Description of “Ecological Subregions: Sections of the Conterminous United States”
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United States Department of Description of “Ecological Agriculture Forest Service Subregions: Sections of Gen. Tech. Report WO-76B the Conterminous January 2007 United States” First Approximation Compiled by W. H. McNab, D. T. Cleland, J. A. Freeouf, J. E. Keys, Jr., G. J. Nowacki, and C. A. Carpenter Description of Ecological Subregions: Sections of the Conterminous United States Front Cover The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service 2007 map “Ecological Subregions: Sections and Subsections of the Conterminous United States.” Sections, the largest ecological unit of the subregion planning scale of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service National Hierarchical Framework of Ecological Units, are shown nested within provinces, the smallest unit of the ecoregion level. Sections are delineated primarily by evaluation and integration of physical and biological components including climate, physiography, lithology, soils, and potential natural communities. Not shown on the front cover map are subsection ecological units, which are subdivisions of sections. Together, sections and subsections form subregions that may be used for planning and assessments at regional scales. (Map electronic file provided by Alyssa M. Sloan, Michigan Technological University.) Abstract Preliminary descriptions are presented for the 190 section ecological units delineated on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service 2007 map “Ecological Subregions: Sections and Subsections of the Conterminous United States.” Brief descriptions of the section map units provide an abstract primarily of the climate, physiography, and geologic substrate that combine to form ecosystems with distinctive vegetation and other unique ecological characteristics. Many descriptions are illustrated with a photograph of the landform and vegetation found in the section. Compilers All compilers are affiliated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. W. Henry McNab is research forester, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC; David T. Cleland is landscape ecologist, Eastern Regional Office; Rhinelander, WI; Jerry A. Freeouf is regional soil scientist, Rocky Mountain Regional Office, Lakewood, CO; James E. Keys, Jr. is National Coordinator for Integrated Surveys, Washington Office, Washington, DC; Gregory J. Nowacki is regional ecologist, Eastern Regional Office, Milwaukee, WI; and Constance A. Carpenter is sustainable forests coordinator, Northeastern Area, State & Private Forestry, Durham, NH. Citation McNab, W.H.; Cleland, D.T.; Freeouf, J.A.; Keys, Jr., J.E.; Nowacki, G.J.; Carpenter, C.A., comps. 2007. Description of ecological subregions: sections of the conterminous United States [CD-ROM]. Gen. Tech. Report WO-76B. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 80 p. Back Cover Selected mammals that inhabit one or more section map units and influence ecological processes therein. (Photos: National Park Service and USDA Forest Service.) January 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Ecosystem Management Coordination Washington, DC 20250 Description of Ecological Subregions: Sections of the Conterminous United States Description of “Ecological Subregions: Sections of the Conterminous United States” First Approximation Compiled by W. Henry McNab David T. Cleland Jerry A. Freeouf James E. Keys, Jr. Gregory J. Nowacki Constance A. Carpenter Description of Ecological Subregions: Sections of the Conterminous United States Preface Acknowledgments Photographs and descriptions presented in this document were obtained from several sources. Information for many descriptions and photographs were presented in a previous publication of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, “Ecological Subregions of the United States: Section Descriptions” (McNab and Avers 1995). The compilers of this document acknowledge the contributions made by authors and photographers listed in the 1995 publication. A photograph supplements the description of about 80 percent of the sections. Many of the photographs in this document were used to illustrate another USDA Forest Service publication, General Technical Report (GTR) NE-321, “Experimental Forests and Ranges of the USDA Forest Service” (Adams et al. 2004). These photographs are identified as GTR NE-321, USDA Forest Service. We thank primary compiler M.B. Adams for providing those photographs, which she had obtained from other USDA Forest Service personnel. As a participant in the NE-321 publication, Andrew Youngblood of the Pacific Northwest Research Station provided additional photographs from his collection. Also, many photographs were obtained from Internet Web pages of agencies of the U.S. Government, including the Department of agriculture (Agricultural Research Service, Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation Districts); Department of Commerce (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration); and Department of Interior (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service). Photographs from these agencies are in the public domain and the source of each was referenced. Additional photographs were provided by resource managers and specialists associated with State conservation organizations, by compilers of this document, and by other individuals who provided written permission allowing their use. Each photograph was the best available at the time this first approximation report was prepared, although the landscape depicted and quality, such as composition and resolution, of some was less than desired. Poor-quality and unrepresentative photographs will be replaced when better images become available. Disclaimer The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Forest Service of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. Considerable other descriptive information was available for these ecosystems, particularly for soil, natural disturbances, and vegetation; it could not be utilized, however, due to the limited time and resources available for preparation of this first approximation report. Printing this electronic report This report is available only in electronic form as one of several data, graphic, or text documents recorded on a CD-ROM that collectively comprise the 2007 USDA Forest Service publication General Technical Report WO-76: "Ecological Subregions: Sections and Subsections of the Conterminous United States." The report is formatted as a conventional USDA Forest Service printed publication, including the front and back cover. It is distributed as an electronic file in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To view and print this publication, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available at no cost via the Internet from Adobe Systems, Inc. A conventional paper copy of this electronic publication may be obtained by printing the PDF file on both sides of paper measuring 8.5 by 11 inches, and binding. Description of Ecological Subregions: Sections of the Conterminous United States Contents Overview ........................................................................................................................1 211-Northeastern Mixed Forest Province.................................................................... 4 211A-Aroostook Hills and Lowlands Section ............................................................... 4 211B-Maine-New Brunswick Foothills and Lowlands Section ..................................... 4 211C-Fundy Coastal and Interior Section.................................................................... 4 211D-Central Maine Coastal and Embayment Section................................................ 4 211E-St. Lawrence and Champlain Valley Section ..................................................... 4 211F-Northern Glaciated Allegheny Plateau Section................................................... 4 211G-Northern Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau Section .............................................. 5 211I-Catskill Mountains Section .................................................................................. 5 211J-Tug Hill Plateau-Mohawk Valley Section ............................................................ 5 212-Laurentian Mixed Forest Province........................................................................ 5 212H-Northern Lower Peninsula Section..................................................................... 5 212J-Southern Superior Uplands Section.................................................................... 5 212K-Western Superior Uplands Section .................................................................... 6 212L-Northern Superior Uplands Section.................................................................... 6 212M-Northern Minnesota and Ontario Section .......................................................... 6 212N-Northern Minnesota Drift and Lake Plains Section............................................. 6 212Q-North Central Wisconsin Uplands Section ......................................................... 6 212R-Eastern Upper Peninsula Section ...................................................................... 7 212S-Northern Upper Peninsula Section..................................................................... 7 212T-Northern Green Bay Lobe Section ....................................................................