Southeastern Coniferous & Broadleaf Forests - A Global Ecoregion

One of the most outstanding examples of temperate conifer forests

About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Southeastern mixed forests; Southeastern conifer forests. It is the largest coniferous forest ecoregion east of the Mississippi River, spanning the coastal plains of southeastern United States.

The biological diversity here is virtually unparalleled in temperate North America, with 190 tree species out of which, 27 are endemics.

The long-leaf pine wiregrass communities support one of the richest herbaceous floras in the world.

Local Species
These forests were once dominated by tall stands of long-leaf pine (Pinus palustris), an understory of wiregrass (Aristida stricta), and a rich diversity of herbaceous plants.

Components of this important fauna include the endangered Red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), Mole skink (Eumeces egregius), Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais), and Apalachicola dusky salamander (Desmognathus apalachicolae).

Threats
As a result of extensive habitat loss and degradation, many species that occur in this region, including many of those native to long-leaf pine forests are now endangered.

Historically, intensive logging and clearance have destroyed the majority of native communities in the ecoregion. In many areas, the suppression of the natural fire regime has resulted in the conversion of conifer stands to stands of hardwood species, while urban sprawl and development continue to threaten other areas of intact habitat.

Resources
• NationalGeographic.com