur, particularly adjacent to
escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations.
The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''escar ...
s or following fire. Sprouts of chestnut (''
Castanea dentata
The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts. ...
'') can often be found where it was formerly a common tree.
Dry oak–pine forests
Central Appalachian dry oak–pine forest
The central Appalachian dry oak–pine forest is a forest system found from Maine south through New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, to West Virginia and Virginia. It is ab ...
s occur on dry sites with loamy to sandy soils. A mix of oak and pine tree species dominate the
canopy, typically chestnut oak (''
Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''), Virginia pine (''
Pinus virginiana''), and white pine (''
Pinus strobus
''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...
''), but sometimes white oak (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
'') or scarlet oak (''
Quercus coccinea''). Varying amounts of oaks and pines can result in oak forests, mixed oak–pine forests, or small pine forests. Flowering dogwood (''
Cornus florida
''Cornus florida'', the flowering dogwood, is a species of flowering tree in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. An endemic population once spanned from southernmost coastal Maine south to northern Florida ...
''), sourwood (''
Oxydendrum arboreum
''Oxydendrum arboreum'', the sourwood or sorrel tree, is the sole species in the genus ''Oxydendrum'', in the family Ericaceae. It is native to eastern North America, from southern Pennsylvania south to northwest Florida and west to southern I ...
''), sassafras (''
Sassafras albidum''), and blackgum (''
Nyssa sylvatica
''Nyssa sylvatica'', commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and e ...
'') live in the midstory and hillside blueberry (''
Vaccinium pallidum
''Vaccinium pallidum'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family known by the common names hillside blueberry, Blue Ridge blueberry, late lowbush blueberry, and early lowbush blueberry. It is native to central Canada (Ontario) and the c ...
''), black huckleberry (''
Gaylussacia baccata
''Gaylussacia baccata'', the black huckleberry, is a common huckleberry found throughout a wide area of eastern North America.
Distribution
The plant is native to Eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region, the Midwestern and Northeastern Unit ...
''), and mountain laurel (''
Kalmia latifolia'') are common in the understory, where they can form a dense layer.
Dry–mesic oak forests
Northeastern interior dry–mesic oak forest The northeastern interior dry–mesic oak forest is a forest system found in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. These forests cov ...
s cover large areas at low and middle elevations, typically on flat to gently rolling terrain. Red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
''), white oak (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
''), and black oak (''
Quercus velutina'') are common oaks in this habitat. Other trees include hickories (''
Carya'' spp.), red maple (''
Acer rubrum''), sugar maple (''
Acer saccharum
''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...
''), white ash (''
Fraxinus americana''), tulip tree (''
Liriodendron tulipifera
''Liriodendron tulipifera''—known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tulipwood, tuliptree, tulip poplar, whitewood, fiddletree, and yellow-poplar—is the North American representative of the two-species genus ''Liriodendron'' (the other ...
''), American beech (''
Fagus grandifolia''), black cherry (''
Prunus serotina
''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the g ...
''), black birch (''
Betula lenta
''Betula lenta'' (sweet birch, also known as black birch, cherry birch, mahogany birch, or spice birch) is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from southern Maine west to southernmost Ontario, and south in the Appalachian Mounta ...
''), black tupelo (''
Nyssa sylvatica
''Nyssa sylvatica'', commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and e ...
''), and American elm (''
Ulmus americana''). Flowering dogwood (''
Cornus florida
''Cornus florida'', the flowering dogwood, is a species of flowering tree in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. An endemic population once spanned from southernmost coastal Maine south to northern Florida ...
'') is a common understory tree.
Pine-oak rocky woodland
Central Appalachian pine-oak rocky woodlands occur on lower-elevation hilltops,
outcrops, and rocky slopes and have a patchy or open aspect. Pitch pine (''
Pinus rigida
''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...
'') and Virginia pine (''
Pinus virginiana'') are common within their respective ranges. These pines are often mixed with dry-site
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
s such as chestnut oak (''
Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''), bear oak (''
Quercus ilicifolia
''Quercus ilicifolia'', commonly known as bear oak or scrub oak, is a small shrubby oak native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Its range extends in the United States from Maine to North Carolina, with reports of a few popula ...
