Little Ocmulgee State Park, GA

These next few blog posts will be dedicated to a class I am currently taking at Georgia State University concerning the natural environments of Georgia.  

We visited Little Ocmulgee State Park on November 4, 2016 to observe the ecology of the Georgia Coastal Plain. Conditions were very dry as Georgia has been experiencing an exceptional drought. The trails through Little Ocmulgee state park are an excellent example of Sandhill and River Dune Upland Forest community, which are ultra-xeric woodland communities found within deep sandy knolls and ridges within the Coastal Plain. Little Ocmulgee state park contains Little Ocmulgee Lake which was built from the Little Ocmulgee River during the Great Depression by the Army Corp of Engineers.  This harsh sand covered environment is dominated by course sand cover, with an open canopy of Longleaf pines and an sub canopy dominated by Turkey oak. Other plant species include the Bluejack oak (Quercus incana), Sand post oak, poison oak, sparkleberry, southern sand-grass, and Gopher apple. The endangered and endemic gopher tortoise is a key stone species that can be found here, and we spotted at least one burrow.  We also spotted a beautiful southern hognose snake which I respectfully let slither away without a photograph. 

Prescribed fire is a necessary component to keeping this community healthy and without it, hardwoods may take the place of fire adapted trees such as the Longleaf pine. While hiking here we witnessed all three growth stages of the Longleaf pine (Pinus Palustris).

Turkey oak (Quercus laevis), Reindeer lichen (Cladonia) and Haircap moss (Polytrichum commune). Named after the fact that someone thought it's leaves are reminiscent of a turkey's foot, the Turkey Oak is one of the scrub-oak species that is often found alongside Longleaf pines.

Bald cypress, (Taxodium distichum) in all of its fall red pigmented glory.

Romantically named cypress knees, these modified roots, or pneumatophores, are created by various species in the the Taxodioideae family.  Although their exact function is not known, they are believed to both help the tree exchange gases in anorexic environments (low oxygen) and stabilize the roots in muddy conditions such as the swampy areas they are commonly found in.

Arborglyph, boardwalk trail at Little Ocmulgee State Park.

The Longleaf pine (seen above) has the greatest longevity of any other pine species growing in the South, surviving 300 to 500 years. It has evolved in an environment of fire and has consequently developed a fascinating strategy to survive in such a climate, with 3 distinct stages of growth.

After germination the tree begins in the initial grass stage, where the tuffs of the needles resemble a shrub of grass. The tree then steadily stores carbon within it's roots and continues root growth underground. In the grass stage a low-intensity fire such as one mimicked during a prescribed burn does not harm the plant as it is protected by long tufts of needles. A long leaf can stay in this stage for 3 to 25 years, amazingly assuring the best possible chance of survival at all odds. 

Once the seedlings emerge from grass stage they quickly bolt into what is called rocket stage, using the carbon carefully stored within the roots for a rapid growth of 4 to 5 feet in a single growing season. After this rapid growth and from about the height of at least three feet tall they are in sapling stage, where they are once again most likely to withstand the flames of a forest fire,  Perhaps this is why they do it so quickly.

pictured above is a Longleaf pine seen in both grass and rocket stage

This beautiful and fragrant Eastern red cedar, (Juniperus virginiana) is an example of a species that can thrive in this type of community only if fire suppression has not been utilized. Without fire, these trees might soon out-compete those adapted to fire, such as the scrub oaks and pines.

Usnea strigosa lichen ,

growing on a branch of a small Turkey oak tree. Lichens are a true wonderment of nature, and I am still grasping how to understand them. "A lichen is a symbiosis. That means that it is two or more organisms living together such that both are more successful within the partnership than they would have been if they were living on their own.All lichens are made up of a fungal partner and either/or an algal partner or a cyanobacterium partner, or both". As of late we are also learning that lichens are very sensitive to air pollution and may be able to serve as a bioindicator of air quality. 

The fast growing Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) as pictured above and below, was planted in place of Longleafs for timber once all the old-growth Longleafs were deforested in Georgia.  It is native to South Georgia and Florida.  On a personal note, my great- grandfather was once among the many field workers who tapped Longleaf pines for the turpentine industry and remembers when the Slash pine was being hailed as superior to the slower growing Longleaf.

Sand Post Oak (Quercus margaretta)

this lichen is unknown to me. if anyone has an idea of what it may be please comment below!