peat - Accumulations of slowly decomposing plant remains. 

 Peat is formed in swamps and marshes. Erosion of peat soils 

 releases suspended organic matter into coastal waters as well 

 as certain 'humic acids' which give water a tea colored stain. 



Pleistocene Epoch - That period of earth history which saw the 



advance and retreat of the four great Ice Ages. It is generally 



considered to have begun between 1 and 2 million years ago and 

 to have continued up until about 18,000 years ago. 



relict beach ridge - Throughout the Southeastern U.S. ancient 

 shorelines are detected at various elevations inland from the 

 coast. These shorelines are often manifested as continuous 

 ridges and are considered a product of higher stands of the 

 sea during the Pleistocene Ice Ages. 



Sangamon Interglacial - A period of deglaciation (no continental 

 ice sheets) during the Pleistocene Epoch between the Illinoian 

 and Wisconsin Ice Ages. This period is generally considered 

 to have taken place about 80-100,000 years ago. 



sp and spp - Species (singular and plural) . 



Suffolk Scarp - A topographic ridge rising from 20 to 40 feet above 

 sea level which runs parallel to the coast throughout North Carolina. 

 It is considered an ancient shoreline formed during the Pleistocene 

 Epoch. 



swamp forest - Type of forest characterized by seasonal flooding 

 and water saturated organic soils. Water tupelo, swamp black gum 

 and bald cypress are dominant tree species. 



Talbot (Chowan) Terrace - A rather flat but stream-dissected sur- 

 face lying at an average elevation of 40-45 feet throughout South- 

 eastern United States. It is considered to have been a sea floor 

 during the Pleistocene Epoch. In North Carolina it lies west of 

 the topographic ridge known as the Suffolk Scarp. 



Yorktown Formation - An ancient deposit of clay and clayey sand 

 which typically contains abundant marine fossils including clams, 

 snails, whale vertebrae, and shark teeth. It occurs extensively 

 over eastern North Carolina and is generally considered a deposi- 

 tional product of the Miocene Epoch which took place 15-20 million 

 years ago. 



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