GNA - Ecology of the Subtropic East
This region of mixed forest is bounded in the west by the Mississippi river and the east by the vast reaches of the Atlantic ocean. Its northern boundaries are the St Lawrence and the Great Lakes, except for the northern portion of the Appalachians which are instead part of the northern forests. In the South, the forests continue into the Mississippi and Mexican gulfs along numerous peninsulas and islands
The climate is humid, tropical in the south abut more temperate to the north along the Great Lakes and St Lawrence. Higher elevations such as the Appalachian and Ozark mountains have mild oceanic climates. Throughout the region seasons are well defined, with hot summers and cool winters. Snowfall occurs regularly only the northernmost regions and only then in the coldest months - with the Maritimes being frost free year round due to the moderating influence of the ocean. Weather can be unpredictable across the region with unseasonable hot or cold spells, as well as hot or dry spells, occurring year round and lasting days or weeks at a time.
In terms of unique weather patterns, rainstorms are common in the mountains and tropical storms regularly strike along the southern coast in the form of hurricanes. These hurricanes occur nearly annually sometime between July and November. Further up the coast around the Maritimes cyclones called 'nor'easters' are known to strike multiple times each winter, bringing strong winds, heavy rains, and flooding. Finally, a strip of land running from the western shore of Lake Erie northeastward past Lake Ontario and along the St Lawrence is the smaller of two 'Tornado Alleys' on the continent. Along this corridor with storms and tornadoes are common, tearing up forests and damaging towns.
Much of the region is flat or features gently rolling hills. In areas where cities once stood there are great mounds of rubble or pits which were once foundations of large buildings long since collapsed. In the southern and central portions of the region there can also be steep ravines, knows, or deep-cut river valleys. Meanwhile, in the North scars from glaciation are common - rivers, lakes, wetlands, and erratic boulders. In the Maritimes hills can be much taller and the terrain is more irregular in general with rolling terrain including outcrops of bedrock or glacial lakes. Bedrock outcroppings also occur in the region's two most distinct areas - the Appalachians and Ozarks. These mountains are relatively low - their highest point being under 2'000m and lacking a tree line like the mountains of the west.
Historically completely forested with some open wetlands, much of the region, especially flat areas along rivers and streams, are scarred by agriculture and urbanization. Here woody shrubs have largely invaded, creating thick bush through which travel is difficult except along specially cut paths. At the site of ancient cities, vegetation is stunted by contaminated soil and rubble fill. These areas are often mosaics of rubble, grass fields, an shrublands with forest occurring only where there were once parks or gardens. Along the islands and peninsulas of the South landcover is a mixture of forest (mostly pine) and wetland, with the latter more common here than anywhere else in the east. Further inland forests are a mix of oak, pine, and hickory. Across the south, floodplains support extensive cyprus swamps while in places along the coast mangrove swamps grow out into the sea. The central part of the region is covered by a savannah of oak-hickory forest with significant areas of wetland and bluestem prairie. This grassland is regarded as the best area for grazing horses on the continent. Further north, forests are largely a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, while oak and pine forests are common across the Maritimes. Finally, in the mountains, where forest cover dominates, transitions from the hardwoods at low altitudes to coniferous forests as one ascends.
Two plants common in the South (including the central region and two mountains) which have an especially large impact on the diversity of the forests are cogon grass and kudzu. Cogon grass is an extremely flammable grass that burns quickly and fiercely, killing neighboring plants and then growing to cover the newly cleared land. It is often kept in check in settled areas as it is used for roof thatching. Kudzu, the less common of the two, is a quick and dense growing plant which covers other plants (as well as everything else in the environment), cutting off their access to light. Areas where it is common are carpeted in leaves. Like cogon grass, it is useful to humans - who make baskets out of its fibers and graze animals, especially goats, on its leaves.
