around the rim of the lake. Other slightly higher areas, 

 particularly on the southern and eastern sides of the lake, 

 have been under agriculture for a long time, probably at 

 least since the mid-1700' s. 



The natural area is situated in the area between the 

 ridges (the former lake margin) and the present lake margin. 

 At only 3-5 feet above sea level, the natural area occupies 

 a low flat which was probably originally dominated by either 

 a hardwood wetland or a baldcypress-hardwood wetland. 



The soils of the natural area are classified as the 

 Weeksville-Pasquotank association: very poorly and poorly 

 drained soils with black to gray very fine sandy loam or silty 

 loam surface layers (SCS, 1973). The majority of this associ- 

 ation in Hyde County occurs as a large, homogeneous body around 

 the perimeter of Lake Mattamuskeet. Approximately 85% of the 

 association acreage has been cleared for cultivation with many 

 additional acres in the process of being cleared (SCS, 1973). 



The vegetation of the natural area is dominated by lob- 

 lolly pine (Pinus taeda ) . The community type is Pinus taeda/ 

 Symplocos tinctoria or locally Persea borbonia (loblolly pine/ 

 horsesugar or locally by redbay,- CT 1) . This community is 

 characterized by a tall closed canopy of pines 90-100 feet 

 tall over a distinct shrub layer of horsesugar (also known 

 as sweetleaf) and in places by dense patches of redbay. There 

 is essentially no herb layer although poison ivy ( Rhus radicans ) 

 is a locally abundant ground cover. 



Red maple ( Acer rub rum ) and sweetgum ( Liquidambar styra- 

 ciflua ) are present as scattered individuals in the subcanopy 

 layer (40-60 feet tall) but are not dominant enough to be con- 

 sidered a subcanopy component in the community type. Vines are 

 abundant throughout and include a diversity of high-climbing 

 species: poison ivy, trumpet creeper ( Campsis radicans ) , 

 cross-vine ( Anisostichus capreolata ) , rattan-vine ( Berchemia 

 scandens ) , Virginia creeper ( Parthenocissus quinguefolia ) , 

 and yellow jessamine ( Gelsemium sempervirens ) . Almost every 

 pine trunk has at least one vine attached. Many of the vines 

 appear to have started growing when the pines were quite small. 

 The vines are free-swinging and are attached to the lower 

 branches of the pines at heights of about 75 feet. 



The loblolly pines are impressive in their height (average: 

 90-100 feet) and in their trunk diameters (average: 22 inches). 

 One of the more striking aspects of the pine stand's physiognomy 

 is the overall even-age character of the trees. Most of the 

 pines have about the same height and trunk diameter measurements. 

 The age of the stand is estimated to be about 110 years old (Steve 

 Frick, pers. comm. 1982). The even-aged character of the stand 



190 



