4.1 Introduction
• Piedmont . Te Piedmont ecoregion includes areas east of the foot of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and west of the fall line, excluding the Brushy, Sauratown, and South mountain ranges. Te fall line is a major break in geologic structure between the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain which results in diferences in ecosystem patterns and the variety of relief and roughness (Bailey 2009) . Tis ecoregion covers about 40% of the state, is centrally located between the Mountains and Coastal Plain, and gener- ally contains the most urban areas with the highest population densities. A variety of underlying hard rock formations infuence the landform, with gently rolling hills to the rather steep hills of the Uwharrie Mountain Range (Montgomery, Randolph, and Stanly counties) and the Kings Mountain Range (Cleveland and Gaston counties) (SCO 2014) . Elevations range from about 1,500 feet in the foothills to about 200 feet at the fall line (SCO 2014) . Because water resources are often seasonally limited, several reservoirs have been built to provide drinking water to rapidly developing urban and suburban centers that are replacing agriculture and forest lands (Gallant et al. 2004) . • Sandhills . Te North Carolina Sandhills are the southwestern portion of the Coastal Plain physiographic province. Te Sandhills ecoregion is distinguished by its distinc- tive geomorphology and vegetation and covers about 3% of the state. It is generally located between the south-central and southeastern part of the state, encompassing portions of Anson, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, and Montgomery counties. Te name derives from the predominantly sandy soils formed of Cretaceous-age marine sands and, in some places, clays that are capped by Tertiary-age sands deposited over Piedmont metamorphic rocks. Te landscape has rolling hills and nutrient-poor soils. Te Sandhills represents a former coastline and is well known for having many rare plants (Omernik and Grifth 2008) . • Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (Coastal Plain). Tis ecoregion includes areas east of the fall line (excluding the Sandhills) and the tidal coast (ocean, sounds, barrier islands, and mainland brackish and salt marshes). Te Coastal Plain covers about 40% of the state (Land et al. 2004) . It may be divided roughly into two sections: the tidewater area (lower Coastal Plain), which is largely fat and swampy, and the interior portion (upper Coastal Plain), which is made up of gently sloping elevations and is better drained than other regions. Te average elevation is from about 200 feet at the fall line (or western boundary separation from the Piedmont), sloping to an elevation of generally 50 feet or less over most of the mainland landscape, with barrier islands being close to sea level (SCO 2014) .
4.1.1 Natural Community Descriptions Tis Chapter provides descriptions for important aquatic, wetland, and terrestrial natural communities found in North Carolina and updates material provided in Chapter 5 of the
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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