Habitats of North Carolina

High Elevation Forests
General High Elevation Forests

Notice: Undefined index: SHS1 in /opt/library/WebServer/Documents/habitat/get_species_view_edit.php on line 289

Notice: Undefined index: SHS1 in /opt/library/WebServer/Documents/habitat/get_species_view_edit.php on line 289

Notice: Undefined index: SHS1 in /opt/library/WebServer/Documents/habitat/get_species_view_edit.php on line 289

Notice: Undefined index: SHS1 in /opt/library/WebServer/Documents/habitat/get_species_view_edit.php on line 289

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

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