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26 <br /> 4.1. Floral Communities and Associated Fauna <br /> Four communities were identified within the study area: Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory Forest- <br /> Piedmont Subtype, Piedmont Headwater Stream Forest-Typic Subtype, Piedmont <br /> Semipermanent Impoundment-Shrub Subtype, Mixed Pine Forest, and Maintained/Disturbed <br /> (Figure 2). A description of each community type and the fauna associated with it follows. <br /> 4.1.1. Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory Forest-Piedmont Subtype (37.7% coverage) <br /> The Dry-Mesic Oak-Hickory Forest community is found on the parcels located north of <br /> Millhouse Road and west of New Jericho Road (Figure 2). The parcel to the east of New Jericho <br /> Road is also used as the septic spray field for the EWS campus. Access was restricted to this <br /> area by NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources regulations (NCDENR). Based <br /> on surveys traversing the boundary of this parcel, it was included in this community. This <br /> community is typically dominated by various oak and hickory species along with varying <br /> amounts of pine, maple, and poplar. Soils are typically acidic and support acid tolerant species. <br /> Canopy species observed include American beech, black oakD, loblolly pine D, Eastern red-cedar, <br /> pignut hickory,post oak, red maple, scarlet oak, shortleaf pine, slippery elm,tulip poplar, <br /> Virginia pineD, white ash, white oakD, Southern red oak, sweetgum, and sycamore. <br /> Subcanopy/shrub species include American beech, American holly, black cherry, Blue Ridge <br /> blueberry, Callery pear, common persimmon, downy arrow—wood, eastern red-cedar, flowering <br /> dogwood, hillside blueberry, painted buckeye,possomhaw, red maple, slippery elm, sourwood, <br /> southern blackhaw, southern red oak, sugar maple,tulip poplar, virginia pine,white oak, <br /> sweetgum, sycamore, and winged elm. This layer also includes the invasive autumn olive, <br /> Chinese privet, and nandina. Herbaceous species observed in this community include Christmas <br /> fern, crane-fly orchid,poison ivy, rattlesnake plantain, rattlesnake weed, southern grape fern, and <br /> striped wintergreen. The invasive Japanese honeysuckle vine is also present in this community. <br /> Faunal species expected to occur in the community are white-tailed deer*, raccoon, grey fox, and <br /> the eastern gray squirrel*. Bird species typical for this community type include yellow bellied <br /> sapsucker*, red bellied woodpecker*, downy woodpecker*, hairy woodpecker*,northern <br /> flicker*, Carolina chickadee*, northern cardinal,tufted titmouse*, yellow-rumped warbler*, <br /> northern mockingbird, and American robin*. Predator and scavenger birds typically include the <br /> red-shouldered hawks* and turkey and black vultures, respectively. Marbled salamander, <br /> redback salamander,red-spotted newt, spotted salamander, white-spotted slimy salamander, <br /> eastern box turtle, eastern fence lizard, eastern garter snake, racer, rat snake,ringneck snake, and <br /> worm snake are also expected to occur in the community. <br /> While conducting the field survey, Keith Bartholomew of EWS, indicated the location of a <br /> ephemeral seep located near the western edge of this community. During the field assessment <br /> the seep was dry. Seeps offer unique habitat for many faunal species including frogs and <br /> salamanders. Species that could utilize this transient habitat include American toad, Fowlers <br /> toad, northern cricket frog, spring peeper, southern two-lined salamander, and three-lined <br /> salamander. <br /> EWS Biological Inventory March 2015 <br /> Catena Job#6210 Page 3 <br />