In the summer of 1982, after 2 yrs of severe drouth, there 

 was no appreciable litter buildup on the islands, and scarcely- 

 enough material to support a light surface fire. This apparently 

 is a characteristic of mature beech forest. Little litter is 

 produced by the trees themselves. On the shady, moist sites 

 preferred by beech, litter decomposes rapidly. The closed canopy 

 prevents growth of shrub and herb vegetation which could support 

 fire when dry. Therefore, it seems unlikely that fire could 

 substantially affect these sites. 



It might be questioned with some justification, whether the 

 mesic islands might have originally supported mesophytic oak 

 species in addition to beech. It is possible that white oak and 

 other species were dominant or co-dominant with beech before the 

 surrounding swamp land was logged. Oak could have been removed 

 for timber, or consumed for fuel by logging or hunting camps 

 (a small cedar cabin remains standing on one of the largest 

 islands). If so, the present beech stand could represent a 

 residual species which has simply closed the canopy after removal 

 of its associates. The long-term successional role of beech 

 beyond 75 to 100 yrs in southern Coastal Plain forests is unknown. 



Soils of the mesic islands are sands and sandy loams. These 

 have not been mapped on existing soil maps and their further 

 classification is unknown. The islands derive most of their 

 moisture from rainfall and the high water table in the surrounding 

 swamp. Root systems of most of the trees should be able to reach 

 the water table or benefit from capillary action in the soil 

 above it. 



POSSIBLE ORIGINS 



Two hypotheses are proposed to account for the geologic 

 origin of these unusual features. Their presence in the otherwise 

 unbroken swamp is striking in that they appear to be unrelated to 

 the rest of the landscape. This is a consequence of post-Wisconsin 

 mantling of the area with peat, obscuring the basal topography of 

 which they are a part. Mapping of this sub-peat horizon is 

 incomplete in the southern portion of the Dismal, and a satisfac- 

 tory account of their origin may not be obtained until this is 

 done. 



Their remarkable orientation, perpendicular to the Sangamon 

 shoreline, and their lenticular shapes, suggest formation by 

 fluvial or eolian processes. They could date from the end of the 

 Sangamon interglacial period, some 80,000 years ago, or may have 

 been deposited later during the Wisconsin glacial. 



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