This diverse geomorphology accounts partly for the 

 habitat diversity of Bull's Neck. A complex history of 

 past logging disturbances and wildfires combine to create 

 a mosaic of vegetation types, all of which reflect patterns 

 relating to soils, topography, degree of flooding, and 

 human disturbance. 



VEGETATION 



The largest acreage, high-quality plant communities 

 at Bull ' s Neck are the Nyssa sylvatica var . bif lora/ mixed 

 wetland shrubs or Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora/Acer rubrum- 

 Persea borbonia/ mixed wetland shrubs (swamp blackgum/mixed 

 wetland shrubs or swamp blackgum/red maple-red bay/mixed 

 wetland shrubs; CT 1) . These very similar stands are 

 dominated by swamp blackgum in the canopy (maximum height 

 70 feet) with some denser, closed stands lacking a well- 

 defined subcanopy and other more open ones containing a 

 layer of red maple and redbay. Both have low shrub layers 

 containing various proportions of species such as swamp 

 azalea ( Rhododendron viscosum ) , sweet gallberry ( Ilex 

 coriacea ) , fetterbush ( Lyonia lucida ) , sweet pepperbush 

 ( Clethra alnifolia , and blueberry ( Vaccinium sp.) . There 

 is essentially no herb layer although dense mats of 

 sphagnum moss are common and widespread. The gum- 

 dominated stands also contain a good proportion of 

 Atlantic white cedar ( Chamaecyparis thyoides ) in both 

 the canopy and subcanopy layers. Also scattered in 

 the canopy are baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ) and 

 loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) . The average diameter of 

 the gum canopy trees ranges from 12 to 18 inches, de- 

 pending on cutting history. Scattered large trees up 

 to 28" dbh are present. Charred stumps occur in 

 scattered places in the gum stands indicating that 

 fire has played some role in the ecology of the area. 

 However, there is no evidence of fire in recent times; 

 i.e. within the past fifty years. 



In areas where more intensive cutting has taken 

 place , such as in portions of the southern and western 

 margins of the natural area, loblolly pine and red maple 

 are much more predominant in the canopy. Some areas 

 which were intensively logged are dominated by these 

 two early successional species. 



The gum stands occur in areas which are mapped as 

 the Dorovan muck soil series. These organic soils average 

 from 51 to greater than 99 inches in the depth of their 

 muck surface horizons. They are very poorly drained and 



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