Carolinian forest
Encyclopedia
The Carolinian forest is a life zone in eastern North America
characterized primarily by a predominance of deciduous
, or broad-leaf trees. The term "Carolinian forest" is used primarily in Canada. Various terms, including "eastern deciduous forest" or "eastern woodlands" are used in the United States.
forest region of the eastern United States
which extends south to the Carolinas. Besides its southern location, the climate of this area is also moderated by the nearby Great Lakes
, so it is able to support animal and plant species usually not found in other parts of Canada. Because the major population centres of Ontario are located nearby, there has been significant loss of wetlands and forested areas to urban areas and farms.
The greatest extent of coverage is from the Carolinas, the Virginias
, Kentucky
, Tennessee
, Maryland
, Delaware
, Pennsylvania
, eastern Ohio
, parts of New York
state, southern New England
while covering much less area in parts of southern Michigan
, Indiana
, western Ohio
in the United States
. Its northern limit in Southern Ontario
, Canada
, in the fertile ecozone
of the Mixedwood Plains
.
Trees such as various species of ash
, birch
, chestnut
, hickory
, oak
, and walnut
are found here. Tallest of all is the tulip tree. Fruit trees native to this zone include the pawpaw
. Raccoon
s and possum
s to the relatively rare southern flying squirrel
, as well as nuthatch
es and chickadees
also favour Carolinian forests.
It is estimated that 90 per cent of Canada's Carolinian forest has already been destroyed
. The remaining portions, mostly scattered and disconnected, continue to be threatened by human development. One of the best preserved areas of Canada's Carolinian forest is located at the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve
near Niagara Falls, Ontario
.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
characterized primarily by a predominance of deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, or broad-leaf trees. The term "Carolinian forest" is used primarily in Canada. Various terms, including "eastern deciduous forest" or "eastern woodlands" are used in the United States.
Location and status
This region is the northern continuation of the deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
forest region of the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which extends south to the Carolinas. Besides its southern location, the climate of this area is also moderated by the nearby Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, so it is able to support animal and plant species usually not found in other parts of Canada. Because the major population centres of Ontario are located nearby, there has been significant loss of wetlands and forested areas to urban areas and farms.
The greatest extent of coverage is from the Carolinas, the Virginias
Virginias
Virginias may refer to:*Virginia*West Virginia...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, eastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, parts of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state, southern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
while covering much less area in parts of southern Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, western Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its northern limit in Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, in the fertile ecozone
Ecozones of Canada
The ecozones of Canada consist of fifteen terrestrial and five marine ecozones in Canada. These are further subdivided into 53 ecoprovinces, 194 ecoregions, and 1021 ecodistricts...
of the Mixedwood Plains
Mixedwood Plains
The Mixedwood Plains Ecozone is the Canadian ecozone with the most southerly extent, covering all of southwestern Ontario, and parts of central and northeastern Ontario and southern Quebec along the Saint Lawrence River...
.
Trees such as various species of ash
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
, hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
, oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, and walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
are found here. Tallest of all is the tulip tree. Fruit trees native to this zone include the pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Asimina triloba, the pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw, or common pawpaw, is a species of Asimina in the same plant family as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop...
. Raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s and possum
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s to the relatively rare southern flying squirrel
Southern Flying Squirrel
The Southern Flying Squirrel is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America . It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half of North America, from southeastern Canada, to Florida, USA...
, as well as nuthatch
Nuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
es and chickadees
Titmouse
The tits, chickadees, and titmice constitute Paridae, a large family of small passerine birds which occur in the northern hemisphere and Africa...
also favour Carolinian forests.
It is estimated that 90 per cent of Canada's Carolinian forest has already been destroyed
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. The remaining portions, mostly scattered and disconnected, continue to be threatened by human development. One of the best preserved areas of Canada's Carolinian forest is located at the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve
Niagara Glen Nature Reserve
Niagara Glen Nature Reserve is a nature reserve located near the Niagara Whirlpool along the Canadian side of the Niagara Gorge. It is one of the best preserved remaining example of Southern Ontario's original Carolinian forest. The park is operated by the Niagara Parks Commission, an agency of...
near Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
.
Examples of species
- White-tailed deerWhite-tailed DeerThe white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
- Virginia OpossumVirginia OpossumThe Virginia opossum , commonly known as the North American opossum or tlacuache in Mexico, is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist...
- American BadgerAmerican BadgerThe American badger is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European badger. It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico and central Canada, as well as in certain areas of southwestern British Columbia.Their habitat is typified by open...
- Hooded WarblerHooded WarblerThe Hooded Warbler, Wilsonia citrina, is a New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America and across the eastern USA and into southernmost Canada, . It is migratory, wintering in Central America and the West Indies...
- Prothonotary WarblerProthonotary WarblerThe Prothonotary Warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is the only member of the genus Protonotaria....
