User:Nicmooradian/Appalachian Mountain Fen

Apr 24, 2026 - 01:06
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User:Nicmooradian/Appalachian Mountain Fen

Threats: added information about history of changes in this community type

← Previous revision Revision as of 19:34, 23 April 2026
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[[File:Appalachian Fen Soil.jpg|thumb|Wet soils of a Southern Appalachian fen]]
[[File:Appalachian Fen Soil.jpg|thumb|Wet soils of a Southern Appalachian fen]]
=== Threats ===
=== Threats ===
The Blue Ridge of North Carolina is estimated to have lost approximately 85% of it's non-alluvial wetlands, i.e. wetlands that are not influenced by surface water inputs {{Cite journal |last=Weakley |first=A.S. |last2=Schafale |first2=M.P. |date=1994 |title=Non-alluvial Wetlands of the Southern Blue Ridge -- Diversity in a Threatened Ecosystem |url=https://boglearningnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1994-weakley-and-schafale-non-alluvial-wetlands-of-the-southern-blue-ridge-e28094-diversity-in-a-threatened-ecosystem.pdf |journal=Water, Air, and Soil Pollution |volume=77 |pages=359-383}}. This community type is so rare in the state of North Carolina that while The main immediate threat to this wetland is disturbance from visitors. The hydrology is extremely sensitive and has already been noted to have been damaged by jeep tracks. This is a popular spot for visitors, yet a boardwalk was not built due to the damage that even this would cause.
The Blue Ridge of North Carolina is estimated to have lost approximately 85% of it's non-alluvial wetlands, i.e. wetlands that are not influenced by surface water inputs name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Weakley |first=A.S. |last2=Schafale |first2=M.P. |date=1994 |title=Non-alluvial Wetlands of the Southern Blue Ridge -- Diversity in a Threatened Ecosystem |url=https://boglearningnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1994-weakley-and-schafale-non-alluvial-wetlands-of-the-southern-blue-ridge-e28094-diversity-in-a-threatened-ecosystem.pdf |journal=Water, Air, and Soil Pollution |volume=77 |pages=359-383}}. The Southern Appalachian Fen is so rare in the state of North Carolina that while many other wetland types have declined, it is estimated that there has been zero loss of this unique community type. While this at first may sound surprising, it is due wholly to the fact that there is only one site where this community exists in the state. While there is no history of loss of Southern Appalachian fens in North Carolina, the small size (~ 1 ha) and singularity of this wetland type, make it extremely vulnerable to disturbance and degradation. The largest and most pervasive threat to this wetland is disturbance from visitors. The hydrology is extremely sensitive and has already been noted to have been damaged by jeep tracks. This is a popular spot for visitors, yet a boardwalk was not built due to the damage that even this would cause.


=== Bluff Mountain Preserve ===
=== Bluff Mountain Preserve ===
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