Pocosin

Pocosin is the name for a native to North America form swampy wetlands and bogs with deep, acidic, sandy or peaty soils. The word is probably borrowed Pocosin the Eastern Algonquian language family.

Reserves and mineral

Pocosine come in the Atlantic coastal plain of North America before ( which extends from Florida to Delaware), there especially on poorly drained high ground between rivers or floodplains. The floor of Pocosinen is, apart from brief seasonal dry periods or after long periods of drought, saturated by groundwater. Pocosin floors have a nutrient deficit ( oligotrophic they are ), in particular with regard to phosphorus. Rising groundwater ensures regular flooding. Pocosine are often called floating groundwater levels above astonished, impermeable soil layers.

Vegetation

Characterized Pocosine are often shaped by shrub vegetation. They are therefore sometimes referred to as ' " shrub bogs ". Among the tree species Pinus serotina dominated, but also the loblolly pine and the bottom jaw may be associated with Pocosin.

Part way between "short pocosins " (with kurzwüchsigem trees, in a profound peat and low contents of soil nutrients ) and "tall pocosins " distinction (the latter with larger trees, shallow peat layers and higher nutrient content). With decreasing frequency of complete water saturation and reduced thickness of the Torfhorizontes go Pocosine in a pine -dominated forest type on (so-called " Flatwoods "). A wider definition of " Pocosin " includes all planted with shrubs or trees bog areas in the Atlantic coastal plain of North America, as well as sites with Chamaecyparis thyoides and loblolly pine. A narrower definition limited Pocosine on shrubby "short pocosins " and with Pinus serotina passed "tall pocosins ".

Adaptation to fire

Pocosin ecosystems are adapted to periodic fires. Pinus serotina dismisses as so-called Pyrophyt the seeds only from the journal if a suitable seed bed was created by fire. Forest fires in Pocosinen can be intense and sometimes deep burn into the peat layer, which ultimately leads to the formation of small lakes and ponds.

If forest fires about once per decade is characterized Pinus serotina favored and often the dominant tree species, while in the understory reeds stock ( genus Arundinaria ) is promoted over bushes. More frequent fires lead to an environment characterized by Pyrophyten, shrubby understory. Annual fire prevent the growth of shrubs and reduce the coverage by Pinus serotina, so that a temporarily flooded savanna with sweet and sour grasses and herbaceous under a layer is created.