Southeastern
FOREST
HABITAT
REGIONS
Based on Physiography
Forestry
Departmental Series No. 2
JUNE 1965
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
AUBURN, ALABAMA
E.V MIH irco
THIS REPORT is the culmination of a project of the Southeastern Section, Society of
American Foresters. The project has been directed by Earl J. Hodgkins, in charge of
site classification work within the Technical Committee.
Other members of the Committee assisted in planning and advising on the project,
and provided stimulating leadership. Contributing Committee members were John
Barber, F. A. Bennett, W. B. Black, C. D. Dyer, J. F. Goggans, N. P. Hawley, J. W.
Johnson, J. T. May, and C. T. Prout.
Much of the data was gathered through special Chapter Committees. Alabama Chap-
ter Committee members were J. F. Goggans (chairman), W. C. Aiken, T. C. Croker,
J. C. Mitchell, and H. Yoccum. Georgia members were F. A. Bennett (chairman), G.
M. Ference, J. W. Johnson, W. H. McComb, and L. C. Walker. Florida members were
W. L. Beers, Jr. (chairman), W. A. Bays, and E. Hebb.
Gratefully acknowledged are the special services of G. W. Bengston, R. H. Brende-
muehl, M. C. Carter, R. W. Cooper, J. B. Dixon, C. H. Driver, C. M. Kaufman, E. S.
Lyle, W. E. Morse, W. L. Pritchett, C. J. Rogers, and Robert Zahner for review of the
manuscript of this report; of W. R. and Mary Sizemore who contributed the maps for
review copies of the manuscript; of W. B. DeVall who arranged for publication of this
report; and finally of W. R. Sizemore, Chairman of the Section, and A. E. Squillace,
Chairman of the Technical Committee, for continuing support and encouragement
during preparation of the report.
CONTENTS
Page
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK-- 8
PROCEDURE 3
DESCRIPTIONS OF HABITAT PROVINCES AND REGIONS 4
Ridge and Valley Province...... 4
T he M ountain Province -------------------------------------- ---------- 5
T he Piedm ont Province-------------------------------------- - ------- -5
The Hilly Coastal Plain Province 6
The Undulating Coastal Plain Province 7
The Flatlands Coastal Plain Province...................................... 7
The Alluvial Flood Plains Province....................................... 8
USES OF THE CLASSIFICATION 8
SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISION AND REFINEMENT 8
LITERATURE C ITED ---------------- ------- -------------------- -- -- 9
APPENDIX - GLOSSARY OF TERMS 9
FIRST PRINTING 3M
Southeastern
FOREST HABITAT REGIONS
Based on Physiography
EARL J. HODGKINS, Editor*
THE FOREST SITE CLASSIFICATION COMMITTEE of the
Society of American Foresters, Southeastern Section, was
established at the Section's 1956 annual meeting.
The first goal of this committee was "to delineate within
the Southeastern Region subregions within which site pro-
ductivity classes are apt to be consistent from one locality
to another." These subregions were to be designated as
"site regions" or "habitat regions." In subsequent years
the Site Classification Committee, later the Site Classifica-
tion Subcommittee under the Technical Committee, gath-
ered data for fulfilling this goal through chapter site classi-
fication committees in the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia
Chapters.
The objective of this report is to define and delineate a
system of habitat regions for the three-state area. For this
purpose, appropriate materials from the disciplines of
geology, soils, and botany, primarily from state sources,
are used. In addition the knowledge and experience of
members of the various chapter committees and of mem-
bers of the Section Technical Committee are drawn upon.
Descriptions of the habitat regions are in terms of (1)
topography, (2) parent rock material, and (3) physical
properties of the soil profile. Every effort has been made
to keep the descriptions on a common knowledge basis,
but complete avoidance of technical terms has not been
possible. A glossary is included in the appendix for the
benefit of those not familiar with these terms.
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK
Foresters have generally relied upon geologists and soil
scientists for major habitat classification units and have
confined their own efforts to local classification as in site
index and soil-site work.
There are, of course, national geology and soil maps
that have been published (13, 14). These have been help-
ful to some foresters who have the background in geology
and soil science to use them effectively. The classification
units are necessarily broad, however, and they are never
described in terminology familiar to most foresters.
* Professor, Department of Forestry, 
Agricultural Experiment
Station, Auburn University.
Two southeastern regional maps or systems are worthy
of note. Lytle's (10) map and discussion of the physio-
graphic regions of the South describe approximately the
major divisions (but not the subdivisions) used in this re-
port. Putnam (11) designed a system for use in bottom
land hardwood forest of the southern alluvial flood plains.
Putnam's classification is understood and commonly used
by foresters.
Geology and soil maps published by the individual
states have been much more useful than the regional and
national maps because they have been generally more de-
tailed and more precise. State maps of surface geological
formations have been of tremendous fundamental im-
portance (1, 12). In Alabama, Harper (8) made an attempt
to translate the surface geology directly into a regional
system of habitats and vegetation. The various state soil
area maps are, of course, based to a considerable extent
on surface geology. These state soil maps have been the
forester's best sources thus far for systems of major forest
habitat classification. Alabama has two such maps, a gen-
eralized map and a more detailed one (2, 3). Florida has
three somewhat different soil maps; two are included in
bulletins (5, 9), while a third - the most recent one - was
published as a separate map (4). Georgia has a soil area
map included in a publication by Carter and Giddens (6).
