Amelia K. Ward Dept. of Biological Sciences Box 870206 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 205 348-1796 award@biology.as.ua.edu
G. Milton Ward Dept. of Biological Sciences Box 870206 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 205 348-1798 mward@bsc.ua.edu
The Talladega National Forest (TAL) in Domain 8 (Ozarks Complex) is located in the Gulf Coastal Plain physiographic province in west, central Alabama. It is an excellent candidate for a NEON core site for many reasons. It is located in a physiographic province that covers 52% of Domain 8, and which is also a dominant physiography in the southeastern U.S. Forest vegetation, soils, and general topography are highly characteristic of Gulf Coastal Plain terrain. The TAL is in a largely rural area. Like much of the Coastal Plain, this area is lightly populated and dominated by forest cover, primarily pine (longleaf, loblolly, shortleaf, yellow) with some oaks, tulip poplar, sweetgum, and hickory. Therefore, the Tal is highly representative of this domain. It is a valuable contribution to the NEON continental network because it is located in a critical area that is heavily influenced by Gulf of Mexico generated climate and weather patterns, and it is also in a region that is the warm, wet endpoint of the cross-continental gradient defined by west to east transitions from arid to semi-arid to humid/wet conditions across the southern U.S.
The TAL is very accessible by several paved, county roads and is within 45 minutes driving distance of the city of Tuscaloosa, AL, and many smaller towns. The proposed site has substantial extant on-site infrastructure, including a meteorological station, stream gaging units, eddy flux tower, groundwater wells, soil moisture sensors, and multiple temperature and light sensors, among others. It has been an active ecological research site for almost 15 years, which has been supported from extramural, competitive grants from multiple federal agencies, including the NSF, EPA, DOE, and others. Over the years, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which owns the land, has been an excellent partner in allowing access and establishment of on-site infrastructure. The USFS has several small buildings with line power on site that could be used for NEON activities, and the Moundville Archaeological Park, owned by the University of Alabama, is within 20 km and has available accommodations and laboratory facilities. The UA campus in Tuscaloosa also has abundant laboratories and other NEON-relevant facilities. Human expertise to help run the TAL as a NEON core site and contribute to domain activities is available through the UA campus as well as other nearby institutions, including the Moundville facility, Mississippi State University, Stillman College, the USFS, and Shelton State Community College. Also, this site and 9 other sites across Domain 8 have been proposed for participation in a number of continental scale NEON responses.
The site has multiple low-order streams; one watershed has been identified as an experimental, set aside area. USFS personnel from the Alabama state office have given verbal approval and enthusiastically support the use of this area for NEON purposes, including the experimental set aside area. The proposed research area would be available to NEON for a 30 y or more project.