In the north (including the Maritimes) the main invasive species of note is wild parsnip - which can grow in large thickets blocking out other plants. Its sap is a powerful phototoxin and causes terrible burns which can last for days after exposure. These burns can lead to permanent scarring or cause blindness if the sap enters the eyes. To complicate matters, wild parsnip is difficult to distinguish visually from the harmless queen Anne's lace which also grows throughout the North
Fearsome Critters: alligator*, black bear, bobcat, coyote/coywolf, giant otter, giant boar, jaguar*, tiger, python*
Big Game: boar, deer, elephant*, elk, moose
Small Game: armadillo, badger, beaver, chipmunk, fisher, fox, marten, mink, mole, mouse, muskrat, nutria*, opossum, otter, porcupine, rabbit, raccoon, skunk, squirrel, snapping turtle, vole, weasel, woodchuck
Fowl: bald eagle, blue jay, cardinal, chickadee, crane, duck, goose, grouse, hawk, heron, owl, quail, raven, turkey, vulture, warbler, woodpecker
Fish: bass, carp, catfish, cavefish (northern), darters, minnows, paddlefish, perch, pike (northern), redhorse, trout (brook), salmon, sculpin, shiner (blackspot), steelhead, sunfish, walleye
Pests: frog, venomous snake, water snake, giant spider*, giant mosquito, giant leech, giant tick
*these animals typically appear only in areas with reliably frost free winters
The eastern portion of the continent is thickly settled by largely sedentary farmers. Across the region the average population density hovers at around 40 people per square mile. This number is higher in low lying regions - especially along major waterways - which have largely been cleared of forest to make room for agriculture or grazeland. That said, areas of low productivity, such as areas with steep topography, swamps, or ruinfields, are left to grow wild as wasteland and may have a population density as low as 5 per square mile. Even in settled areas, small swathes of forest are preserved for use as woodlots or game reserves.
Population is highest in the South - as much as 80 people per square mile - concentrated on rice farms along major river valleys such as the Mississippi, Alabama, and Savannah rivers. Other important crops include cereals, corn, soybeans, potatoes (both common and sweet), citrus fruits (oranges, peaches, pineapples), blueberries, and peanuts. Cash crops are also grown including cotton, tea, tobacco, silk, and sugarcane. Adding to this mosaic of fields is pastureland where cattle, chickens, turkeys, and especially hogs are bred for consumption. On the islands and peninsulas of the southern coast, where population is smaller and less centralized (about 20 per square mile), fishing and hunting are common subsistence strategies. Woodlots occur throughout the region, though coastal areas are the most heavily forested for harvesting of pine for timber and pulp.
The central region differs from the South largely in the quality of its soil. It is regarded by most in the East as the best farmland on the continent and would be the most populous region were it not for constant wars over its ownership and raids from the cowboys to the west. Rice is the staple crop of the region though others, like corn, cereal, and soybeans are also common. Hay and alfalfa are also grown to provide forage for cattle which are reared chiefly for dairy, while bluegrass, common across the region, provides fodder for racing and war horses. Other livestock include sheep, poultry, and hogs. Much like the south, pork is the most popular meat across the region. Cash crops are rarer here than further south but cotton, tea, tobacco, silk, and sugarcane all flourish across the region.
In both mountains population density is low, about 20 per square mile, with people living in disparate communities. The majority of both regions are covered in extensive natural forests - especially along ridges and the tops of mountains where farming or grazing is more difficult. Subsistence across the region is mixed use with corn and cereals dominant but supplemented by vegetable gardens, fruit orchards (peach and apple), and animal husbandry of which hog and poultry are the most common. Cash crops include cotton, tea, and tobacco. Commercial logging is also common, feeding the urbanization of the lowlands, especially hardwoods like loblolly and slash pine.
Much like the South, the northern portion of the region is heavily urbanized, though the population tends to be lower, typically 40 people per square mile. West of lake Michigan, shrub woodlands are dominant, except on steeper slopes where forests are more common. To the east, especially south of the Great Lakes, urban ruins predominate. Some of these ancient urban centers were flooded when Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence rose, and their skeletons line the new, higher shores. Subsistence crops across the North include corn, soybean, cereal grains, and dry beans. Fruit and vegetables are also farmed with wine especially common in southern Ontario and along the St Lawrence. Land is also used for pasture, especially to feed dairy cattle which are the predominant livestock in the region.
Finally, the Maritimes are similar in many ways to the rest of the North. Its population tends to be higher - about 60 people per square mile - and its subsistence is based much more on oceanic fisheries, including trapping lobster and crab. Settlement tends to follow along major rivers inland. Agriculture includes common potatoes, oats, corn, cereal grain, and broccoli. Livestock is predominantly dairy cattle and poultry. Forestry occurs inland, especially at heights where wood is more common.
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