It would appear that vegetation maps, including forest
type maps, have in some places had considerable inde-
pendent influence on location of habitat boundaries. The
most striking example of this is the location of the line
dividing the so-called Upper Coastal Plain from the Mid-
dle or Lower Coastal Plain. Parts of this line clearly in-
dicate nothing more than the northern extent of the main
longleaf-slash pine forest of the Coastal Plain. This is not
to say that the two classes of habitat should be one class,
but does cast doubt on the accuracy of the boundary in
some instances.
PROCEDURE
Habitat regions were first placed on individual state
maps, using as nearly as possible a uniform system of
classification. The three individual state maps were then
combined into a regional map. For the Coastal Plain, the
designations "Upper," "Middle," and "Lower" were
dropped because these have different meanings in the 
dif-
ferent states. Instead the terms "Hilly," "Undulating,"
and "Flatlands" were adopted for the major subdivisions
of the Coastal Plain.
For Alabama, the main source of information was the
1951 "Soil Areas of Alabama" map (2). One major change
involved moving the boundary between the Hilly Coastal
Plain and the Undulating Coastal Plain farther to the
south in the southeastern part of the State. The soils and
topography of the area in question seemed to fit more
properly into the former province rather than the latter.
Another major change involved a reorganization of the
subdivisions in the Mountain and Valley Province. The
Georgia map of Carter and Giddens (6) was used almost
as published. For Florida a recent and unpublished 
veg-
etation map of the State by Davis (7) was used in con-
junction with the three soil maps previously mentioned.
The vegetation map was used for refining purposes and for
helping to compromise differences among the three soil
maps. The inclusion of the alluvial areas and swamp
areas was attempted only on the Florida map. "Ham-
mocks" were excluded as such because it was found that
this term was ambigious when used to describe the physi-
cal habitat.
Drafting the regional map generally involved obtaining
agreement in habitat boundaries along the common state
boundaries and making some eliminations of smaller map
units because of the change in scale. Obtaining agree-
ment along state lines involved (1) some mechanical 
ma-
nipulation and (2) some reappraisal of individual state
concepts where there was obvious disagreement on the
fundamental bases for defining habitat classes. For num-
ber (2), intensive use was made of topographic and geo-
logical material. The principal elimination because of
change in scale was the alluvial flood plains. One of 
the
sandstone-shale and one of the limestone-dolomite 
sub-
divisions of the Ridge and Valley Province of Alabama
had to be eliminated. Created in their stead was an arti-
ficial subdivision combining the intermixed elements 
of
the two eliminated subdivisions.
In the "Descriptions of the Habitat Provinces and Re-
gions," that follow, a good many habitat classes are de-
scribed that are not shown on the map. These are desig-
nated as "unmapped categories." They are major ecologi-
cal categories that could not be shown on the map either
because they are too dispersed to plot or because their
distribution is not well enough known for placement. The
most important of these is Province VII, the Alluvial
Flood Plains Province. The reader should note that this
province includes all flood plain habitats and that he
should not expect to find descriptions of such under other
provinces.
DESCRIPTIONS OF HABITAT PROVINCES
AND REGIONS
The descriptions that follow are keyed to the regional
map. They are arranged in an approximate geographical
sequence from north to south.
I. RIDGE AND VALLEY PROVINCE
The soils are formed from sedimentary rocks of Paleozoic
origin.
I LD. Limestone and Dolomite Region. Topography is
gentle to rough, nearly mountainous. Soils are generally
fine in texture. Unmapped categories follow:
1. Soils of gentle topography, generally not "cherty"
(i.e., not containing numerous hard quartz rocks). Silt loam
or clay loam topsoils are over friable clay subsoils. De-
catur and Dewey are typical soil series. Some soils, such
as the Colbert, are shallow and have very sticky or plastic
clay subsoils. Some, such as the Sango, are cherty silt
loams with fragipans. All except the sticky clay subsoil
group are highly desirable for cultivated agriculture.
2. Soils of rough topography. (a) Cherty silt loam slopes
and ridges. Although very rocky and low in fertility, these
normally are fairly deep soils that are well penetrated by
tree roots. Occasionally, the chert occurs in massive layers
close to the surface, thus restricting the soil to shallow
depths. Subsoils, which occur normally more than 12
inches below the surface, may be silt loam to clay in tex-
ture. Most of the area is occupied by hardwood or pine-
hardwood forests. Baxter and Clarksville are typical soil
series. (b) Limestone lithosols of hilly or mountainous
topography. Rock outcrops are frequent. These sites owe
their existence geologically to weather-resistant sandstone
caps that may or may not still be present at tops of the
ridges or plateaus. The common vegetative cover is cedar-
hardwood forest.
I SS. Region of Sandstone Plateaus and of Shale and
Sandstone Slopes. The topography is gentle on the pla-
teaus and hilly to mountainous elsewhere. Unmapped cat-
egories follow:
1. Sandstone soils of gently rolling to moderately hilly
topography. Topsoils are sandy loam to loam in texture
and subsoils are sandy loam to friable clay loam. Bedrock,
consisting of sandstone or of sandstone and shale inter-
bedded, occurs at 1/2 to 5 feet. These soils are extensively
cultivated. Typical soil series are Hartsells, Enders, and
Tilsit.
2. Soils of sandstone hills and steep slopes. Although
these are generally shallow sandy loam soils, often with
numerous rock outcrops, deeper soils are not uncommon,
particularly on north slopes. The rock may contain little
to much shale. Forest cover, pines and hardwoods, is com-
mon. The principal soil series is Ramsey (formerly Mus-
kingum).
