4.4 Terrestrial Communities
4.4 Terrestrial Communities Terrestrial and aquatic systems are highly connected to the extent that upland land clear- ing activities can result in increased erosion and sedimentation in adjacent riparian communities. Water quality impacts can reduce aquatic species population sizes, leading to food limitations for terrestrial species with an aquatic food base. Unfortunately, the Southeast contains some of the most endangered ecosystems in the country: southern Appalachian spruce–fr, Longleaf Pine forest and savanna, eastern grasslands, coastal com- munities, and forested wetlands (Noss et al. 1995) . Treats to habitats across the region include fragmentation, conversion to other habitat types, suppression of fre, and outright loss due to development (Noss et al. 1995; Ricketts et al. 1999) . Tere are numerous other threats that can afect a broad range of terrestrial or upland communities and the natural community descriptions provided in this Section include information about the problems that afect specifc community types. Additional informa- tion about threats most likely to impact fsh and wildlife and their habitats is provided in Chapter 5. Te natural communities described in this Section are based on descriptions published by the NC Natural Heritage Program (Schafale and Weakley 1990; NCNHP 2010; Schafale 2012) . Te recom- mendations provided within each of the natural community descriptions represent pri- orities specifc to those habitats. Numerous state, regional, and national eforts have been used as a resource on which to build the conservation priorities addressed in this chap- ter. To the greatest extent possible and where applicable, the guidance provided by these important eforts has been incorporated into this Plan. Tere are numerous threats that can afect a broad range of terrestrial or upland communi- ties and some of the most common and widely occurring are described in this section. Te natural community descriptions provided in this Chapter provide information about the problems that afect specifc community types. Additional information about threats likely to impact wildlife and habitats is provided in Chapter 5. Te natural community descriptions in Sections 4.4.1 through 4.4.18 are generally arranged in elevational order as they occur on the landscape, beginning in the western Mountains and proceeding eastward toward the coast. Tose that are found statewide are provided at the end of this section. Common names are used throughout this document for species discussions except for those animals for which there is taxonomic uncertainty or for inver- tebrates that are not Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN); in those few instances the scientifc name is provided in the text for the species.
Appendix E contains lists of common and scientifc names for invasive, exotic, and non- native species and the common and scientifc names of the native plants identifed in the
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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