4.3 Wetland Natural Communities
adjacent to rivers and streams includes potential problems associated with direct input of contaminants and sediment, alteration of hydrologic patterns and processes, temperature regimes, and loss of critical habitat adjacent to aquatic habitat that may be of equal impor- tance to species that only spend a portion of their lives in the water, like some amphibians. Drainage of wetlands has exacerbated the problems in and adjacent to foodplain forest habitats. Tis habitat loss impacts all foodplain species, including furbearers, breeding amphibians, overwintering birds, and migrant species that use these areas as stopover sites. Water quality is also an issue in certain major river drainages that negatively afects many invertebrates, fsh, amphibians, and reptiles. Tis ecosystem contains some extremely rare disjunct and near endemic plant species. Teir rarity makes them vulnerable to changes in habitat. Random events in specifc loca- tions can have major impacts on the expected viability of whole species. Two cane-feeding moths are endemic (or nearly so) to the North Carolina Coastal Plain. Habitat for these species is divided between blackwater and brownwater foodplains, as well as peatlands. All of these species, plus the larger guild of cane-feeding insects, is likely to beneft from increased canopy gaps and other disturbances associated with climate change. Diversity of “native” species may potentially increase due to movement of more southerly species northward into this habitat type (e.g., Wood Storks, Swallowtail Kites, water elms, water locusts). Te Wood Stork has expanded its breeding range in the state and is now nesting at several blackwater stream/river sites. More substantial changes may occur in foodplains north of North Carolina, beyond the current range of widespread southern foodplain species. 4.3.3.6 Recommendations Surveys are needed to document the distribution, relative abundance, and status of many wildlife species associated with these habitats. Priorities for conducting surveys need to focus on species believed to be declining, at risk, or mainly dependent on these commu- nities (like rails). Secondary priority for surveys should be for species for which current distribution information is already available or for species that are considered common. Many bird species associated with these community types are not sampled well or at all by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Surveys. Distributional and status surveys need to focus on species believed to be declin- ing or mainly dependent on at-risk or sensitive natural communities.
• Document Bald Eagle nesting sites.
• Survey for poorly known or secretive semi-aquatic snakes—Rainbow Snake, Glossy Crayfsh Snake, and Black Swamp Snake.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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