3. Soils of shale hills and ridges. These are mostly
lithosols (forested) with shallow silt loam over thin silt
loam to silty clay subsoils. Productivity is likely to be
low because of shallowness of soil and steepness of the
slope, but much depends on orientation and structure of
the shale bedrock. Vertically oriented, loose shale may
act as additional soil material, while horizontally oriented
shale is normally impenetrable to roots. Erosion hazard is
high. Typical soil series are Pottsville and Montevallo.
I LS. Region of Closely Intermixed Limestone, Dolo-
mite, Sandstone and Shale Soils. This region consists of
[4]
narrow ridges and valleys, and some narrow 
plateaus,
oriented northeast to southwest, starting in northwestern
Georgia and northeastern Alabama and extending south-
westerly to central Alabama. The region makes up the
southwestern extremity of the Great Appalachian Valley.
The large main ridges and the plateaus are of sandstone
and shale origin, with many of the lower slopes being col-
luvial. Limestone lithosols are commonly found on the
side-slopes of these main ridges and plateaus. Lesser
ridges within the valleys are usually chert ridges of lime-
stone or dolomite origin, but some of the "valley ridges"
are shale ridges. The undulating to rolling hills, which are
most characteristic of the valley floors, have developed
(1) from colluvium and ancient alluvium transported
from the adjoining sandstone, shale and chert ridges, and
limestone slopes; and (2) from residual calcareous shale.
Residual noncherty and nonshaly limestone soils are pres-
ent in the valleys but are minor in area. The region con-
tains all of the soils described under I LD and I SS plus the
following unmapped categories:
1. Colluvial and old alluvial soils of undulating to rolling
topography in the valleys. The soils are variable because
of the variety of parent materials. Most of them are deep.
Normal topsoils are 4 to 12 inches deep and are sandy
loam, silt loam, or loam in texture. The deep subsoils,
sandy clay loam to, clay in texture, may be friable through-
out, firm or plastic throughout and of poor penetrability to
roots and water, or friable becoming firm with increased
depth. Many of the soils contain numerous gravel, cob-
bles, stones, or even boulders. While cultivation and pas-
turage is extensive, large acreages in more hilly areas sup-
port pine, oak-hickory, and cedar forests. Typical soil
series are Jefferson and Cumberland.
2. Shaly soils of nearly level to rolling topography in the
larger valleys. These are residual soils that have devel-
oped from calcareous shales interbedded with some lime-
stone. Topsoils are normally 5 to 10 inches deep and are
fine sandy loam to loam in texture. The acid subsoils, 3
feet or more in depth, are usually very fine in texture, silty
clay loam to clay. They are normally sticky and plastic, but
vary somewhat in this respect. Small pieces of weathered
yellow or brown shale are usually abundant in the subsoil.
Old-field pine forests are common on these soils where
cultivation has been abandoned because of poor internal
drainage. Hardwood forest is also common. The prin-
cipal soil series is Conasauga.
3. Quartzite ridges. These are isolated and scattered in
this region. They are much more important in the Moun-
tain Province to the southeast.
II. THE MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
The province is characterized by mountain topography
and hard parent materials of crystalline and near-crystal-
line rocks. The rocks are of Cambrian (earliest Paleozoic)
and pre-Cambrian origins.
II Q. Region of Quartzite Soils of Slopes and Ridges (un-
mapped category). Exposed boulders of quartzite and
sometimes sandstone and conglomerate, are common. The
slopes are the steepest and the ridges are some of the
highest of the Mountain Province. The soils are normally
[5]
sandy loam lithosols. Site quality is generally the poorest
of the Mountain Province.
II P. Region of Soils Developed Primarily from Thin
Platy Rocks - Slate, Phyllite, or Schist, Singly or in Com-
bination (unmapped category). Small quartzite rocks may
be common. The soils on the steeper slopes are often
lithosols. Most common topsoil texture is loam. Subsoils
are clay loam to clay, normally friable. Sites tend to be
poor, but much depends upon composition, arrangement,
and orientation of the rock materials. Dark-colored biotite
schist produces the best soils of the group; slate pro-
duces the poorest. Talladega is the most common soil
series.
II G. Region of Soils Developed Primarily from Granite
or Granite-like Rocks (unmapped category). The parent
rock consists mainly of granites and gneisses. Schists, if
present, do not exert a major influence on the soil. While
normally the soils have a zonal profile, on the steeper
slopes they are often lithosols. The topsoils are commonly
loams or sandy loams, and the subsoils are friable sandy
clay loam to clay. These are the best and the most stable
of the mountain slope and ridge soils formed from residual
rock. Typical soil series are Porters and Ashe.
II CA. Colluvial Soils and Soils of Old Alluvial Terraces
(unmapped category). The colluvial soils occupy foothills,
footslopes, lower slopes, and coves. They extend far up
the slopes of many mountains, ending in terrace-like es-
carpments. Soils of old alluvial terraces are the principal
soils of the hills within the larger valleys. These colluvial
and old alluvial soils are secondary soils derived from the
rocks and soils described in II Q, II P, and II G above.
They comprise the best sites of the Mountain Province.
Soil profiles are normally deep. Rocks including boulders
are often abundant. Topsoils are loams, silt loams, or
sandy loams. Subsoils are usually fine in texture but
friable. Typical soil series are Tusquitee, Georgeville, and
Altavista.
III. THE PIEDMONT PROVINCE
This is characterized by rolling to hilly topography and
crystalline parent material of very ancient igneous or sed-
imentary rocks, often metamorphosed.
