Abstract
BackgroundCarolina bays are elliptic, directionally aligned basins of disputed origin that occur on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern Georgia. In southeastern North Carolina, several large, natural, lacustrine systems (i.e., Carolina bay lakes) exist within the geomorphological features known as Carolina bays. Within the current distribution of Carolina bays, Bladen and Columbus counties (North Carolina) contain the only known examples of Carolina bay lakes. The Carolina bay lakes can be split into two major divisions, the “Bladen Lakes Group” which is characterized as being relatively unproductive (dystrophic – oligotrophic), and Lake Waccamaw, which stands alone in Columbus County and is known for its high productivity and species richness. Although there have been several studies conducted on these unique lentic systems, none have documented the flora comprehensively.New informationOver the 2013−2014 growing seasons, the littoral zone flora of Carolina bay lakes was surveyed and vouchered. Literature reviews and herbarium crawls complemented this fieldwork to produce an inventory of the vascular plant species. This survey detected 205 taxa (species/subspecies and varieties) in 136 genera and 80 vascular plant families. Thirty-one species (15.2%) are of conservation concern. Lake Waccamaw exhibited the highest species richness with 145 catalogued taxa and 26 species of conservation concern. Across all sites, the Cyperaceae (25 spp.), Poaceae (21 spp.), Asteraceae (13 spp.), Ericaceae (8 spp.), Juncaceae (8 spp.), and Lentibulariaceae (6 spp.) were the six most species-rich vascular plant families encountered. A guide to the littoral zone flora of Carolina bay lakes is presented herein, including dichotomous keys, species accounts (including abundance, habitat, phenology, and exsiccatae), as well as images of living species and vouchered specimens.
Highlights
Carolina bays are shallow elliptical depressions of disputed origin aligned in a northwestsoutheast direction on the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the eastern United States from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern Georgia (Tuomey 1848, Glenn 1895, Melton and Schriever 1933, Prouty 1952, LeBlond 1995, Sharitz 2003)
In southeastern North Carolina, several large, natural, lacustrine systems exist within the geomorphological features known as Carolina bays
Carolina bay lakes can be split into two major divisions, the “Bladen Lake Group”, which are dystrophic to oligotrophic and relatively unproductive, and Lake Waccamaw, which stands alone in Columbus County and is known for its high productivity, species richness, and rates of endemism (Weiss and Kuenzler 1976, Casterlin et al 1984, LeBlond 1995, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, Environmental Sciences Section, Intensive Survey Unit 2009, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, Environmental Sciences Section, Intensive Survey Unit 2012, Schafale 2012)
Summary
Directionally aligned basins of disputed origin that occur on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern Georgia. The Carolina bay lakes can be split into two major divisions, the “Bladen Lakes Group” which is characterized as being relatively unproductive (dystrophic – oligotrophic), and Lake Waccamaw, which stands alone in Columbus County and is known for its high productivity and species richness. Over the 2013−2014 growing seasons, the littoral zone flora of Carolina bay lakes was surveyed and vouchered. Fieldwork to produce an inventory of the vascular plant species This survey detected 205 taxa (species/subspecies and varieties) in 136 genera and 80 vascular plant families. Lake Waccamaw exhibited the highest species richness with 145 catalogued taxa and 26 species of conservation concern. A guide to the littoral zone flora of Carolina bay lakes is presented including dichotomous keys, species accounts (including abundance, habitat, phenology, and exsiccatae), as well as images of living species and vouchered specimens. North American southeastern Coastal Plain lakes, floristics, aquatic, emersed vegetation
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