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Title: Ecology of bottomland hardwood swamps of the southeast: a community profile

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5530733

This report synthesizes extant literature detailing the ecology of bottomland hardwood swamps in the Southeast. The geographic scope focuses the report to the hardwoods occupying the floodplains of the rivers whose drainages originate in the Appalachian Mountains/Piedmont and Coastal Plain (NC, SC, GA, and FL). The origin and dynamics of the floodplains are described and related to hydrology and physiographic provinces. Further, the biogeochemistry and interactions between the riverine and floodplain environments are discussed in conjunction with floodplain biology. Plant and animal community structure and ecological processes (productivity) are detailed and organized by ecological zones. The final chapter discusses the ecological value of the floodplain ecosystems and the nature of their relationships to adjacent uplands, downstream coastal estuaries and the atmosphere.

Research Organization:
Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). Inst. of Ecology; Fish and Wildlife Service, Slidell, LA (USA). National Coastal Ecosystems Team; Wabash Coll., Crawfordsville, IN (USA). Dept. of Biology
OSTI ID:
5530733
Report Number(s):
FWS/OBS-81/37; ON: DE82902699
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English