III UB. Region of Soils from Ultra-Basic Rocks (un-
mapped category). Chlorite, serpentine, hornblende schist,
and diorite are common. The topsoil is usually shallow.
The subsoil is normally a sticky or plastic clay. Bedrock
occurs commonly at 8 feet or less. Most of these are poor
soils. Fortunately, they are comparatively small in acre-
age. The Iredell soil series represents the poorest of this
category. The Mecklenburg soils represent the best. These
may have up to 10 inches of loam topsoil and a clay sub-
soil that is only "slightly" plastic. Main tree species are
pines, oaks, hickories, and redcedar.
III PQ. Region of Soils Developed Primarily from Thin
Platy Rocks and from Quartzite (unmapped category).
Parent material may be schist (mica schist or quartz
schist), slate, quartzite, or any combination of these three.
These soils are often on pronounced slopes and ridges,
and they are highly erodible. Profile development is im-
perfect; some are lithosols. Sandy loam topsoil has often
been removed by erosion. Friable clay or clay loam sub-
soil soon grades without any distinct line of transition into
decomposed parent material. These are the poorest of the
more extensive Piedmont soils. Typical soil series are
Louisa, Edgemont, and Alamance. The Pine Mountain
area in the southwestern Georgia Piedmont is an extensive
forested area of quartzite soil. In the southeastern Georgia
Piedmont, mainly in Lincoln County, there is an exten-
sive slate belt.
III G. Region of Soils Developed Primarily from Granite
or Granite-like Rocks (unmapped category). The principal
parent rocks are granitic in nature - granite, gneisses, and
diorites: Schists can be intermixed with these. The origi-
nal topsoil of sandy loam has often disappeared because
of cultivation followed by erosion. The current topsoil is
often a "plowsoil" consisting of various mixtures of origi-
nal topsoil with clay subsoil. The friable clay subsoil is
normally deep. These are the best extensive soils of the
Piedmont, although they are actually variable in quality.
Typical soil series are Cecil, Appling, and Lloyd.
III CA. Colluvial Soils and Zonal Soils of Old Alluvial
Terraces (unmapped category). The colluvial soils are in
the bottoms of many of the small streams and on the ad-
joining lowermost slopes. The old alluvial terrace soils
are near major streams. These are deeper soils and are
generally of good site quality, but they are restricted in
total area. The topsoil is usually sandy loam, the subsoil
sandy clay loam to. clay. Typical soil series are Altavista,
Worsham, and Allen.
IV. THE HILLY COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE
This province is characterized by rolling to strongly hilly
topography. The soils: are developed from Mesozoic and
early Cenozoic marine sedimentary deposits of gravel,
sand, silt, clay, and chalk. The south boundary, adjoining
the Undulating Coastal Plain Province, is not always pre-
cise from the standpoint of differences in physical environ-
ment since the transition from one province to the other
may be gradual. In such instances, the northern limits of
the longleaf-slash pine coastal plain forest is normally
taken as the boundary between the two provinces.
IV SH. The Sandhills Region of the Hilly Coastal Plain.
This region is mapped in Georgia but not in Alabama, al-
though soil scientists generally agree that it is certainly
extensive enough in Alabama to be mapped. It is located
mainly in the Tuscaloosa geological formation, which is
made up of predominantly coarser deposits from earliest
Mesozoic material. Much of the area has more than 3 feet
of sand or loamy sand at the surface (Kershaw, Lakeland
series). Often, however, the sandy topsoils have friable
sandy clay loam at less than 3 feet (Norfolk), or even stiff,
compact sandy clay at fairly shallow depths (Gilead, Vau-
cluse). Longleaf pine forest is common.
IV OH. The Clayhills Region. This region is mapped
only in Alabama. The condition exists also in Georgia, but
is probably not extensive enough there for plotting on a
state or regional map. Clay deposits predominate as the
parent material, and a heavy clay subsoil is characteristic.
The topography is strongly rolling to extremely hilly, al-
most mountainous. The topsoils, from a few inches to
about 20 inches in depth, are normally sandy loam or
fine sandy loam, but may be finer in texture. On the
steepest slopes and narrowest ridges, the soil may be lith-
osol in character, having a bedrock of fine sandstone, silt-
stone, or claystone close to the surface. Favorable topo-
graphic situations in the Clayhills Region may be the most
productive upland sites in the Southeast for both pines
(loblolly-shortleaf) and hardwoods. Typical soil series of
the Clayhills are Sawyer, Lauderdale, and Boswell. Vai-
den and Oktibbeha soils also belong in the Clayhills hab-
itat group, even though often associated geographically
with the Black Belt Region. Interspersed with typical clay-
hill conditions are the following unmapped categories:
1. Coarse soils of high ridgetops and plateaus. These
soils are common near the southern edge of the region in
western Alabama. They have developed from coarser and
more recent geological deposits. Deep sands (Lakeland)
often support pure longleaf forest. Soils with sandy clay
loam subsoils at less than 3 feet (Ruston, Norfolk) are
often cultivated. They normally support loblolly-shortleaf
forest where not in cultivation.
2. Acid clay soils (Mayhew, Wilcox) of the "interior
flatwoods" or "grey post oak prairies." An extensive area
of the flatwoods lies just south of and parallel to the west-
ern segment of the Black Belt Region. Subsoils are sticky
or plastic. In relatively undisturbed forests of loblolly
pine and oaks, clay topsoils may be easily penetrated by
roots to depths of 16 inches or more. In old fields or pas-
tures, easy root penetration is often limited to 1 or 2 inches.
