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The forest floor functions as a wastebasket for all the layers above it. Materials accumulate most rapidly in the fall as the dead leaves of deciduous species fall to the ground. However, a steady...
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Herbaceous plants, or herbs for short, are green plants that have soft rather than woody stems. Most wildflowers and grasses are herbs, as are ferns and mosses.
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Shrubs are woody plants that have several stems and are generally shorter than trees. In ravines and along creeks, shrubs such as rosebay rhododendron from dense thickets. In other areas, shrubs may...
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The understory typically includes smaller individuals of canopy species such as beach and yellow buckeye. Also present are genetically smaller trees that never reach the canopy, such as flowering...
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Mature trees in a cove forest are so large and so closely bunched together that the canopy is like a huge tent that shuts out the sunlight. Most photosynthesis (food production) of the forest occurs...
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Due to high winds, old age and other natural causes, trees frequently fall over, which creates openings (gaps) in the forest. These openings promote species diversity by creating additional and...
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Steep slopes and a dense canopy of deciduous tress obscure the sun. As a result, the florest floor tends to be in deep shade for most of the year.
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Cove forests typically have deep nutrient-rich soils that are less acidic than surrounding areas. A favorable soil, coupled with a relatively cool, moist environment, promotes a rich diversity of...
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Cove forests are also called "mixed mesophytic forests." The term, "mixed mesophytic forest" refers to a mixture of tree species adapted to relatively cool, moist environments and rich soils...
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“P” is for Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge. Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge is in Beaufort County, between Skull Creek and Mackay Creek. The Refuge was established in 1975 and opened in 1985. It is...