Montane Longleaf

Habitat Description

Longleaf pine was found dominating the southern and southwestern slopes (though not confined to them) and ridgelines up to about 2000 ft. elevation in north Alabama and northwest Georgia. This habitat also includes an isolated ridge starting at Pine Mountain, GA and extending to Thompson, GA. Since much of the northern boundary of the longleaf pine is found in this habitat type, the forest is seen to subtly grade from a pure longleaf pine overstory to an overstory of mixed southern pines at its fringes. About 20 % of the pre-settlement longleaf pine ecosystem was covered by this habitat type.

Soils - The soils in which these longleaf grow are well drained with beds of flinty pebbles, sandstone ridges and even rock outcrops. In particular, on rocky ridges and slopes that contains sandstone, quartzite, plyllite, mica shcists and gneiss.

Mammals - Fox squirrel, red fox, gray fox, black bear, white-tailed deer, Appalachian cottontail.

Birds - Bachman's sparrow, brown-headed nuthatch, field sparrow, yellow-throated warbler, Carolina chickadee, indigo bunting, pine warbler, prairie warbler, red-eyed vireo, summer tanager, yellow breasted chat, eastern bluebird and northern flicker, Swainson's warbler.

Reptiles and Amphibians - Fowler's toad, Barking treefrog, Squirrel treefrog, Narrowmouth toad, Spadefoot toad, Zigzag salamander, Webster's salamander, Southern redback salamander, Fence lizard, Mole snake, Scarlet kingsnake, Southeastern crowned snake, Eastern coral snake.

Common Plants - Broomstraws, bluestems, goat's rue, bracken ferns, rushes and sedges, sensitive briar.

Common Trees and Shrubs - scarlet oak, mountain blueberry, mountain laurel, American chestnut, blackjack oak, Virginia pine, shortleaf pine, pig nut hickory, mockernut hickory, rock chestnut oak, southern red oak.

Rare/Endangered Species - Red-cockaded woodpecker, Cumberland azalea, red wolf

Fire Frequency - Fires burned every one to five years to maintain this habitat type and either crept down ridge lines or roared up steep slopes.

Without Fire - Quickly turns into a hardwood/mixed pine forest (especially Virginia and Shortleaf Pines)

Causes for Decline - Fire-suppression, urban development, forest conversion