''), northern red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
''), and scarlet oak (''
Quercus coccinea''). Sprouts of chestnut (''
Castanea dentata
The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts. ...
'') can also be found. In the northeast, eastern red-cedar (''
Juniperus virginiana'') or hophornbeam (''
Ostrya virginiana'') are sometimes important. In the understory, some areas have a fairly well-developed
heath shrub layer, others a
graminoid
In botany and ecology, graminoid refers to a herbaceous plant with a grass-like morphology, i.e. elongated culms with long, blade-like leaves. They are contrasted to forbs, herbaceous plants without grass-like features.
The plants most ofte ...
layer, the latter particularly common under deciduous trees such as oaks.
Montane oak forests
Montane oak forests occur on exposed ridges and on south- to west-facing slopes at middle elevations. Soils are thin and nutrient-poor and trees are often stunted and wind-flagged. Northern red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
'') and white oak (''
Quercus alba
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
'') are common, as are sprouts of American chestnut (''
Castanea dentata
The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts. ...
''). Winterberry (''
Ilex montana''), flame azalea (''
Rhododendron calendulaceum
''Rhododendron calendulaceum'', the flame azalea, is a species of '' Rhododendron'' native to North America. All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans.
Description
It is a deciduous shrub, 120–450 cm tall. The leaves are simple ...
''), catawba rhododendron (''
Rhododendron catawbiense
''Rhododendron catawbiense'', with common names Catawba rosebay, Catawba rhododendron, mountain rosebay, purple ivy, purple laurel, purple rhododendron, red laurel, rosebay, rosebay laurel, is a species of '' Rhododendron'' native to the eastern ...
''), and great rhododendron (''
Rhododendron maximum'') are common shrubs.
Montane pine forests and woodlands
These forests and woodlands are found on exposed ridges, clifftops, and south- and west-facing slopes. They occur at elevations between on often rocky ground. The underlying rock is acidic and
sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock (geology), rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic matter, organic particles at Earth#Surface, Earth's surface, followed by cementation (geology), cementation. Sedimentati ...
or
metasedimentary (e.g.,
quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...
s,
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
s and
shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
s). The soil is shallow, arid, and infertile. Dead wood,
ericaceous shrubs, and a thick layer of poorly decomposed
plant litter
Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that have fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituent ...
make this habitat very fire-prone. Most examples are dominated by table mountain pine (''
Pinus pungens''), often with pitch pine (''
Pinus rigida
''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...
'') or Virginia pine (''
Pinus virginiana''), and occasionally with Carolina hemlock (''
Tsuga caroliniana
''Tsuga caroliniana'', the Carolina hemlock, is a species of hemlock endemic to the United States. Distribution and habitat
Carolina hemlock is native to the Appalachian Mountains in southwest Virginia, western North Carolina, extreme northeas ...
'') and chestnut oak (''
Quercus prinus
''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...
''). This habitat takes the form of patchy to open woodlands, although closed-canopy may also be found.
Northern hardwood forests
Northern hardwood forests occur in cool,
mesic habitats found above on north- and east-facing slopes of the southern Appalachians. Oak forests are often found nearby, either at lower elevations or in more exposed areas. Sugar maple (''
Acer saccharum
''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...
''), beech (''
Fagus grandifolia''), yellow birch (''
Betula alleghaniensis
''Betula alleghaniensis'', the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the pa ...
''), and yellow buckeye (''
Aesculus flava
''Aesculus flava'', the yellow buckeye, common buckeye, or sweet buckeye, is a species of deciduous tree. It is native to the Ohio Valley and Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. It grows in mesophytic forest or floodplains, genera ...
'') dominate but are sometimes joined by the conifers eastern hemlock (''
Tsuga canadensis''), eastern white pine (''
Pinus strobus
''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...
''), and red spruce (''
Picea rubens''). Black cherry (''
Prunus serotina
''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the g ...
'') and white basswood (''
Tilia heterophylla
''Tilia caroliniana'' Mill. is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae native to the southern and south-eastern states of the U.S., and Mexico.
Taxonomy
''T. caroliniana'' consists of 4 subspecies:
* ''T. caroliniana subsp. caroliniana''
* ''T ...
