3. Animals

 The bottomland hardwood community is diverse in wildlife. Common species
 include:


 MAMMALS Bobcat, deer, flying squirrel, gray fox, gray squirrel, mink,
 opossum, otter, raccoon, swamp rabbit

 BIRDS Hawks, owls, songbirds, turkey, woodpeckers

 REPTILES Alligator, canebrake and diamondback rattlesnake, water
 moccasin

 Information on animals known to occur .in specific ecological communities
 is in Appendix C.

LAND USE INTERPRETATIONS

1. Environmental Value as a Natural System

 Probably the most important role of this community as a natural system is
 that of receiving floodwaters, sediments, pollutants and nutrients and
 assimilating these into the system through redistribution. The
 associated riverine system is part of the dynamics of this community and
 acts as a transport mechanism of organic detritus to receiving
 estuaries. These communities are valuable recreation and scenic systems
 with high aesthetic quality.

2. Rangeland

 The bottomland hardwood community is seldom used for grazing. Cattle use
 woody species occasionally, but very little forage is available.
 Overstocking by cattle can reduce reproduction of some woody plants.

3. Wildlifeland

 This community hosts a large variety of wildlife. It is well suited for
 squirrel, deer, and birds such as chickadees and titmice, flycatchers,
 owls, towhee, turkey, vireos, warbler, cedar waxwing, woodpeckers and
 wren. The various species of hardwood vegetation provide good food and
 cover for these wildlife species.

4. Woodland

 This community has a high potential productivity for commercial woodland
 production on areas with adequate surface drainage. There are severe
 equipment limitations and seedling mortality due to the poorly to very
 poorly drained soil conditions. Slash pine, loblolly pine, eastern
 cottonwood, sycamore, and sweetgum are species suitable for planting in
 areas with adequate surface drainage. Potential annual growth
 respectively for the first three is 1.5, 1.2 and 0.8 cords per acre.