3. Calcareous clay soils (Houston, Sumter). These are
Black Belt soils that occur in scattered patches south of
the Black Belt Region proper. They support cedar-hard-
wood forests and prairie vegetation.
IV LH. The Loam Hills Region of the Hilly Coastal
Plain. The soils of this region in texture are between those
of the Sandhills and the Clayhills. The topography is
rolling to very hilly. The topsoil texture is loamy sand to
fine sandy loam, and the subsoil is normally a friable sandy
clay loam or sandy clay at moderate depths. Some deep
sands are interspersed. There are many soil series. Rep-
resenting the coarser textured soils are Norfolk, Ruston,
and Orangeburg, and representing the finer textured soils
are Atwood, Greenville, and Shubuta.
IV BB. The Black Belt Region. The soils of this region
developed from Mesozoic chalk deposits. Topsoils are
normally clay, although occasionally topsoils can be as
light as sandy loam in texture. Subsoils are normally
sticky or plastic clays at shallow depths. Alkaline soils,
such as Houston or Sumter, support cedar-hardwood forest
or prairie vegetation. Acid soils, such as the Eutaw, sup-
port pine-oak vegetation. Interspersed in the southern half
of the Black Belt Region are hilly islands of Clayhill soils
of the Vaiden and Oktibbeha series.
IV C. Soils of Colluvial Material in and along the
Branches and around the Edges of the Floodplains (un-
mapped category). These "branch-bottom" soils are nor-
mally gley soils of varying wetness. The wettest may even
be "mucky" at the surface, whereas the driest may have
gley zones only at considerable depth. They are deep
soils and usually sandy, and are often quite productive.
[6]

- 0
FOREST HABITAT PROVINCES AND REGIONS
On A Physiographic Basis
Southeastern States
I RIDGE AND VAL LY PROVINCE
*w Region of Limestone and Dolomi te Soils
c J Regior of Sandstone Plateaus, and of Shale inn Sandcstoine Ridges
I LLS __ Region of CloselyN In termixed Limcstone, Dolomite, Sandstone and Shalc Siois
?%" } MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
I1 PIEDMONT PROVINCE
IV HILLY COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE
r% T~,Y: Sandhills 
Ri gion
tir: Clayhiills 
Reion
i I~ Blackoel Region
_V LBJ Loam Hills Region
V UNDULATING COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE
Mil" . Loamy Soils Region
V 51- __ Sandhills Region
=V_ FLATLANDS COASTAL PLAIN PRCVINCE
VI F Flatwoods Region
VI F
5
w Extensive Forest Swamp
VI MSJ Extensive Mangrove Swamp
VI PMT Extensive Peat-Mock Swamp
I% MPfF MarlI Praire Region
.1i

V. THE UNDULATING COASTAL PLAIN
PROVINCE
This province is characterized by flat to rolling topography
and generally coarse-textured soils. Soils have developed
from Cenozoic marine deposits of gravel, sand, and clay.
Both the north and south boundaries are often indistinct
- the Undulating Coastal Plain can be quite properly
looked upon as a transition zone between the Hilly Coastal
Plain and the Flatlands Coastal Plain. This viewpoint
helps one to characterize the Undulating Coastal Plain if
he remembers that the Hilly Coastal Plain is characterized
by finer textures, strong topography, and good surface
drainage, whereas the Flatlands Coastal Plain is charac-
terized by coarser textures, flat topography, and poor sur-
face drainage.
V LS. The Loamy Soils Region of the Undulating
Coastal Plain. This region is similar to the Loam Hills
Region of the Hilly Coastal Plain, but the soils will aver-
age a little coarser in texture and the topography is flatter.
The topography is usually flat to gently rolling. There are
some moderately rolling to hilly areas, with several hilly
areas in southwestern Georgia, southern Alabama, and
northern Florida that could be classified as isolated seg-
ments of the Hilly Coastal Plain Province. Topsoils are
sand to fine sandy loam. Subsoils, of friable sandy clay
loam to sandy clay, are less than 3 feet from the surface.
Typical soil series are Norfolk, Orangeburg, Tifton, Green-
ville, and Hernando. Interspersed in small segments are
the following unmapped categories.
1. Deep sands (Lakeland, Eustis). These typically sup-
port longleaf pine-scrub oaks.
2. Sandy loam topsoils with heavy clay subsoils (Susque-
hanna, Boswell, Fellowship). These are normally on moist
slopes and support a heavy gallberry understory and a
longleaf or slash pine overstory. Fellowship soils, exten-
sive in central Florida, are flat to, undulating and support
loblolly pine, hardwoods, and cabbage palmetto.
3. Poorly drained depressions including "ponds" and
the like. These depressions contain half-bog soils, or at
least very wet mineral gley soils. The depth of peat, muck,
or moss at the top will be from 0 to approximately 2 feet,
and the mineral material may be anything from sand to
clay in texture. The principal tree species are pond-
cypress, swamp tupelo, and slash pine.
4. Hillside savannas. These are wet seep areas sup-
porting grasses and sedges. Any trees, typically wet site
species such as pondcypress, are stunted and scattered.
V SH. The Sandhills Region of the Undulating Coastal
Plain. This region is characterized by deep sand or loamy
sand on rolling topography. Finer textures, if present, are
more than 3 feet beneath the surface. Undulating Coastal
Plain Sandhills are mapped only in Florida, although they
are present also in Alabama and Georgia. They are not
extensive enough in Alabama, however, to be mapped.