'') are occasionally abundant. Red oak (''
Quercus rubra
''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
'') may be present but is not dominant. Areas where beech is dominant are known as beech gaps.
Hemlock–northern hardwood forests
Hemlock–northern hardwood forests are found in deep coves, moist flats, and ravines from Virginia and West Virginia northward. They include yellow birch (''
Betula alleghaniensis
''Betula alleghaniensis'', the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the pa ...
''), mountain maple (''
Acer spicatum
''Acer spicatum'', the mountain maple, dwarf maple, moose maple, or white maple, is a species of maple native to northeastern North America from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland, and south to Pennsylvania. It also grows at high elevations in the sout ...
''), sugar maple (''
Acer saccharum
''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...
''), and beech (''
Fagus grandifolia''). These trees are sometimes joined by hemlock (''
Tsuga canadensis'') or white pine (''
Pinus strobus
''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...
'').
Spruce-fir forests
Uncommon but significant are montane and allied spruce and
southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests. These occur only on the highest peaks and ridges, where the soils are poor, the growing season short, and moisture comes from rain, snow, and fog. Red spruce,
Fraser fir, yellow birch,
mountain ash Mountain ash may refer to:
* ''Eucalyptus regnans'', the tallest of all flowering plants, native to Australia
* Mountain-ashes or rowans, varieties of trees and shrubs in the genus ''Sorbus''
See also
* Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Mountai ...
, and
mountain maple identify these forests, while
hobblebush
''Viburnum lantanoides'' (commonly known as hobble-bush, witch-hobble, alder-leaved viburnum, American wayfaring tree, and moosewood) is a perennial shrub of the family Adoxaceae (formerly in the Caprifoliaceae), growing 2–4 meters (6–12&nbs ...
and
bearberry occur in the understory.
Balds
Appalachian balds are areas covered by native grasses or dense shrubs that occur only on some high-elevation summits and slopes.
Bogs
Appalachian bogs
Appalachian bogs are boreal or hemiboreal ecosystems, which occur in many places in the Appalachian Mountains, particularly the Allegheny and Blue Ridge subranges. Though popularly called bogs, many of them are technically fens.
Natural histo ...
are
boreal ecosystems, which occur in many places in the Appalachians, particularly the
Allegheny and
Blue Ridge subranges. Though popularly called
bog
A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
s, many of them are technically
fen
A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetlands along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as mires. T ...
s.
Sods
Sods
Sods is a term used in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia for a mountain top meadow or bog, in an area that is otherwise generally forested. The term is similar (perhaps identical) to that of a " grass bald", a more widespread desi ...
is a term used in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia for a mountaintop
meadow
A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifi ...
or bog, in an area that is otherwise generally forested. The term is similar to that of an Appalachian bald.
[Wilderness Committee, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, ''The Dolly Sods Area — 32,000 Acres in and Adjacent to the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia'', 4th edition; Revised Sept 1973, pg 7.]
Fauna
Endangered or threatened species of the Appalachians include some snails and salamanders, the
red-shouldered hawk (''Buteo lineatus''),
loggerhead shrike (''Lanius ludovicianus''),
Virginia big-eared bat
The Virginia big-eared bat (''Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus'')
is one of two endangered subspecies of the Townsend's big-eared bat. It is found in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. In 1979, the US Fish and Wildlife Ser ...
(''Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus''), the
red wolf
The red wolf (''Canis rufus'') is a canine native to the southeastern United States. Its size is intermediate between the coyote (''Canis latrans'') and gray wolf (''Canis lupus'').
The red wolf's taxonomic classification as being a separate s ...
(''Canis rufus'') and the
spruce-fir moss spider
The spruce-fir moss spider (''Microhexura montivaga'') is an endangered species of spider found at high elevations in the southern Appalachian Mountains. First identified in 1923, it inhabits moss that grows on rocks underneath the forest canopy. ...
(''Microhexura montivaga''). The limestone caves of the Appalachians are important habitat for bats,
invertebrate
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...
s, fish and
salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...
s including 34 species of
lungless salamander, more than anywhere else on earth.
