Forest Communities of the Tellico Lake Area, East Tennessee

Abstract

This paper is the result of a Pilot Project that was initiated by the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Natural Heritage Division and The Southeast Heritage Task Force of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The study site consists of approximately 2,700 acres of land managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority in Monroe County, Tennessee. Twenty six community types were described in Tellico Study Area. These types can be divided into three general types: oak - hickory communities, mixed mesophytic communities, and early successional communities. The oak - hickory communities can be divided into three distinct types: those dominated by Quercus alba, those dominated by Quercus prinus, and those dominated by Quercus falcata. The oak - hickory types are found on upland dry mesic sites throughout the study area. They can be considered stable types. The mixed mesophytic communities can be divided into three types: Acer saccharum - Quercus (alba, muehlenbergii), Fagus grandifoba, and Acer saccharum - Liriodendron tubpifera - Fraxinus americana. These communities occur on moist, protected upland slopes. They are limited to the calcareous knobs and ridges in the southern half ofthe study area. Early successional communities are found throughout the study area on low - mid slopes that were formerly in agriculture. These communities can be divided into coniferous types and hardwood types. The coniferous types, dominated by Pinus virginiana, are associated with dry sites. The hardwood types are variable in composition and are associated with wetter sites.