4.4 Terrestrial Communities
Land conservation or preservation can serve numerous purposes in the face of anticipated climate change, but above all, it promotes ecosystem resilience. • Make particular efort to protect examples at the higher elevations, where the commu- nity is likely to persist and where the seed source for migration to higher elevations will primarily come from.
• Protect the current habitat and connectivity of isolated patches through conservation ownership acquisition or easement.
• Increase connectivity among habitat patches, both through acquisition or management of adjacent stands. Preservation of large tracts of minimally disturbed older forests may be key to maintaining forest litter amphibian populations.
4.4.4 Cove Forests 4.4.4.1 Ecosystem Description
Cove forests are some of the most well-known and recognized community types in the Mountains, occurring on sheltered, moist, low to moderate elevation sites. Tey are char- acterized by a dense forest canopy of moisture-loving trees. Tere are three community types in this ecosystem: rich cove forest, acidic cove forest, and basic mesic forest (montane calcareous subtype). • Te rich cove forest type, occurring in the most fertile sites, has a lush herb layer and relatively few shrubs. Te high diversity in all vegetation layers makes this forest of great interest to botanists and ecologists. • Te acidic cove forest, which occurs in less fertile but otherwise similar sites to those occupied by rich cove forests, is dominated by the more acid tolerant species, and has undergrowth dominated by ericaceous shrubs such as rhododendron, rather than by herbs. Canada Hemlock forests have similarly dense shrub layers and relatively few herbs. • Te basic mesic forest (montane calcareous subtype) is a geologically restricted com- munity that occurs on rare outcrops of limestone, marble, or dolomite, and is dom- inated by trees that favor high pH soils. Tese communities are naturally relatively stable, uneven-aged climax forests, with trees up to several centuries old.
Te 2005 WAP describes Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Cove Forest as a priority habitat (see Chapter 5) (NCWRC 2005) .
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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