Habitats of North Carolina
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NC Biodiversity Project
Habitat Group:
Beaches
Conifer Forests
Early Succesional and Semi-Natural Habitats
Floodplain Forests
General Hardwood Forests
General Shrublands
High Elevation Forests
Lentic Habitats
Longleaf Pine Woodlands
Lotic Habitats
Marine Habitats
Maritime Forests and Dunes
Marshes, Mires, and Shoreline Habitats
Peatland Forests and Shrublands
Rock Outcrops, Glades, and Barrens
Underground Habitats
Upland Hardwood Forests
Habitat Type:
Members of High Elevation Forests:
Spruce-Fir Forests
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High Elevation Forests
General High Elevation Forests
Habitat Overview
Species composing this habitat group are associated with high elevation -- > 4,000' -- forests. Canopy composition itself is not a deciding factor and the forests can include either pure stands of Spruce-Fir Forest or Northern Hardwood Forest or a mixture of the two. Cool temperatures and high moisture content are critical factors and having a dense forest canopy overhead helps maintain those conditions. Abundant leaf litter and fallen logs on the forest floor are also key habitat features and are again associated with forest cover, as are the mosses and lichens that thrive in dense shade.
This habitat includes both mixed stands of high elevation conifers and hardwoods but can also include pure stands of hardwoods, but where the associated species are limited to high elevations. We do not have a separate habitat that represents Northern Hardwood Forests, since most of the species that characterize that natural community type are also found in cove forests at lower elevations (Schafale, 2012). Instead, we treat all species confined to high elevation forests -- apart from the specialists on spruce and fir -- in this habitat type.
Related NHP Natural Communities
The following NHP community types contribute units of this habitat: Fraser Fir Forest (Herb Subtype), Fraser Fir Forest (Rhododendron Subtype), Red Spruce–Fraser Fir Forest (Herb Subtype), Red Spruce–Fraser Fir Forest (Rhododendron Subtype), Red Spruce–Fraser Fir Forest (Boulderfield Subtype), Red Spruce–Fraser Fir Forest (Birch Transition Herb Subtype), Red Spruce–Fraser Fir Forest (Birch Transition Shrub Subtype), Red Spruce–Fraser Fir Forest (Low Rhododendron Subtype), Northern Hardwood Forest (Typic Subtype), Northern Hardwood Forest (Rich Subtype), Northern Hardwood Forest (Beech Gap Subtype), and High Elevation Birch Boulderfield Forest
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Determining Species
Taxa
Global Rank
State Rank
Probability of Extirpation (PE)
HARDWOODS
Acer spicatum
- Mountain Maple
G5
S3
0.0058
Populus grandidentata
- Bigtooth Aspen
G5
S2
0.0460
Populus tremuloides
- Quaking Aspen
G5
S1
0.3584
Sorbus americana
- American Mountain-ash
G5
S3
0.0058
BIRDS
Aegolius acadicus
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
G5
S2
0.0460
Certhia americana
- Brown Creeper
G5
S3
0.0058
Regulus satrapa
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
G5
S3S4
0.0020
MOTHS
Anaplectoides brunneomedia
- Brown-lined Dart Moth
G4
S3S4
0.0020
Anaplectoides prasina
- Green Arches Moth
G5
S3S4
0.0020
Aplectoides condita
G4
S2S3
0.0164
Arctia caja
- Great Tiger Moth
G5
S1
0.3584
Diarsia rubifera
- Red Dart Moth
G5
S2S4
0.0058