Threats
![Wild Oak Trail View](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Wild_Oak_Trail_View.jpg)
The forests have been altered by logging and clearance for agriculture, urban and industrial development (including mining) with only small patches of original forest remaining, the largest of which is in the Great Smoky Mountains; nearly all of
Shenandoah National Park, for example, is regrown forest but still vital habitat for wildlife. The spruce and fir forests of the highlands have been logged particularly intensively and in many cases have not regenerated leaving areas of
Appalachian balds heath. Also, as large predators such as wolves and cougars have been removed, the forests are now being overgrazed by deer. Plants and animals are also threatened by introduced species including the
gypsy moth (''Lymantria dispar''),
spruce budworm (''Choristoneura fumiferana''),
hemlock woolly adelgid (''Adelges tsugae''),
balsam woolly adelgid (''A. piceae'') and the ''
Discula destructiva'' that affects
dogwood
''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shrub ...
s and is similar to chestnut blight.
Areas of intact habitat
Areas of intact forest, mostly in public ownership, include:
*Alabama
**
Talladega National Forest
The Talladega National Forest is located in the U.S. state of Alabama and covers 392,567 acres (613.39 sq mi, or 1,588.66 km2) at the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountains.
Before it was bought by the federal government in the 1930s, th ...
***
Dugger Mountain Wilderness
**
Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern Alabama, near Anniston, Alabama on the former site of Fort McClellan. It takes its name from some of the last remaining mountain longleaf pine (''Pinus ...
**
The Indian Mountain Tract
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
**
Little River Canyon National Preserve
*Georgia
**
Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area
**
Chattahoochee National Forest
***
Blood Mountain Wilderness
***
Raven Cliffs Wilderness
The Raven Cliffs Wilderness was designated in 1986 and currently consists of . The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattahoochee National Forest in White, Lumpkin, and Union Counties, Georgia. The Wilderness is managed by the Uni ...
***
Mark Trail Wilderness
The Mark Trail Wilderness was designated in 1991 and currently consists of . It is named in honor of Mark Trail, a daily newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattah ...
***
Southern Nantahala Wilderness
The Southern Nantahala Wilderness was designated in 1984 and currently consists of . Approximately are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately are located in North Carolina in the Nantahala National Forest. The ...
***
Ellicott Rock Wilderness
Ellicott Rock Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It was first designated by Congress in 1975 with the Eastern Wilderness Act. The majority of this land (approximate ...
***
Big Frog Wilderness
The Big Frog Wilderness was designated in 1984 and currently consists of . Approximately are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. The Wilderness is ma ...
***
Brasstown Wilderness
The Brasstown Wilderness was designated in 1986 and currently consists of . The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Union County and Towns County, Georgia. The Wilderness is managed by the United Stat ...
***
Tray Mountain Wilderness
***
Cohutta Wilderness
The Cohutta Wilderness was designated in 1975, expanded in 1986, and currently consists of . Approximately are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. T ...
***
Rich Mountain Wilderness
*South Carolina
**
Gorges State Park
Gorges State Park is a North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States and along with other conservation lands is part of a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor stretching some 80 miles along the NC/SC state ...
**
Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area
**
Sumter National Forest
***
Ellicott Rock Wilderness
Ellicott Rock Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It was first designated by Congress in 1975 with the Eastern Wilderness Act. The majority of this land (approximate ...
*North Carolina
**
DuPont State Forest
DuPont State Recreational Forest, commonly known as DuPont Forest, is a state forest, located in Henderson and Transylvania counties of North Carolina. The name originates from the fact that the DuPont company arranged the sale of the original ...
**
Pisgah National Forest
***
Shining Rock Wilderness
Named for Shining Rock, the Shining Rock Wilderness is a protected Wilderness Area in Haywood County, North Carolina. Its first have been part of the National Wilderness Preservation System since the System was created in 1964. It now includes ...
***
Middle Prong Wilderness
***
Linville Gorge Wilderness
**
Nantahala National Forest
***
Ellicott Rock Wilderness
Ellicott Rock Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It was first designated by Congress in 1975 with the Eastern Wilderness Act. The majority of this land (approximate ...
***
Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, created in 1975, covers in the Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina and the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee, in the watersheds of the Slickrock and Little Santeetlah Creeks. It is na ...
**
Cherokee National Forest
**
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, whi ...
**
South Mountains State Park
South Mountains State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Connellys Springs, North Carolina, it covers and includes part of the South Mountains, a branch of the Blue Ridge Mou ...