- Carolina WrenCarolina WrenThe Carolina Wren is a common species of wren, resident in the eastern half of the USA, the extreme south of Ontario, Canada, and the extreme northeast of Mexico...
- Yellow-breasted ChatYellow-breasted ChatThe Yellow-breasted Chat is a large songbird, formerly considered the most atypical member of the New World warbler family, though the long-standing suspicion is that it does not actually belong there. Its placement is not definitely resolved. It is the only member of the genus Icteria...
- Eastern prickly pearEastern prickly pearOpuntia humifusa, commonly known as the Eastern Prickly Pear or Indian Fig, is a native cactus found in most of eastern North America. It ranges from Montana eastward to southern Ontario and then on to Massachusetts, south to Florida and westward to New Mexico.The green stems of this low-growing...
cactus - Tulip tree
- SassafrasSassafrasSassafras is a genus of three extant and one extinct species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae, native to eastern North America and eastern Asia.-Overview:...
Protected areas
- Niagara Glen Nature ReserveNiagara Glen Nature ReserveNiagara Glen Nature Reserve is a nature reserve located near the Niagara Whirlpool along the Canadian side of the Niagara Gorge. It is one of the best preserved remaining example of Southern Ontario's original Carolinian forest. The park is operated by the Niagara Parks Commission, an agency of...
- Short Hills Provincial ParkShort Hills Provincial ParkShort Hills Provincial Park is a provincial park located in the centre of the Niagara Peninsula, bordering the city of St. Catharines and the town of Pelham in the Niagara Region in southern Ontario, Canada. It occupies an area of 6.6 km²...
- Point Pelee National ParkPoint Pelee National Park-See also:*National Parks of Canada*List of National Parks of Canada*Long Point-External links:**...
- Pinery Provincial ParkPinery Provincial ParkThe Pinery Provincial Park is a park located on Lake Huron near Grand Bend, Ontario. It occupies an area of 25.32 square kilometres ....
- Rondeau Provincial ParkRondeau Provincial ParkRondeau Provincial Park is a provincial park in southwestern Ontario, Canada, located on an 8 km long crescentic sand spit extending into Lake Erie. There are only two sand spits like this one in all of North America, one in Rondeau and one in Florida. Rondeau was established in 1894 as a response...
- Rock Point Provincial ParkRock Point Provincial ParkRock Point Provincial Park is a park located on the north shore of Lake Erie near the mouth of the Grand River in the Carolinian zone of southwestern Ontario. It occupies an area of 1.87 km²....
- Wheatley Provincial ParkWheatley Provincial ParkWheatley Provincial Park is a protected area in the municipality of Chatham–Kent in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located on Lake Erie near the community of Wheatley and occupies an area of...
- Long PointLong PointThis page relates to a sandspit in Norfolk County, Ontario. For other places called Long Point, see Long Point Long Point is a sand spit on the north shore of Lake Erie, part of Norfolk County in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is about 40 kilometres long and is about a kilometre across at its...
- St. Clair National Wildlife AreaSt. Clair National Wildlife AreaThe St. Clair National Wildlife Area is a nature reserve located in the southwestern part of the Canadian province of Ontario, on eastern Lake St. Clair, west of Chatham....
Watersheds
- Ausable River
- Catfish CreekCatfish CreekCatfish Creek may refer to:* Catfish Creek * Catfish Creek * Catfish Creek , one of three creeks of that name in Ontario...
- Credit RiverCredit RiverThe Credit River is a river in southern Ontario which flows from headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment to empty into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. It drains an area of approximately 1,000 km²...
- Grand RiverGrand River (Ontario)The Grand River is a large river in southwestern Ontario, Canada. From its source, it flows south through Grand Valley, Fergus, Elora, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, and Cayuga before emptying into the north shore of Lake Erie south of Dunnville at Port Maitland...
- Kettle CreekKettle CreekKettle Creek may refer to:In Georgia :*Battle of Kettle Creek, an American Revolutionary War battle*Kettle Creek , a tributary of the Little RiverIn Ontario:*Kettle Creek , a tributary of Lake Erie...
- Sydenham RiverSydenham RiverThe Sydenham River is a river in Kent County, Lambton County and Middlesex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, flowing southwest from its source west of London, Ontario and emptying into Lake Saint Clair. The length of the river is and it drains a watershed of approximately 2,700 square...
- Thames RiverThames River (Ontario)The Thames River is located in southwestern Ontario, Canada.The Thames flows west through southwestern Ontario, through the cities of Woodstock, London and Chatham to Lighthouse Cove on Lake St. Clair...
- Welland RiverWelland RiverThe Welland River is a river in the Niagara Region of southern Ontario which flows from its headwaters south of Hamilton, Ontario to empty into the Niagara River near the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario. It drains an area of 880 km²....