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Major stands of southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest. The southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest consists of several stands covering a combined area of between 60,000 and 70,000 acres (24,000 and 28,000 ha), [2] [6] although less conservative estimates have placed the forest's coverage at around 90,000 acres (36,000 ha). [7]
The great majority of conifer genera and species are evergreen, retaining their leaves for several (2–40) years before falling, but unusual deciduous conifers occur in five genera (Larix, Pseudolarix, Glyptostrobus, Metasequoia and Taxodium), shedding their leaves in autumn and leafless through the winter.
Similarly, the Southeastern conifer forests occupy the Gulf coastal plain to the south. Higher, and to the north and west, are the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests and the Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests of the Appalachian Mountains. [2] Small stands of these forests extend into north Florida.
In terms of biodiversity, the only comparable temperate deciduous forest regions in the world are in central China, Japan, and in the Caucasus Mountains.Both the Appalachians (along with the neighbouring Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests ecoregion) and central China contain relict habitats of an ancient forest that was once widespread over the Northern Hemisphere.
Map of wood-filled areas in the United States, circa 2000 [1]. In the United States, the forest cover by state and territory is estimated from tree-attributes using the basic statistics reported by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Forest Service. [2]
The Southeastern conifer forests are a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of the southeastern United States. It is the largest conifer forest ecoregion east of the Mississippi River . [ 2 ] It is also the southernmost instance of temperate coniferous forest within the Nearctic realm .
The Middle Atlantic coastal forests stretch along the Southern Atlantic coast of the United States from extreme South Jersey south to the Georgia coast. They cover the lower Atlantic coastal plain and are bordered on the west by the Southeastern mixed forests. [2] The habitats of the ecoregion are constantly modified by natural processes.
Regional climate was similar to or slightly drier than modern conditions. Oak, hickory, chestnut, and southern pine species were abundant. Walnuts, beech, sweetgum, alder, birch, tulip poplar, elms, hornbeams (Carpinus spp.), basswoods, and others that are generally common in modern southern deciduous forests were also common then.