Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland
This woodland ecological system occurs in the Fall-line Sandhills region of central North Carolina extending into central Georgia. It occurs on upland sites, often with dissected topography, ranging from gently rolling, broad ridgetops to steeper slopes, as well as locally in moist swales and terraces. Soils are well- to excessively drained, interbedded sands and clays. Longleaf pine is the dominant tree species, however, many sites also have an understory of scrub oaks. The well-developed herbaceous layer is dominated by legumes and grasses, including wiregrass (Carolina wiregrass in the north, southern wiregrass in the south). The gopher tortoise, a keystone species in longleaf pine communities farther south, are absent from this type. 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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