Although similar in many respects we feel that the 

 alluvial bottomland forests and the non-alluvial, "upland" 

 wetland forests should be considered distinct types based 

 on their position on different geomorphological landforms. 



Non-riverine oak flats were probably once extensive 

 in Hyde County in areas dominated by fine loamy, silty and 

 clayey soils with high water tables. Soils of this type 

 occur as wide bands around Lake Mattamuskeet and along 

 the Pungo River (SCS 19'73) . However, these soil types 

 when properly drained have high agricultural productivity, 

 and most have been drained, cleared, and converted to farm- 

 land. The wettest, most poorly drained mineral soils have 

 been largely converted to silviculture, as evidenced by the 

 extensive pine plantations surrounding the natural area. 

 The remaining "scraps" of hardwood flats are typically 

 small (less than 100 acres) and isolated. Their ecological 

 integrity has been severely reduced as a result of the 

 large scale clearing operations. 



Today in Hyde County there are only two remaining large 

 blocks of hardwood flats which have not been converted to 

 other uses. The Scranton Hardwoods stand is the last pri- 

 vately owned tract and the state-owned Gull Rock Gamelands 

 south of Lake Mattamuskeet contains the remaining stands . 

 The conversion of the oak (hardwood) flats has not been 

 limited to Hyde County; once-extensive stands in other 

 lower coastal plain counties have also been reduced to 

 small, isolated remnants. Other than Hyde County, the 

 best remaining stands are located in Pamlico County. For 

 a description of these see "Natural Areas of Pamlico County" 

 (Peacock and Lynch, 1982; pp. 16-49). 



The hardwood stands in Hyde County and elsewhere tend 

 to occur as concentric bands surrounding areas of medium 

 to deep peats. To the east of the natural area is a large 

 peat deposit associated with the Alligator River drainage. 

 This peat body extends across the northern part of the 

 county and includes much of the area between Alligator 

 (New) and Pungo Lakes. The peaty surface layers gradually 

 thin out in the direction of the Pungo River and the natural 

 area. Several miles east of the natural area the peat-dom- 

 inated (organic) soils are gradually replaced by mesic to 

 hydric mineral soils. This soil change has a pronounced 

 effect on the vegetation communities. Pond pine-bay shrub 

 pocosin and swamp blackgum communities associated with the 

 peat soils are replaced by mesic hardwoods occupying the 

 wet mineral soils. The gradation between the two vegetation 

 types is gradual and has been altered by extensive land-use 

 changes in the area (pine plantations and cleared fields) . 



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