Atlantic Coastal Plain Sandhill Seep
These seepage communities occur as small patches on slopes in dissected terrain, mainly in the Fall-line Sandhills region of the Carolinas and Georgia. This system occurs in areas where a clay lens or other impermeable layer below the soil surface forces groundwater to the surface. Soils are seasonally to permanently saturated and range from sandy or clayey to mucky. Vegetation consists of a complex mixture of pine savanna and pocosin species. The tree canopy (dominated by longleaf pine and/or pond pine) may be open or absent, and patches of dense shrubs may also be present. The herbaceous layer is dominated by a mixture of dense wetland grasses, ferns, and herbs. The structure and composition of these seepage communities are largely determined by fire frequency and intensity, which is influenced by both the fire regime of the surrounding community and the wetness of the seep at the time of fire. For more information, see NatureServe Explorer.
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