Northeastern coastal forests
Encyclopedia
The Northeastern coastal forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
ecoregion
of the northeastern United States
. The ecoregion covers an area of 34,630 sq miles (89,691 km²) encompassing the Piedmont
and coastal plain
of seven states, extending from northern Maryland
and Delaware
through southeast Pennsylvania
, New Jersey
, southern New York State, Connecticut
, Rhode Island
, eastern Massachusetts
and southeastern New Hampshire
to southwestern Maine
.
The ecoregion is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean
. To the north, it transitions to the New England-Acadian forests, which cover most of northern and inland New England
. To the west, the ecoregion transitions to Allegheny Highlands forests
and the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
of the Appalachian Mountains
. To the south lie the Southeastern mixed forests
and the Middle Atlantic coastal forests
. The ecoregion surrounds the distinct Atlantic coastal pine barrens
ecoregion, which covers portions of southern New Jersey
and Long Island
.
in the south to humid continental
in the north.
forests dominate this ecoregion. American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was formerly important, but its population was devastated by the chestnut blight
early in the 20th century.
), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), black cherry (Prunus serotina), black birch (Betula lenta), black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), and American elm (Ulmus americana). Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a common understory tree.
Common shrubs are maple-leaved viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium
), spicebush (Lindera benzoin
), and witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana
). In sandier or more acidic soils are mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia
), blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata
), and swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum
).
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a common herbaceous plant.
) are some of the first trees to occupy these lands.
spp.) are often abundant.
Swamps and floodplains occur where standing water is present for only some parts of the year. Red maple is common tree, and can be found with swamp tupelo, white ash, American elm, pin oak (Quercus palustris), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), and silver maple (Acer saccharinum). Spicebush is a common shrub. Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is found here.
, eastern gray squirrel
s, chipmunk
s, red fox
es, fat dormice, sparrow
s, chickadee
s, garter snake
s, snail
s, coyote
s, black bear
s, and raccoon
s. Chickadees, white-tailed deer, and eastern gray squirrels can be seen quite often. Gray wolves used to be quite common, but are now very rarely seen, causing endemic growth in deer populations near suburban areas.
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Mixed forests are a temperate and humid biome. The typical structure of these forests includes four layers. The uppermost layer is the canopy composed of tall mature trees ranging from 33 to 66 m high. Below the canopy is the three-layered, shade-tolerant understory that is roughly 9 to...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
of the northeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The ecoregion covers an area of 34,630 sq miles (89,691 km²) encompassing the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
and coastal plain
Coastal plain
A coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. One of the world's longest coastal plains is located in eastern South America. The southwestern coastal plain of North America is notable for its species diversity...
of seven states, extending from northern 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...
and 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...
through southeast 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...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, southern New York State, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, eastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and southeastern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
to southwestern Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
The ecoregion is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. To the north, it transitions to the New England-Acadian forests, which cover most of northern and inland 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...
. To the west, the ecoregion transitions to Allegheny Highlands forests
Allegheny Highlands forests
The Allegheny Highlands forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of North America.-Setting:The ecoregion consists of four separate blocks of mixed forest surrounded by lower lying areas of hardwood forest as follows: the Northern Allegheny Plateau in New York State and...
and the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
The Appalachian-Blue Ridge Forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of the Eastern United States, delineated by the World Wide Fund for Nature.-Setting:...
of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. To the south lie the Southeastern mixed forests
Southeastern mixed forests
The Southeastern mixed forests are a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the United States.-Setting:This ecoregion covers the Piedmont of the eastern United States, stretching in a broad arc from Maryland southwest to Mississippi. It is distinguished from neighboring ecoregions by elevation...
and the Middle Atlantic coastal forests
Middle Atlantic coastal forests
The Middle Atlantic coastal forests are a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the United States.-Setting:The Middle Atlantic coastal forests stretch along the Atlantic coast of the United States from the Delmarva Peninsula south to the Georgia coast...
