The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests comprise an ecoregion in the Appalachian Mountains in eastern North America. They are one of the most biologically diverse temperate forest regions on earth. It has an unusually diverse tree flora, with as many as 30 tree species at a single site. The rivers of the ecoregion have the highest species richness of any freshwater ecosystem. In particular, there are a large number of endemic fish and shellfish species. The rich diversity of the area has several contributing factors. It was an unglaciated refugia for many species. It shares species with the high elevation Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests to the east, the hardwood forests to the west, and the mixed hardwood/conifer forests to the south.

Threats

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This ecoregion is considered critically endangered with 95% of the habitat degraded or converted to commercial forest. Large areas have been destroyed through surface mining, including mountaintop removal. Large areas have also been logged and then converted to plantations of fast-growing tree species, such as Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) which are then used to produce wood pulp. This is particularly a problem in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee. Major rivers in the ecoregion, such as the Tennessee River, have been dammed. This has resulted in the threatened or endangered status of some species of shellfish.

Natural areas in the ecoregion

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Tennessee

• Fall Creek Falls State Park
• Savage Gulf State Natural Area ^*
• Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area (Kentucky/Tennessee) ^*

References and external links

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• Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al. (1999). Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment. World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada. Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 337-340.
• National Geographic WildWorld ecoregion profile
• Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu

Ecology | Ecoregions | Biogeography