Alabama Landscapes

Piedmont

Soils, Agriculture and Vegetation

Soils and Agriculture

The soils are characterized by sandy loam or clay loam surface layer and a red, clayey subsoil (Figures P3 and PS1).  Where formed on felsic (high silica) rocks the soils are acidic and with low base saturation; whereas soils formed on mafic (low silica) materials have higher base saturation (concentrations of Na, K, Mg and Ca).

Figure PS1. Soil profile on phyllite near Mumford, Talladega County.  The top soil is a clay loam and the subsoil is thin and has a red color. (Image © Mike Neilson)

Land use has changed from cotton and dairying in the early 20^th century to beef cattle, timber and forage.  Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties are among the highest pine pulpwood producers in the state.  Many of these loblolly pine plantations have replaced cropland along uplands.

Vegetation

As a result of the generally sandy and acidic soils, loblolly-shortleaf pines dominate most of the southern parts  parts of the Piedmont, and oak and pines occur in the north and along stream banks (Figure PS2).  Oaks and hickories  occur in the highest elevations (Figure PS3) 

Figure PS2.  Vegetation of the Piedmont. solid black line: boundary between the Northern and South Piedmont Uplands districts

Figure PS3. Oak-pine vegetation, Sougahatchee Creek Tallapoosa County. (Image © Mike Neilson)

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