Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland
This longleaf pine woodland ecological system ranges from southeastern Virginia to northeastern Florida, and was historically an extensive community in that area of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. These communities occur on a variety of well- to excessively drained sandy or sandy loam soils. They are characterized by a canopy of longleaf pine, and most areas also have an understory of scrub oaks. The herb layer is generally well-developed and dominated by wiregrass (Carolina wiregrass in the north and southern wiregrass in the south) and other grasses. The gopher tortoise is an important keystone species in the southern range of this system. Like other longleaf pine communities, this system is maintained by frequent, low-intensity wildland fire. For more information, see NatureServe Explorer.
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