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FNAI
COMMUNITY: Sandhill
STAGE DESCRIPTION
- Overstory:
Yellow pine (slash, pond, loblolly or longleaf), predominantly
longleaf pine overstory is commonly closed to nearly closed
(greater than 75% closure). Thickets of post size
to mature sand pines are commonly observed, usually invading
from adjacent scrub areas. Tall oaks, particularly
turkey oak and live oak, may be becoming part of the overstory
in some areas.
- Mid
Story: The
midstory is typically dominated by dense, tall, broadly-clumped
saw palmetto with more numerous dwarf live oak and turkey
oak; the latter often found in thickets. Palmetto
usually greater than 4 feet in average height. Oaks
vary in size from large trees to shrubs in thickets.
- Ground
Cover: Typical
bunch grasses such as wiregrass, bluestem, or broomsedge.
Grasses in this fuel category occupy 25% or less of
surface fuel cover area.
- Duff/Litter
Layer: Abundant
dead and downed tree limbs (particularly turkey oak).
Pine needles are found as a significant component of the
surface fuel cover, often 3 to 6 inches thick under clumped
mature pines. Significant needle drape in mid story
shrubs can create a common vertical fuel component (ladder
fuels). Turkey oak leaves are often intermixed with
pine and often
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