Plott Cove
Location
The research area is located on the Chattahoochee National Forest in the north Georgia mountains which comprise the southern extension of the Appalachian Mountains. The feature that distinguishes Plott Cove is the abumdance of yellowwood (Cladratia lutea), butternut (Juglans cenerea), and silverbell (Halesia carolina) in the upper part of the cove. The area is 312 acres (126 ha) in size. At one time American chestnut (Castenea dentata) was a significant part of the stand. The general topography is rugged mountain country consisting of steep rocky mountain faces covered with dense forest. The area extends from the top of Buzzard Roost Ridge down a northern slope into Plott Cove. Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia is 2.5 miles to the east.
SAF Cover Types (list acres):
- Northern Red Oak – Basswood – White Ash – 54
View a searchable map for the Plott Cove RNA.
Related Reports and Publications
- "The Area, Its Geology," Cenozic development of the Sothern Appalachians, The Distributional History of the Biota of the Southern Appalachians. Res. Div. Mono. #1 (part 1): Va. Polytechnic Institute Blocksburg, pp. 1-17.
- The Natural Environments of Georgia – Part II, Georgia State University 1975
- Climates of the States – Georgia, (Washington, D. C., U. S. Government Printing Office, 1969.
- Deciduous Forests of Eastern North America (Hafner Publishing Company, 1967), pp 199–205.
- "The tertiary character of the cove hardwood forests of the great Smokey National Park." Bull. Terr. Bot. Club, 1943. 70:213–35.
- Georgia Birds, by Thomas D. Burleigh, 1958.
Ecological and Physical Description
The mean annual temperature in Union County is 53.3 degrees F (11.8 degrees C). The January mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 52 F (11.1 C) and 28 F, (2.22 C) respectively. The July mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 86 F (30 C) and 60 F (15.5 C) respectively. The average date of the last killing frost is April 26, and the average earliest killing frost is September 15, giving a growing season of 172 days.
The mountains of Georgia are considered to be in the Blue Ridge Physiographic and Geologic Province, characteristically mountainous with substantial relief consisting of late Precambrian-early Paleozoic (approximately 500-800 million years old) metasedimentary rocks. This overlays an older Precambrian (~1200 – 1000 million years old) basement complex of highgrade gneisses and associated granitic plutonic rocks. Plott Cove rocks are metamorphic. These geologic materials consist of biotite gneisses principally a siliconous, coarse grained crystalline metamorphized igneous rock and aluminous schists, specifically mica schist. Three soil series occur in Plott Cove. Porters series on Buzzard Roost, Tusquitee series below, and Fannin soils on higher elevations at the bottom of the cove.
Mean annual rainfall in Union County is 53.37 inches (135.56 cm). Precipitation is uniformly distributed throughout the year, with greatest amounts occurring in late winter and spring and the least during fall months. Snowfall in the area is light but not infrequent during winter months, and general y does not remain more than a week. Average yearly snowfall for the north Georgia mountain area is 5 inches (12.7 cm).
Blairsville Experiment Station five miles to the west. Statistics for the area are based on data collected from 1931–1960.
The mountains of Georgia are considered to be in the Blue Ridge Physiographic and Geologic Province, characteristically mountainous with substantial relief consisting of late Precambrian-early Paleozoic (approximately 500-800 million years old) metasedimentary rocks. This overlays an older Precambrian (~1200 – 1000 million years old) basement complex of highgrade gneisses and associated granitic plutonic rocks. Plott Cove rocks are metamorphic. These geologic materials consist of biotite gneisses principally a siliconous, coarse grained crystalline metamorphized igneous rock and aluminous schists, specifically mica schist. Three soil series occur in Plott Cove. Porters series on Buzzard Roost, Tusquitee series below, and Fannin soils on higher elevations at the bottom of the cove.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilia americana | Basswood | Plant Communities | ||
| Aesculus octandra | Buckeye | Plant Communities | ||
| Quercus alba | White oak | Plant Communities | ||
| Liriodendron tulipfera | Yellow-poplar | Plant Communities | ||
| Rhododendron maximum | Common Shrub Species | |||
| Comptosorus pehiyophyllus | Walking fern | Common Herbaceous Species | Rare fern. |
|
| Athyrium pycnocarpon | Narrow leaved spleenwort | Common Herbaceous Species | Rare fern. |
|
| Aristolochia druion | Dutchman's pipe | Common Herbaceous Species |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Mammal Species | The RNA lies above a typical mountain cove and supports wildlife species common to the region. Deer, squirrel, shrews, chipmunks. Rock shrew may be in the boulder fields at the top of the cove. |
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| Wood thrush | Common Bird Species | |||
| Verry | Common Bird Species | |||
| Slate colored junco | Common Bird Species |