9. Site Description: 



Drowned Bay Savannah is characterized by a Pinus palustris/ 

 Mixed Pineland Shrub s/Vaccinium crasai folium — Aristida stricta 

 community type, with the low shrub layer typically being dominated 

 by bitter gallberry ( Ilex glabra ) , and dangleberry ( Gaylussacia 

 dumosa) mixed with various other ericads and transgressive tall 

 shrubs and small trees. In the eastern portions of the site, pond 

 pine ( Pinus serotina ) assumes dominance in the canopy. Canopy 

 trees here are relatively immature, being mostly 8 to 15 centimeters 

 DBH, indicating that the site was timbered in the nesu: past. 



Herbaceous flora at the site does not appear at present to be 

 particularly diverse, but this may in actuality be more apparent 

 than real, considering the lengthy drought that has occurred in the 

 southeast coastal plain, and the fact that, given the existing 

 soil type of the savaunnah, this is a relatively mesic site. 



It is apparent that fire has been frequent at the site, based on 

 the number of charred stumps, the predominance of clumped shrubs, 

 and fire scsurring of all of the trunks of the canopy pines. 



