Tyler, Ed, Ents; I've heard a slightly different explanation for the origin of the sandhills. For many years they were thought to be ancient coastal dunes, but a lack of marine fossils, even microfossils, and other has now led to the conclusion they are riverine deposits. Regardless of their origin, they are a region of deep sand soils along the Piedmont-Coastal Plain interface stretching throughout the Carolinas and Georgia. The region's hot and humid climate, nurtrient poor soils, and historically high fire frequency allowed extensive open forests dominated by longleaf pine and turkey oak (Quercus laevis) to develop. The acidic soils favor heath understories (blueberries, huckleberries, Lyonia, and dog hobble) on both uplands and lowlands, but exceptionally diverse herbaceous communities develop in some longleaf pine stands.
Jess On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 4:48 PM, Tyler<[email protected]> wrote: > > Ed, > > The sandhills are thought to be remains of an ancient sea that > retreated thousands of years ago. They mark the transistion between > the rolling hills of the piedmont and the flat coastal plain. Sea > shells, shark teeth, and other fossils can still be found in the > sandhills area. In addition to Sand Hills State Forest's 46,000 acres, > there's also the Carolina Sandhills NWR's 46,000 acres, and Cheraw > State Park's 7,000+ acres. All three of these areas are connected > together. > > Tyler > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