. The ecoregion surrounds the distinct Atlantic coastal pine barrens
Atlantic coastal pine barrens
The Atlantic coastal pine barrens is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the northeastern United States.-Setting:This ecoregion covers a disjunct area of 8,975 km² including the New Jersey Pine Barrens on the coastal plain of New Jersey, and smaller areas of southern Long Island in New...
ecoregion, which covers portions of southern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
Climate
The climate in this ecoregion varies from humid subtropicalHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
in the south to humid continental
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
in the north.
Flora
OakOak
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...
forests dominate this ecoregion. American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was formerly important, but its population was devastated by the chestnut blight
Chestnut blight
The pathogenic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica is a member of the ascomycota category, and is the main cause of chestnut blight, a devastating disease of the American chestnut tree that caused a mass extinction in the early 1900s of this once plentiful tree from its historic range in the eastern...
early in the 20th century.
Mixed oak forest
This forest type is found throughout the Northeastern coastal forests. Red oak (Quercus rubra), white oak (Quercus alba), and black oak (Quercus velutina) are common oaks in this habitat. Other trees include hickories (Carya spp.), red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), white ash (Fraxinus americana), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipiferaLiriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood...
), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), black cherry (Prunus serotina), black birch (Betula lenta), black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), and American elm (Ulmus americana). Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a common understory tree.
Common shrubs are maple-leaved viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium
Viburnum acerifolium
Viburnum acerifolium is a species of Viburnum, native to eastern North America from southwestern Quebec and Ontario south to northern Florida and eastern Texas....
), spicebush (Lindera benzoin
Lindera benzoin
Lindera benzoin is a flowering plant in the family Lauraceae, native to eastern North America, ranging from Maine to Ontario in the north, and to Kansas, Texas and northern Florida in the south.-Characteristics:Spicebush is a medium-sized deciduous shrub growing to 5 m...
), and witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana
Hamamelis virginiana
Hamamelis virginiana is a species of Witch-hazel native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, and south to central Florida to eastern Texas....
). In sandier or more acidic soils are mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia
Kalmia latifolia
Kalmia latifolia, commonly called Mountain-laurel or Spoonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the blueberry family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain-laurel is...
), blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata
Gaylussacia baccata
Gaylussacia baccata, the Black Huckleberry, is a common huckleberry found throughout a wide area of northeastern North America. It closely resembles the blueberry plants with which it grows, but can be readily identified by the numerous resin dots on the undersides of the leaves which glitter when...
), and swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum
Rhododendron viscosum
Rhododendron viscosum, commonly known as swamp azalea or clammy azalea, is a deciduous shrub which is endemic to the United States.-References:**...
).
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a common herbaceous plant.
Successional plant communities
These occur in formerly cleared land, such as old farms, that has been abandoned. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginianaJuniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
) are some of the first trees to occupy these lands.
Freshwater wetlands
Marshes occur where standing water is present for most of the year. Common reed (Phragmites australis) and cattails (TyphaTypha
Typha is a genus of about eleven species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. The genus has a largely Northern Hemisphere distribution, but is essentially cosmopolitan, being found in a variety of wetland habitats...
spp.) are often abundant.
Swamps and floodplains occur where standing water is present for only some parts of the year. Red maple is common tree, and can be found with swamp tupelo, white ash, American elm, pin oak (Quercus palustris), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), and silver maple (Acer saccharinum). Spicebush is a common shrub. Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is found here.
Fauna
Some of the animals that live in the Northeastern coastal deciduous forests are white-tailed deerWhite-tailed Deer
The 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...
