Thirty Great North Carolina Science Adventures by April C. Smith

Author:April C. Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Published: 2020-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

Figure 15-3. Wavy, folded layers of mica schist bordered by the lighter Sauratown quartzite. Photo by Jesse Anderson.

Ecology of Pilot Mountain

Walking around Pilot Mountain, you are surrounded by visible geologic features. With large cliffs of quartzite and bands of folded mica schist, it can be hard to remember to stop and admire the plant and animal life in the area. Many species of plants and animals around Pilot Mountain are reminiscent of western North Carolina and southern Appalachia, yet the combination of elevation and soil mineral composition allows these plants and animals to be successful here as well. While walking the Jomeokee Trail along the shaded, north side of Pilot Mountain, you will be surrounded by Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia). These can be identified any time of year, as they are broadleaf evergreen shrubs. The mountain laurel has small, pointy leaves, compared with the broad, oblong, rabbit-ear-shaped leaves of the rhododendron. Identifying them in the spring can be a treat when they are in bloom, as the Catawba rhododendron blooms are violet-purple, compared with the light pink or white flowers of the mountain laurel. Interspersed among the shrubs are tall pitch pine (Pinus rigida) and Table Mountain pine (P. pungens) trees.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.