Chesapeake Rolling Coastal Plain

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Southeastern Plains Southeastern USA Plains

Ecoregion Data

Ecoregion Level 4

65n - Chesapeake Rolling Coastal Plain
Region
American Northeast American South Chesapeake Bay Area DMV
Parent Ecoregions
Southeastern Plains
Child Ecosystems
Evergreen Plantation or Managed Pine Managed Tree Plantation Ruderal Forest Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Pine Forest Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Appalachian Shale Barrens Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Maritime Forest Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Central Appalachian Floodplain Central Appalachian Riparian Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Wooded Swamp Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Northern Rocky Mountain Conifer Swamp North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dune and Swale Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Cultivated Cropland Pasture/Hay Developed High Intensity Developed Low Intensity Developed Medium Intensity Developed Open Space Quarries Mines Gravel Pits and Oil Wells Introduced Riparian and Wetland Vegetation Introduced Upland Vegetation Annual Grassland Introduced Upland Vegetation Shrub Introduced Upland Vegetation Treed Disturbed/Successional Grass/Forb Regeneration Disturbed/Successional Shrub Regeneration Harvested Forest Grass/Forb Regeneration Harvested Forest Shrub Regeneration Open Water Brackish/Salt Open Water Fresh Unconsolidated Shore Undifferentiated Barren Land
Geography
Piedmont Uplands Chesapeake-Pamlico Lowlands Calvert Cliffs
Hydrography
Piedmont Uplands Chesapeake-Pamlico Lowlands Calvert Cliffs

Description

    Ecoregion 8, the Eastern Temperate Forests, extends across much of the eastern United States and southern Canada, occupying a diverse landscape of mountains, plateaus, and lowlands. The region is defined by its temperate, humid climate and extensive broadleaf forests, many of which have been altered by agriculture and urbanization. Rich soils, abundant rainfall, and long growing seasons support some of North America’s most productive terrestrial ecosystems.

Physical Setting

    Physically, the region consists of rolling uplands, dissected plateaus, and low mountains derived from ancient sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Elevations span from near sea level along the coasts to over 1,200 m in the Appalachians. Deeply weathered soils, broad valleys, and river terraces reflect long-term erosion under a humid climate and glacial influences in the north.

Biological Setting

    The ecoregion supports a wide range of deciduous and mixed forests dominated by oaks, hickories, maples, and beeches, with conifers such as pine and hemlock occurring locally. Diverse understory vegetation and abundant edge habitats sustain high biodiversity, including numerous migratory birds, amphibians, and large mammals. Natural communities range from mesic hardwood forests to floodplain and wetland systems shaped by regional hydrology.

Climate

    A humid temperate climate prevails, with warm summers, cool to cold winters, and precipitation evenly distributed through the year. Mean annual temperatures range from about 7 °C in the north to 15 °C in the south, and precipitation varies between 900 mm and 1,400 mm annually. Seasonal variation drives strong biological productivity and distinct phenological cycles.