*Tennessee
**
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, whi ...
**
Cherokee National Forest
***
Little Frog Wilderness
***
Big Frog Wilderness
The Big Frog Wilderness was designated in 1984 and currently consists of . Approximately are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. The Wilderness is ma ...
***
Cohutta Wilderness
The Cohutta Wilderness was designated in 1975, expanded in 1986, and currently consists of . Approximately are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. T ...
***
Gee Creek Wilderness Designated in 1975, the Gee Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area lying mostly within Polk County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The northeasternmost section of Gee Creek extends into Monroe County. Its elevation is above sea level. Gee Creek Wil ...
***
Bald River Gorge Wilderness
Bald River Gorge Wilderness is a wilderness area of Cherokee National Forest that lies within Monroe County in the U.S. state of Tennessee, designated in 1984. Its elevation is above sea level. It is administered by the United States Forest Ser ...
***
Citico Creek Wilderness
Citico Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area within the Cherokee National Forest in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The wilderness contains the entire upper drainage of Citico Creek, which consists of the north and south forks and at least eight tri ...
***
Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, created in 1975, covers in the Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina and the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee, in the watersheds of the Slickrock and Little Santeetlah Creeks. It is na ...
***
Sampson Mountain Wilderness Sampson may refer to:
Military
* , several Royal Navy ships
* , several US Navy ships
* Sampson-class destroyer, a World War I US Navy class
* Sampson Air Force Base, near Seneca Lake, New York, closed in 1956
* SAMPSON, a multi-function radar sys ...
***
Unaka Mountain Wilderness Unaka may refer to:
*Unaka High School, a public high school located northeast of Elizabethton, Tennessee
*Unaka National Forest, formerly in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
*Unaka Range
The Unaka Range is a mountain range on the border o ...
***
Pond Mountain Wilderness
A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing their ecology from th ...
***
Big Laurel Branch Wilderness
Designated by the United States Congress in 1986, the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness is a wilderness area within Carter County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The area's elevation is above sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to s ...
*Virginia
**
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
***
Ramsey's Draft Wilderness
Ramsey's Draft Wilderness is a designated wilderness area in the North River Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of Virginia in the United States. The wilderness area was established in 1984 and comprises . It i ...
***
Rough Mountain Wilderness
Rough Mountain Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the Warm Springs Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The wilderness area is located on Rough Mountain and consists of . Rough Mountain Wilderness ranges in ...
***
Rich Hole Wilderness
Rich Hole Wilderness is a designated wilderness area in the James River Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of Virginia in the United States. The wilderness area was established in 1988 and comprises . It is adm ...
***
Saint Mary's Wilderness
Saint Mary's Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The wilderness area is located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Parkway's northern terminus and consists of . Saint Mary's Wilderness ...
***
Priest Wilderness
***
Three Ridges Wilderness
***
James River Face Wilderness
The James River Face Wilderness is an 8,907-acre area located near Natural Bridge, Virginia that is protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the National Wilderness Preservation ...
***
Shawvers Run Wilderness
The Shawvers Run Wilderness, a 5784-acre area located less than one mile south of Potts Creek, Virginia, is protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the National Wilderness Preservat ...
***
Peters Mountain Wilderness
The Peters Mountain Wilderness is an area protected by act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system. it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a diversity of plant and ...
***
Mountain Lake Wilderness
Mountain Lake Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The wilderness area is located next to privately owned Mountain Lake, and consists of in Virginia and in West Virginia.
Thanks to freq ...
***
Brush Mountain East Wilderness
Brush Mountain East Wilderness is a U.S. wilderness area in the Eastern Divide Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. It was designated as wilderness area in 2009 by Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. The ...
***
Brush Mountain Wilderness
The Brush Mountain Wilderness is an area protected by Act of Congress (Eastern Wilderness Act) to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a ...
***
Hunting Camp Creek Wilderness
The Hunting Camp Creek Wilderness is an area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes t ...
***
Garden Mountain Wilderness
***
Beartown Wilderness
Beartown Wilderness is a U.S. wilderness area in the Eastern Divide Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. It is a very rural Wilderness, consisting of an area of with elevations ranging from . It was created from ...
***
Little Dry Run Wilderness
The Little Dry Run Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it is intended to preserve a var ...
