Late‐Pleistocene Vegetational Changes in Northeastern North Carolina

Regional and local environmental changes spanning the last 30 000 yr have been reconstructed based on paleoecological studies of the sediments in Rockyhock Bay, a peat—filled Carolina Bay in Chowan County, northeastern North Carolina. During the Plum Point Interstadial (30 000—21 000 BP), temperate forests with both deciduous and coniferous taxa occupied the area. Some boreal elements and constituents of northern hardwoods forests were also present. Climate was somewhat cooler than at present, and Rockyhock was a shallow—water body. During the full—glacial and most of the late—glacial (21 000—10 000 BP), the regional forests were boreal in character and were dominated by northern pines and spruce. Many other boreal taxa were present. The climate was colder, more continental, and drier than at present. Water table in the basin was higher, and there was a dense growth of Isoetes on the bottom sediments. There is indication of slight lowering of water table about 14 400 yr ago. Deciduous forests containing constituents of modern white pine—hemlock—northern hardwoods forests replaced the boreal forests about 10 000 yr ago. By 7200 yr ago, most of the "northern hardwoods" taxa had been replaced by other deciduous species including sweetgum. Between 7200 and 5000 yr ago, the water table dropped, peat began to form throughout the basin, and swamp forests with blackgum, cedar, magnolia, and may swamp shrubs began to develop. The swamp forests were modern in aspect by 4000 yr ago. During the last 4000 yr, there is indication of at least one secondary successional change within the bay, perhaps induced by a disturbance such as fire.