They are extensive enough in Georgia to be mapped, but
existing published information does not show total extent.
While the soils with their more or less uniform, xerophytic
vegetation may appear poor in quality, many sites are of
medium to high productivity. A combination of a deep
clay zone and favorable topography can result in rapid
forest growth even though the overall forest community
does appear to be xerophytic. Typical soil series are
Eustis, Lakeland, and Lakewood.
V C. Soils of Colluvial Materials in and along the
Branches and around the Edges of the Flood Plains (un-
mapped category). These soils are similar to those de-
scribed for the Hilly Coastal Plain. Site quality can be
good to excellent where the internal drainage is-not too
poor.
VI. THE FLATLANDS COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE
This province is characterized by flat to undulating top-
ography, high water table, and generally coarse sandy
topsoils, except where broken by areas of extensive swamp
land. The soils were developed from late Cenozoic 
or
recent marine deposits near the Gulf and the ocean.
VI F. The Flatwoods Region. The soils are predomi-
nantly sandy gley soils, except that those of interspersed
"ridges" and depressions are frequently otherwise, as 
de-
scribed under 2 and 3. Unmapped categories follow:
1. Mineral gley soils of various degrees of wetness de-
pending on topography and subsoil characteristics. These
are developed from marine sands, clays, soft limestone, or
marl. Subsoils may be deep sands, with or without or-
ganic hardpans, or may be heavy clay. Soils are driest on
ridges and high flats between drainages and on "margins"
of streams. They are wettest in the low flats and in some
of the small streams ("runs") and ponds. Where the sur-
face soil of flats remains more or less saturated through
the growing season, grassland vegetation rather than for-
est vegetation is predominant. Extensive wet grasslands
of this type occur in south Florida. Extensive forested
areas are the forester's well known "coastal flatwoods,"
with slash pine being by far the most important com-
mercial tree species. Typical soil series are Leon, Bladen,
and Lynchburg.
2. Very wet organic soils appearing to have black,
mucky surface layers over mineral sandy or 
clayey ma-
terial. These are found in ponds, bays, the wettest runs,
and in miscellaneous swamp areas. Baldcypress, bays, 
and
other wetland tree species are typical.
3. Well-drained sandy "ridges" rising high enough above
surrounding flats and depressions to escape the water table
influence. These are mostly deep sands. Typical 
soil
series are Blanton, Lakeland, and Norfolk. Occasionally
moisture relations are favorable enough for development
of comparatively large hardwoods in place of the usual
scrub oak or longleaf-scrub oak types. Such ridges 
are
referred to as "hammocks."
VI PM. Region of Extensive Peat-Muck Lands. The re-
gion consists of extensive areas of more or less deep peat
and/or muck soils. These are rarely important as forest
land. The principal area is the Everglades.
VI FS. Region of Extensive Forest Swamps. The main
areas are the Okefenokee Swamp and the south Florida
cypress swamps. Data on soils are meager. The region
probably includes peat-muck soils, wet mineral gleys, and
perhaps some alluvium.
[7]
VI MS. Region of Extensive Mangrove Swamps. This
region consists of tidal swampland supporting mangrove
forest.
VI MP. The Marl Prairie Region. This region consists
of highly calcareous soils supporting a growth of grasses
and sedges.
VI CS. The Coastal Strand Region (unmapped). This
region consists of marshes, beaches, and dunes not in-
cluded in other regions.
VII. THE ALLUVIAL FLOOD PLAINS PROVINCE
(Unmapped Category)
This province consists of all first bottoms and terrace lands
(or old bottoms) the soils of which have not matured
enough to show zonal or mature profiles. The key en-
vironmental feature of flood plains is that they are inun-
dated a few days to as much as several months each year.
The reader is referred to Putnam (11) for an acceptable
classification of habitat in the flood plains of the major
streams. It is suggested here that it would be desirable to
classify the flood plains of local origin as a distinct and
separate major category. These are the flood plains of
minor streams that contain alluvial soils derived from local
material. The ridges, flats, sloughs, and swamps, so ap-
parent in the large flood plains, are absent or are very dif-
ficult to distinguish. The soils can be comparatively well-
drained to very poorly drained, but flood waters never
stand on any of them for more than a few days. The bet-
ter drained soils will often support abundant yellow-pop-
lar, rarely found on the major flood plains. The better-
drained soils are often of excellent productivity.
USES OF THE CLASSIFICATION
Several uses are visualized for a regional habitat classi-
fication as presented in this report. An important use in
research should be as a guide in selecting sampling strata
wherever site or habitat is considered to be an experimental
variable. This type of use should be particularly perti- 
-
nent for studies in local site productivity, such as the typi-
cal soil-site studies, and should be of equal importance
for certain tree improvement studies, such as the testing
of progenies and of geographic seed sources.
This type of major classification should also serve as a
beginning point for local site classification. First, how-
ever, climatic differences should be imposed upon this
classification in order to derive "climato-physiographic"
provinces where such are justified. Local site classifica-
tions should be extensions of regional climato-physiogra-
phic provinces.
Still another use of regional habitat classifications is in
describing experimental areas for research reports based
wholly or partly on field work. In the past many otherwise
excellent research reports have been badly weakened by
failures of the authors to describe ecological environments
in which their tests or observations were made. Ref-
erence to the appropriate category in a regional habitat
classification, such as this one, is easy and convenient, and
should be a minimum requirement in any research report.
There are undoubtedly other uses for a classification of
this kind that have not been brought out here.
SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISION
AND REFINEMENT
The Site Classification Committee did not have a
formal program for field checking this classification sys-
tem. This fact imposes limitations, of course, on the com-
pleteness and accuracy of the work. A followup revision
of the classification and map should be made on the basis
of systematic field checking. Eventually, experimental
checking should be used to either prove or disprove dif-
ferences among the classes in environment-growth rela-
tionships and in environment-vegetation relationships.
As previously mentioned, climate should be imposed
upon this physiographic classification to the ultimate end
that "climato-physiographic" provinces are developed
where such are justified. For this purpose, vegetation and
growth should be compared within physiographic units
over maximum ranges of climate.
Revision work as discussed would best be conducted as
a regional project under southern Land-Grant Universities
concerned. The cooperative approach would be conducive
to obtaining either grants or allocated funds. Agencies
within the United States Department of Agriculture could
formally assist and cooperate. Private companies could
lend informal assistance. Personnel would include forest
researchers aided by specialists in geology, soil science,
and plant ecology. Much of the work would be appropri-
ate for graduate projects. Strength of this approach
would be the diversity of special personnel available. A
possible weakness might be a lack of uniformity in effort
and standards of workmanship.
If a single-agency approach were used in making a re-
vision, the United States Forest Service would be the
most logical agency since it comes nearest to having ade-
quate personnel and facilities for the task. The strength
of this approach would be uniformity of effort and stand-
ards. A major weakness would be a lack of personnel and
knowledge in non-forestry specialties.
Pending revisions as recommended, it is hoped that the
habitat classification herein presented will serve those
foresters in the Southeastern Section who have need of
such a classification.
[8]
LITERATURE CITED
(1) ADAMS, G. I., BuTTs, C., STEPHENSON, L. W., AND COOKE,
W. Geology of Alabama. Geol. Sury. of Ala. Tuscaloosa.
1926.
(2) ANONYMOUS. Soil Areas of Alabama. Ala. Dept. of Agr.
& Ind. Montgomery. 1951.
(3) . Soil Map, State of Alabama. Ala. Dept. of
Agr. & Ind. Montgomery. 1953.
(4) ...................... General Soil Map of Florida. Fla. Agr.
Expt. Station, Gainesville. 1962.
(5) BRYAN, O. C. The Soils of Florida. Fla. Dept. of Agr.
Bul. 422. Tallahassee. 1960.
(6) CARTER, R. L. AND GIDDENS, J. Soils of Georgia. Univ.
of Ga., :Col. of Agr,' Expt. Sta. Bul. 2. Athens. 1954.
(7) DAVIS, J. H. Vegetation Map, State of Florida. (hand-
drawn and colored). Undated.
APPENDIX
Glossary of Terms
Alluvium - Soil material that has been transported and
deposited by stream water.
Basic rock - Igneous rock containing a high proportion
of dark-colored ferro-magnesian silicate minerals, in con-
trast to "acidic" rock, which contains a high proportion of
light-colored silicate minerals of aluminum, calcium, and
potassium.
Biotite - Mica that is black because of its content of
iron and magnesium. Like all micas, splits readily into
shiny thin sheets. Rock containing much biotite is "biotite
schist," a metamorphic rock.
Cambrian - The earliest period of the Paleozoic Era.
The soil-forming materials in the Southeast from this pe-
riod are mainly quartzite, slate, dolomite, and limestone.
Cenozoic - The latest of the great geological eras, span-
ning from 60 million years ago until recent time. The
soil-forming materials are comparatively unmodified ma-
rine sediments.
Chalk - A soft rock resulting from the deposition of
calcium carbonate in sea water. With enough time, con-
solidation will cause chalk to become hard, firm "lime-
stone."
Chert - A hard, weather-resistant rock resulting from
the deposition of silica in clear sea water. The same pro-
cess produces "flint." Chert and flint are quartz rocks most
commonly found as nodules or lenses in limestone or dolo-
mite. When the matrix rock has decomposed into soil,
the more resistant chert and flint cause the soil to be
"cherty" or "rocky."
Chlorite - A greenish, usually scaly mineral that is high
in iron and magnesium. Rock containing much chlorite
is "chlorite schist," a metamorphic rock.
Claystone - A soft rock developing through the consoli-
dation of marine deposits of clay. Further consolidation
through mechanical pressure will presumably convert
claystone into "shale."
(8) HARPER, R. M. Economic Botany of Alabama. Part 1,
Geographical Report on Forests. Geol. Surv. of Ala.
Monograph 8. Tuscaloosa. 1913.
(9) HENDERSON, J. R. The Soils of Florida. Univ. of Fla.,
Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 334. Gainesville. 1939.
(10) LYTLE, S. A. Physiography and Properties of Southern
Forest Soils. Southern Forest Soils, La. State Univ. Press.
Baton Rouge. 1960.
(11) PUTNAM, J. A. Management of Bottomland Hardwoods.
Southern For. Expt. Sta. Occas. Pap. 116. New Orleans.
1951.
(12) STOSE, G. W., COOKE, C. W., CRICKMAY, G. W., AND
BUTTS, C. Geologic Map of Georgia. Ga. Div. of Mines,
Mining and Geol. Atlanta. 1939.
(13) U.S. DEPT. OF AGR. Soils and Men, Yearbook of Agri-
culture. Washington. 1938.
(14)_ . Land Resource Regions and Major
Land Resource Areas of the United States (map). Wash-
ington. 1963.
Colluvium - Soil material that has been transported
and deposited through creep or local washing on adjoining
or nearby higher slopes.