, eastern gray squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
s, chipmunk
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...
s, red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
es, fat dormice, sparrow
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
s, chickadee
Chickadee
Chickadee is a group of birds in the Paridae familyChickadee may also refer to:* USS Chickadee , a minesweeper in the United States Navy* Chickadee , a Canadian children's magazine-See also:* Black-capped Chickadee...
s, garter snake
Garter snake
The Garter snake is a Colubrid snake genus common across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada to Central America. It is the single most widely distributed genus of reptile in North America. The garter snake is also the Massachusettsstate reptile.There is no real consensus on the...
s, snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s, and 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. Chickadees, white-tailed deer, and eastern gray squirrels can be seen quite often. Gray wolves used to be quite common, but are now very rarely seen, causing endemic growth in deer populations near suburban areas.
Remaining areas of intact habitat
The following protected areas are within this ecoregion- New Hampshire
- Bear Brook State ParkBear Brook State ParkBear Brook State Park is a preserve located in Allenstown, New Hampshire and surrounding towns. It is one of New Hampshire's largest state parks....
- Pawtuckaway State ParkPawtuckaway State ParkPawtuckaway State Park is a preserve in New Hampshire, United States. It is one of the largest state parks in southeastern New Hampshire and is named for Pawtuckaway Lake and the Pawtuckaway Mountains...
- Bear Brook State Park
- Massachusetts
- Douglas State ForestDouglas State ForestDouglas State Forest is a Massachusetts state forest located in Douglas. The forest is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation .-Description:Douglas State Forest is a park offering numerous recreational activities...
- Weston Memorial Forest
- Wompatuck State ParkWompatuck State ParkWompatuck State Park is a recreational area of about 4000 acres in size located primarily in Hingham, Massachusetts, in the United States. Portions of the park extend into the neighboring towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate...
- Douglas State Forest
- Rhode Island
- Great Swamp Management Area
- Connecticut
- Natchaug State ForestNatchaug State ForestNatchaug State Forest, in Ashford, Connecticut, Chaplin, Connecticut and Eastford, Connecticut is a Connecticut State Forest. It's are part of a larger network of forest lands making up some in all...
- Natchaug State Forest
- New York
- Bear Mountain State ParkBear Mountain State ParkBear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, sledding and ice skating...
- Harriman State Park
- Sterling Forest State ParkSterling Forest State ParkSterling Forest State Park is a 17,953 acre park located in the Ramapo Mountains in Orange County, New York established in 1998; it is among the larger additions to the New York state park system in the last 50 years...
- Storm King State ParkStorm King State ParkStorm King State Park is a state park in Orange County, New York in the USA. The park is in the southeast part of the Town of Cornwall, next to the Hudson River.The park is undeveloped, with limited parking, and offers hiking, and seasonal deer hunting....
- Bear Mountain State Park
- New Jersey
- Allamuchy Mountain State ParkAllamuchy Mountain State ParkAllamuchy Mountain State Park is located in Byram Township, New Jersey, United States. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. There are more than of unmarked trails in the northern section of Allamuchy, and of marked multi-use trails.The park is in...
- Cape May National Wildlife RefugeCape May National Wildlife RefugeThe Cape May National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area on the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service...
- Cheesequake State ParkCheesequake State ParkCheesequake State Park is a state park located in Old Bridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey in the United States.The New Jersey Legislature allocated $100,000 in 1937 to purchase property for this state park. The state first acquired a 250 acre tract of farmland and a Civil War era mansion...
- Great Swamp National Wildlife RefugeGreat Swamp National Wildlife RefugeThe Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located in Morris County, New Jersey. Established in 1960, it is one of more than 550 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System.The refuge was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1966...
- Sourland MountainSourland MountainSourland Mountain is a long ridge in central New Jersey, extending from the Delaware River at Lambertville to the western end of Hillsborough Township near the community of Neshanic , through Montgomery Township and into Hopewell Township in Mercer County. It comprises the largest contiguous...
- Allamuchy Mountain State Park
- Delaware
- White Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State Park is a Delaware state park along White Clay Creek on in New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park, often known by its initials W.C.C.S.P., is near the Mason-Dixon Line. North of the park is Pennsylvania's White Clay Creek Preserve...
- White Clay Creek State Park