***
Raccoon Branch Wilderness
The Raccoon Branch Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it is intended to preserve a v ...
***
Little Wilson Creek Wilderness
The Little Wilson Creek Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it is intended to preserve ...
***
Lewis Fork Wilderness
The Lewis Fork Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it is intended to preserve a variet ...
**
Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area
**
Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area
**
Nathaniel Mountain Wildlife Management Area
**
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area is located in Morgan County, West Virginia, Morgan and Berkeley County, West Virginia, Berkeley Counties in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. It encompasses , mostly covered with mixed oak and pine forest, a ...
**
Shenandoah National Park
**
Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area
Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area is a Wildlife Management Area in Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 154,705. Its coun ...
*West Virginia
**
Monongahela National Forest
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Laurel Fork North Wilderness
Laurel Fork North Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the Greenbrier Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. The Wilderness protects high-elevation lands along Laurel Fork (Cheat River) and is bordered by Middl ...
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Laurel Fork South Wilderness
Laurel Fork South Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the Greenbrier Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. The Wilderness protects high-elevation lands along Laurel Fork (Cheat River) and is bordered by Middl ...
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Spice Run Wilderness
Spice Run Wilderness (SRW) is a U.S. Wilderness area within the Monongahela National Forest of West Virginia in the United States. The remote area has no passenger car access.
Access
Users of SRW must enter it via the Greenbrier River (easily fo ...
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Big Draft Wilderness
*Maryland
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Savage River State Forest
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Green Ridge State Forest
Green Ridge State Forest is a state forest in Western Maryland. Approximately in size, it is situated along Green Ridge and Town Hill in eastern Allegany County.
Camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and boating are all permitted in Green Ridge St ...
*Pennsylvania
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Buchanan State Forest
Buchanan State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #2. The main office is located in McConnellsburg in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The forest also includes tracts in Frankli ...
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Michaux State Forest
Michaux State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #1. The main offices are located in Fayetteville in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA.
The Michaux State Forest is in several tracts covering mo ...
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Tuscarora State Forest
Tuscarora State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #3. The main office is located in Blain in Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States.
Tuscarora State Forest contains in several tracts an ...
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Rothrock State Forest
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Bald Eagle State Forest
Bald Eagle State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #7. The main office is located in Laurelton in Union County, Pennsylvania. The forest is found in Centre, Clinton, Mifflin, Snyder, and Union ...
*New Jersey
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Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
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Bear Swamp Wildlife Management Area
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Worthington State Forest
Worthington State Forest is a state forest located in Warren County, New Jersey within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, just north of the water gap in the Skylands Region of the state. It covers an area of and stretches for mor ...
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Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge
Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge is part of the National Wildlife Refuge system. Established in 1990 by Public Law 101-593, the refuge straddles of the Wallkill River at and just south of the New York-New Jersey border. Most of the refug ...
*New York
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Highland Lakes State Park
Highland Lakes State Park is a undeveloped state park in the towns of Wallkill and Crawford in Orange County, New York, United States. The park is located northeast of the city of Middletown, west of Route 211. It is the largest undeveloped ...
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Stewart State Forest
Stewart State Forest is a state forest in Orange County, New York, United States. It is located West of Stewart International Airport and North of Rock Tavern. It comprises a mix of wetlands, fields and forest.
It offers of gravel roads and of ...
See also
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Appalachian temperate rainforest
The Appalachian temperate rainforest is located in the southern Appalachian Mountains of the eastern U.S. About 351,500 square kilometers (135,000 square miles) of forest land is spread across eastern Kentucky, southwestern Virginia, western North ...
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Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest — ''an adjacent higher elevations ecoregion''.
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Appalachian balds
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List of ecoregions in the United States (WWF)
The following is a list of ecoregions in the United States as identified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The United States is a megadiverse country with a high level of endemism across a wide variety of ecosystems.
Terrestrial ecoregi ...
References
Veggies
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in the United States
Ecoregions of the United States
Appalachian forests
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Appalachian Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
Plant communities of Alabama
Plant communities of Georgia (U.S. state)
Plant communities of Maryland
Plant communities of New York (state)
Plant communities of North Carolina
Plant communities of Tennessee
Plant communities of Virginia
Nearctic ecoregions