Conglomerate - A sedimentary rock developing through
the consolidation of very coarse particles (pebbles, cob-
bles, boulders).
Diorite - A coarse-grained igneous rock, similar to gran-
ite in appearance, and considered to be a granitic rock in
this report, but containing less quartz and much more of
the dark-colored ferro-magnesian minerals than granite.
Dolomite - Similar in appearance to limestone, but
harder and reacting only very weakly to 10 per cent hy-
drochloric acid. Results from the deposition of calcium-
magnesium carbonate in sea water.
Fragipan - A compact subsoil horizon rich in silt, sand,
or both, and usually low in clay. Normally it interferes
with movement of water and the penetration of roots.
Gley soils - In this report, soils that are influenced by
water saturation as evidenced by presence of one or more
gley layers or horizons. Gley layers are mineral and char-
acterized by neutral gray colors, or by greenish, bluish,
reddish, and gray mottlirng. No organic layer (peat or
muck) is present at the surface (cf. half bog soils).
Gneiss - Any metamorphic rock composed of relatively
thick bands, 1/s to 1/4 inch in thickness. Most gneisses in
the Southeast are formed from granitic rocks.
Granite - A hard, coarse-grained igneous rock of rela-
tively light color consisting principally of quartz and feld-
spar crystals. The quartz becomes sand grains in the soil;
the feldspar weathers to clay minerals.
Half bog soils - Swampy or marshy soils with an or-
ganic horizon (peat or muck) overlying gray mineral soil
(gley).
Hornblende - The most common black mineral in rocks
of igneous origin. Has elongated crystals, but is not
"platy" like the equally black biotite. It is not distin-
guished in this report from the almost identical pyroxene.
Both are calcium-magnesium-iron-aluminum silicates.
[9]
Igneous Rock - Rock that has solidified from a molten
state. In the Southeast, igneous rocks are the oldest rocks,
and they are generally crystalline in nature.
Limestone - A hard, firm rock resulting from the de-
position of calcium carbonate in sea water followed by
consolidation under pressure. In geological time, lime-
stone has a low chemical resistance and is one of the first
rocks to decompose.
Lithosol - In this report, any shallow, rocky soil on
steeply sloping land. Profile development is absent, poorly
expressed, or does not show all horizons of a zonal soil.
Marl - An earthy deposit consisting chiefly 
of calcium
carbonate mixed with clay.
Mesozoic - The geological era following the Paleozoic
and preceding the Cenozoic, spanning from 185 million
years ago. until 60 million years ago (Age of Reptiles). 
In
the Southeast, the soil-forming materials are comparatively
unmodified marine sediments.
Metamorphic rock - A rock that has undergone pro-
nounced alteration from its original igneous or sedimen-
tary nature. Generally, combined action of pressure, heat,
and water has resulted in a more compact and a more
crystalline nature.
Paleozoic - The geological era preceding the Mesozoic
and including the earliest known life, spanning from 
520
million years to 185 million years ago. The most 
common
soil-forming rocks are the well consolidated limestone,
sandstone, and shale.
Phyllite - A platy rock, having lustrous cleavage planes
and often bluish in color, that is intermediate in hardness
and other properties between slate and mica schist. 
It is
basically micaceous in nature and, like white 
mica, highly
resistant to chemical weathering.
Physiography - (1) Physical geography; (2) the study of
land forms (geomorphology).
Pre-Cambrian- Pre-Paleozoic, spanning from more than
two billion years to 520 million years ago. Rocks 
from
this earliest of geological eras are generally 
of igneous
origin, many metamorphosed, and crystalline in 
nature.
Quartzite - A very hard, sugary textured rock composed
predominantly of quartz grains, often interlocking. 
Usually
light-colored. It is poor soil-forming material, being highly
resistant to weathering and very poor in mineral nutrient
elements.
Residual soil - A soil developed in place from the bed-
rock below.
Sandstone- A rock formed from sand sediments that
have become cemented through impregnation with clay,
iron oxide, or calcium carbonate, singly or in combination.
Cementation with silica produces a form of quartzite.
Schist - A crystalline metamorphic rock having thin
bands and easy cleavage. Mica is the most common min-
eral constituent, although any mineral capable of forming
flattened crystals (chlorite, hornblende) can be common.
Sedimentary rock - Rock resulting from the consolida-
tion of materials that have been transported by wind, wa-
ter, or ice.
Serpentine - A mottled green metamorphic rock that is
soft though massive, and rich in magnesium. Highly re-
sistant to decomposition, it produces shallow, fine-textured
soils.
Shale - A rock of laminated structure formed by con-
solidation of water deposits of clay. See "claystone." Sand,
silt, and/or calcium carbonate may be present as impuri-
ties. Shale is relatively resistant to decomposition.
Siltstone - A rock developing from consolidation of wa-
ter deposits of silt. A considerable proportion of so-called
claystone and shale is actually siltstone.
Slate - A smooth, platy rock that cleaves readily into
thin sheets. Normally formed through the physical com-
pression and chemical alteration of shale. The rock is
even more resistant to decomposition than shale, and
tends to produce very shallow soils.
Xerophytic - Refers to plants that can grow in dry
habitats.
Zonal soil profile - A mature soil profile in the sense
that enough time has passed to permit development 
of an
A-B-C profile peculiar to the local regional climate and
typical of the local Great Soil Group. A soil profile is not
zonal if its horizons are weak or indistinct, or if the hori-
zons are other than A-B-C. Examples of non-zonal soils
are certain deep sands, gley soils, half bog soils, and litho-
sols.
[10]