PocosinsBy Steven Gilio

Distribution Found on the coastal plains

of the southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida.

Most common in North Carolina (70%).

Characteristics Occupy poorly drained

higher ground between streams and floodplains.• Pocosin is an Algonquin

Indian word that means “swamp on a hill”.

Range in size from less than an acre to several thousand acres.

Characteristics Pocosins will often be found on top of perched water

tables

Characteristics Deep, acidic, sandy, peat

soils

Dense evergreen plant communities, which thrive on acidic, nutrient-poor soils.

No standing water present .

Shallow water table leaves the soil saturated for much of the year.

Characteristics

Pocosins are pyrophitic ecosystems.

Natural fires occur becausepocosins periodically become very dry in the spring orsummer.

Fires are ecologically important because theyIncrease the diversity of shrubtypes in pocosins.

Characteristics Tall Pocosins

Taller trees Shallow peat

More soil nutrients

Short Pocosins

Shorter trees Deeper peat

Less soil nutrients

Ecological Functions Essential to the healthy

functioning of estuaries along the Southeastern U.S. coastline.

Good at absorbing and retaining rainfall, which is then released slowly into nearby streams and saltwater marshes.

Valuable for storm water retention and groundwater recharge.

Provides specialized habitat

Flora and Plant LifePond PineLoblolly Pine Longleaf Pine

Flora and Plant LifeTiti Tree

Fetterbush

Zenobia

Flora and Plant Life

Sphagnum Moss Venus Fly Trap

Wildlife

Black Bear

Red Wolf

Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

Threats

Agriculture

• More than 3,000 squaremiles were drained between 1962 and 1979.

• About 1,400 square milesof undisturbed pocosins Remain today

Timber harvest

Peat mining

Phosphate mining

The End

Just ignore this slide skinner, I won’t show it during my presentation it is for my own personal use

http://www.nhptv.org/wild/pocosins.asp

http://www.iwla.org/publications/enews/ss/v1_iss5.htm

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Pocosins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocosin