Creek, drainage. The deepest peat deposits are located in an 

 area dominated by low pocosin and some high pocosin, situated 

 southwest of the dense pond pine stands described above. In 

 general , the vegetational pattern as one moves from the outer 

 margins of the peat deposit to the inner "center" of maximum 

 peat thickness is across a moisture and peat thickness gradi- 

 ent. Pond pine forest around the shallow peat margins grades 

 into high pocosin and finally to low pocosin in the center of 

 the peat body. This pattern follows the general intrapocosin 

 variation described by Otte (1981) . 



The soils of the pond pine pocosin vegetation association 

 have not been mapped in detail. The soil association is pro- 

 bably Ponzer-Belhaven-Wasda: very poorly drained organic soils. 

 The pond pine stands are associated with the shallower peat 

 deposits of this soil association. 



A distinctly different vegetation type is present within 

 the pond pine pocosin area. Baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ) 

 stands occur as small (less than 50 acres) isolated "islands" 

 along the southern portion of the natural area within 1.5 

 miles of Pamlico Sound. These stands were not investigated 

 from the ground but were surveyed aerially and located on 

 aerial photographs. Baldcypress predominates in the canopy 

 along with a few tall pines (either Pinus taeda or P. sero- 

 tina) . Canopy height is 70-90 feet. Understory vegetation 

 could not be definitely determined but appeared to consist 

 of red maple ( Acer rubrum ) and bay shrubs. The physiognomy 

 of these stands is striking when compared with the adjoining 

 pond pine stands. The controlling factors determining the 

 distribution and formation of these cypress stands is unknown. 

 Soil differences and hydrology are probable factors; further 

 field work is needed -to determine what the controlling factors 

 are. 



(3) Gull Rock Low Pocosin 



This vegetation association is located in the central por- 

 tion of the natural area. It is surrounded on all four sides 

 by the pond pine pocosin described earlier. The low pocosin, 

 about 1900 acres in size , is located almost wholly within the 

 state-owned game lands except for a very small area along its 

 eastern margin contained in the Ficklen tract. 



Otte (1981) describes the following characteristics of 

 low pocosin: greater than 4 feet of peat, saturated soils 

 with abundant surface water up to 2 feet deep during wet 

 seasons, dense pocosin shrub vegetation with heights of 2-4 

 feet with scattered, stunted pond pines up to 10 feet tall. 



122 



