9. Site Description: 



Gause Savannah represents the drier end of the spectrum among 

 clay soil savannahs. Young and medium sized longleaf pines ( Pinus 

 ipalustris ) dominate the csmopy, mostly in closed stand, with no 

 subcanopy or shrub layers. The herbaceous layer appears to be 

 almost pure wire-grass ( Aristida striata) at first glance, but 

 upon closer examination, is cleeurly much more diverse. Because 

 the spring of I980 was the first time in several years that the area 

 had been burned (fide Freeman Gause), the wire-grass layer responded 

 by growing emd fruiting so prolifically that the old needles (leaves) 

 and flowering stalks effectively obscure the actual diversity of the 

 herbaceous flora (as indicated by the accompanying species list) 

 over much of the site. Interestingly, approximately one-half of 

 the site was re-burned in the spring of 198l,and with the combustion 

 of last year's wire-grass above-ground biomass, the burned portion 

 of the site stands in stark contrast against the unburned portion. 



The savannah is bordered on all sides, more or less, except the 

 northeast, by agricultural fields. It is actually the burning of 

 these fields in the spring which has led to the frequent burning of 

 Gause SavannsLh, Pine flatwoods and some pocosin border the site to 

 the northeast. 