Dysstroma citrata
- Dark Marbled Carpet Moth
G5
S2S3
0.0164
Dysstroma truncata
- Marbled Carpet Moth
GNR
S3
0.0058
Eueretagrotis perattentus
- Two-spot Dart Moth
G5
S3S4
0.0020
Eueretagrotis sigmoides
- Sigmoid Dart Moth
G5
S2S3
0.0164
Eupithecia tripunctaria
G5
S2S3
0.0164
Korscheltellus gracilis
- Conifer Swift Moth
GNR
S1S2
0.1284
Lithophane georgii
G5
S1S2
0.1284
Pachypolia atricornis
- Three-horned Sallow
G3G4
S2S3
0.0164
Perizoma basaliata
- Square-patched Carpet Moth
G5
S2S3
0.0164
Platarctia parthenos
- St. Lawrence Tiger Moth
G5
S1S2
0.1284
Rheumaptera hastata
- Spear-Marked Black Moth
G5
S2S3
0.0164
Venusia cambrica
- Welsh Wave Moth
G5
S3S4
0.0020
GRAMINOIDS
Cinna latifolia
- Drooping Woodreed
G5
S1S2
0.1284
FORBS
Circaea alpina
- Small Enchanter's-nightshade
G5
S3
0.0058
Circaea alpina ssp. alpina
- Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade
G5T5
S3
Clintonia borealis
- Bluebead-lily
G5
S4
0.0007
Eurybia chlorolepis
- Mountain Wood-aster
G4
S3
0.0058
Neottia cordata
- Heartleaf Twayblade
G5
SX
Oclemena acuminata
- Whorled Wood-aster
G5
S4
0.0007
Oxalis montana
- Mountain Woodsorrel
G5
S3
0.0058
Rugelia nudicaulis
- Rugel's Ragwort
G3
S3
0.0058
Streptopus amplexifolius
- Clasping Twisted-stalk
G5
S1
0.3584
Streptopus lanceolatus
- Rosy Twisted-stalk
G5
S3
0.0058
SALAMANDERS
Desmognathus organi
- Northern Pygmy Salamander
G3
S2
0.0460
Desmognathus wrighti
- Southern Pygmy Salamander
G3
S2
0.0460
FERNS
Dryopteris campyloptera
- Mountain Wood-fern
G5
S3
0.0058
MAMMALS
Glaucomys sabrinus
- Northern Flying Squirrel
G5
S2
0.0460
Sorex dispar
- Long-tailed Shrew
G4
S3
0.0058
VINES
Rubus idaeus
- Red Raspberry
G5
S2
0.0460
HARVESTMEN
Sabacon mitchelli
GNR
S1S2
0.1284
SHRUBS
Sambucus racemosa
- Red Elderberry
G5
S3
0.0058
Viburnum lantanoides
- Hobblebush
G5
S4
0.0007
BEETLES
Trechus aduncus
-
GNR
SHS1
Trechus caliginis
-
GNR GHG1
SHS1
Trechus cheoahensis
-
GNR
S1
0.3584
Trechus coweensis
-
GNR
S1
0.3584
Trechus haoeleadensis
-
GNR
S1
0.3584
Trechus howellae
-
GNR
S1
0.3584
Trechus hydropicus avus
-
GNRTNR
SHS1
Trechus hydropicus beutenmuelleri
-
GNRTNR
S2S3
Trechus inexpectatus
-
GNR
SH
Trechus luculentus cheoahbaldensis
-
G23T1
S1
Trechus luculentus joannabaldensis
-
G2G33T1
S1
Trechus luculentus wayahensis
-
G2G33T2
S2
Trechus nantahalae
-
GNR
S1
0.3584
Trechus satanicus
-
GH G1
S1
Trechus schwarzi scopulosus
-
GNRTNR
SHS1
Trechus subtilis
-
GH G1
S1S2
Trechus talequah
-
GNR
S1
0.3584
Expected Number of Extirpations with a PE value (Sum of PE) = 4.3459
N = Number of Extant Species with a PE value = 48
Average PE = ENE/N = 0.0905
Number of S5 species = 0
Proportion of Secure Species = Number of S5 Species/N = 0.0000
Habitat Risk Index = ENE x (1 – PSS) = 4.3459
Candidates for Inclusion
Habitat Sub-sets
Distribution Map
Distribution
Survey Coverage Map
Survey Coverage
Survey Priorities
Average Imperilment of Habitat Members
Habitat Conservation Status
High Quality Habitat Occurrence Table
High Quality Habitat Occurrences
Protected Habitat Occurrences
Threats and Trends
Status Summary
Stewardship Recommendations
References
Haas, I., 2016. Habitat Use of Northern Pygmy Salamander (Desmognathus organi) and Southern Pygmy Salamander (D. wrighti) in North Carolina. 2016 NCUR. Accessible online at: https://www.ncurproceedings.org/ojs/index.php/NCUR2016/article/download/1674/882
Updated on
2019-10-27 19:25:45