- 82 - 



The vegetation of the area provides excellent examples of community 

 types and their zonation. Definite relationships exist between these 

 cornmunity types, their substrates, and their moisture. These relation- 

 ships are depicted in Table 4. 



A noteworthy feature is the occurrence of the Mixed Herb Community 

 Type, a unique zone varying from mesic sand to wet-hydric peat. The 

 sandy areas are associated with openings in the Scrub-Shrub System 

 border. We believe that fire has opened up these sandy areas by burn- 

 ing the Scrub-Shrub and the accumulated peat off the soil surface. 

 A broad overlap of species occurs from mesic to wet-hydric, and from 

 sand to peat. Other species appear to be restricted to micro-edaphic 

 features. The wetter areas, which are more resistant to burning, 

 conceivably are seed reserviors for herbs associated with this 

 Community Type. Several noteworthy species that occur here are 

 listed under Marsh Herb System in Table 5. 



In addition, the area harbors a complex of plants referrahle to 

 Ilex cassine . Intraspecif ic taxa (Radford et at., 1968) have been 

 recognized as species by some authors (e.g., I]ex myrtifolia Walter). 

 Both varieties ( sensu Radford et al., 1968) occurring here are 

 distinctive, however, many intermediates exist, hence, providing 

 a good taxonomic study site. 



The conservation of Patsy Pond Natural Area is quite justifiable. 

 The general reasons are: 



1) the presence of several endangered and threatened species 

 (Table 5); 



2) the presence of a unique assemblage of plants (i.e.. Mixed 

 Herb Community Type); 



3) the presence of a unique geological features (i.e., natural 

 ponds on the Outer Coastal Plain of North Carolina which 

 are not Carolina Bays); 



4) the historical significance of the area as perhaps being a 

 Neuse River Paleochannel (Mixon and Pilkey, 1976); 



5) and the added feature of the natural area as an "outdoor 

 classroom: for taxonomic, ecological, geological, and 

 pedological studies. 



Certainly Patsy Pond Natural Area constitutes a valuable natural 

 heritage which deserves recognition and conservation for both 

 ourselves and our posterity. 



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