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North Carolina's lonely mountains: In Lonely mountains: The monadnocks of the inner Piedmont, page 1; One of the most striking sights on North Carolina's inner Piedmont is the solitary peaks or ridges that loom above the plateau's average elevation. Some of these are among the state's most visited parks: Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain, Crowders Mountain, Stone...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Why does North Carolina have so many, and so many kinds of, monadnocks?: In Lonely mountains: The monadnocks of the inner Piedmont, page 2; North Carolina has more than a dozen monadnocks scattered among its Blue Ridge mountains, and another ten or more on its Piedmont Plateau. These monadnocks formed during dramatic and diverse events that occurred as the state's crust formed. Most of these geologic...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

The forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 1; The relationship between elevation and forest types is one of the most striking features of the ecology of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The major determinent of this relationship is climate: Average temperatures in the Blue Ridge decline about 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

What causes the great biological diversity of the Blue Ridge?: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 2; Although the distribution of forest types in the Blue Ridge is best explained by the relationship between elevation and temperature, the great diversity of these forests is not. To understand the underlying causes of this diversity requires some knowledge...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Chestnut oak forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 3; Most of the hardwood forests throughout the Piedmont and lower elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains are classified by ecologists as part of the large and complex Eastern Deciduous Forest biome. This biome covers roughly the eastern third of the United States...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

A developing chestnut oak forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 4; Figure 2 shows a younger forest at about 2200 feet, with smaller oaks, a relatively open canopy, and the dense shrub and small tree layer (called the understory by ecologists) that develops on the floor of open-canopied forests. Note also the twisting...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Rich cove forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 5; In keeping with their name, the rich cove forests of the Blue Ridge are rich in species, tree production, and scenic beauty. Cove forests are dominated by large trees of many species. The example shown in Figure 4, at about 3100 feet, happens to be dominated...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Transition to northern hardwood forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 6; At elevations above the chestnut oak forest — but not necessarily above variants of the rich cove forests — the Blue Ridge supports forests of hardwoods more commonly found in the the northern reaches of the United States and in Canada. In the...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

A varied canopy: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 7; The multiplicity of species in the northern hardwood forest is more easily seen in Figure 6, which is a view looking down on the forest canopy near the top of Tanback Ridge, at about 4500 feet. The trees that make up this mosaic of colors — and the more...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Mountain balds: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 8; Many high-elevation areas of the Blue Ridge have no trees. As a result these areas are called balds. The origin and persistence of mountain balds is poorly understood. Some scientists claim that they form in areas particularly susceptible to fires...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

An exposed bald: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 9; Figure 8 shows a maximally exposed site near the top of Craggy Garden Pinnacle at 5500 feet. Note the exposed rock with pioneer plants growing on the thin soils that have collected in depressions, and the grasses and heath shrubs in the more heavily vegetated...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Rhododendron shrub bald: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 10; Figure 9 shows the interior of a rhododendron shrub bald at about 5500 feet. Note the close spacing of the rhododendrons and the herb layer of ferns and wildflowers. These thicket habitats are attractive both from a distance and up close when the flowers are...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

From grassy bald to forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 11; Figure 10 shows an early stage in the succession from grassy bald to forest at 5300 feet. Note the grasses growing thickly under the thickening stand of small maples and mountain ash. These trees appear to be saplings, but age determinations of this size trees...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

From northern hardwood to spruce-fir forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 12; The highest elevations of the Blue Ridge are occupied by an evergreen forest of spruce and fir that looks like the great conifer forests of northern Maine and Canada. The transition from northern hardwoods to spruce fir forest is easy to see from a distance...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Spruce-fir forest: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 13; The spruce-fir forest of the high Blue Ridge is not continuous as are the northern examples of this forest type. As is seen in Figure 11 and again in Figure 12, there are places where the conifers dominate, but in slightly different habitats nearby, the northern...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

Peak of the Blue Ridge: In Elevations and forest types along the Blue Ridge Parkway, page 14; Figure 13 shows one of the places where spruce and fir dominate the hardwoods completely. This illustration looks like what you would see in the forests of Canada, but was taken on the road into Mount Mitchell Sate Park at an elevation of slightly over 6,000...; By Dirk Frankenberg.

North Carolina's rain forest: In Jocassee Gorges: Temperate rain forests of the Blue Ridge, page 1; The Blue Ridge escarpment is the steep slope that separates North Carolina's mountains from its Piedmont plateau. The escarpment trends north and east across the state from South Carolina to Virginia. In many places it is steep enough to rise over 1,500 feet...; By Dirk Frankenberg and Stephanie Walters.

Why are there so many rare plants in Jocassee Gorges?: In Jocassee Gorges: Temperate rain forests of the Blue Ridge, page 3; The topography of Jocassee Gorges is responsible for the incredible rainfall the area receives, and thus is also ultimately responsible for the many rare and endemic plants of the region. The shape of the gorges causes the rising air, thunderheads, and rainfall...; By Dirk Frankenberg and Stephanie Walters.

Forests on the highland plateaus: In Jocassee Gorges: Temperate rain forests of the Blue Ridge, page 9; The upper slopes of the Blue Ridge support forests similar to those found at lower elevations much further north. Figure 6 shows one of these that are dominated by the Canadian hemlock and many other species, including the beeches and birches that characterize...; By Dirk Frankenberg and Stephanie Walters.

Diverse species: In Jocassee Gorges: Temperate rain forests of the Blue Ridge, page 10; The forests of the high slopes are mixed mesophytic forests found on creek and river slopes. Those found below 2,500 feet in open areas are characterized by a greater richness of species than is found in any other vegetation type in the region. This richness...; By Dirk Frankenberg and Stephanie Walters.

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LEARN NC, a program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education, finds the most innovative and successful practices in K–12 education and makes them available to the teachers and students of North Carolina — and the world.