April 1990 
pg

These maps indicate the distribution of individual 

species rworded in surveys of the Midsouth conducted 

by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Servce. 

Included are important timber species plus several 

species that are important primarily from awildllfe, aesthetic or other nontimber perspectivs. 

Approximately 17,500 forest plots are remeasurd 

during a complete survey cycle of the seven Midsouth 

states (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Rxas). These plots, each about 

1 acre In size and representing roughly 9 square miles, 

are depicted in figure 1 in rheir approximate geographic 

location. 

In me late 1940's and early 1950's, survey plots were 

established throbghout the Midsouth using a 3-milegrid 

spacing. Permanent plots were installed at forested grid 

intersections. In gdme instances, thegrid wasoverlaid on 

an entire survey unit; in others, singlecounties (psrlshm 

in Louisiana) were overtaid. Coordinates used to depict 

plot iocations were developed by referencing one czntral 

point in each county. The latitude and longitude of all 

plots in the county were subsequently developed from 

the central coordinate on the bash of the 3- by 3-mile 

spacfng. Thus. Ihe wordinate are crude and serve only to positios tho plot attributes relative to one another 

within the Midsouth. Moreover, the acrual ground localion of a plot may differ from a precise 3- by 3-spacing 

because of establishment procedures and changes In candirions over several decades. 

, pp

rhe predominanceof agricult

black prairie region extendin

westward and northward to no

sely brested. The same is tru

River bottoms. 

Other areas are sparsely f

reasons. The coastal marshes 

enample, do not support fore

ofsouthera forests is limited 

fall amounts in Texas and O

plots where the forest is capa

cubic feet of wood per awe pe

Tb be recorded in the s

capable of growing to fit the 

feet tall and hanng a central 

occur in the region, or that w

field crews, were not consid

grouped becauseof the diffic

because they occur infrequen

Several sources of error c

tributlon maps. Since survey

certain species are hard to id

species identification errors 

dlings are especially subject t

arealso made when trying to 

ces between very similar sp

species are known to exist in 

they happen to be growing o

sample plots, they will not be 

data. 
Figure 1 .-Locurion of form inventory and ana&sispIots on iimberinrad 
Southern redcedar 

(Juniperus silicicola) 

Eastern redcedar 

(Juaipew vivginiuna) 

Sho

(Pin
Spruc

(Pinus 
Tabl

(Pi
(Pinus rig&) 

Eastern wh

(PInus sfr
Loblolly pine 

(Pinus taeda) 

V

(Fin
Easter

(Tsuga 
Florida maple 

(Acer barbaturn) 

(Ac
Black maple 

(Acer nigrurn) 

(A
S

(Ace
Tre

(Ailan
Yellow birch 

(Betu la alleghnieraris) 
Bumelia

(Bu
(
Hick

(Caw 

Suga

(Celris 
E

(C
Hawt

(Crataeg
Common persimmon 

(Dioxmros virginiaaa) 
(Frminus americana) 

Gre

(Fm'nusp
(G
Bu

(Juglap
Black walnut 

(Juglans nigra) 

(Liq

S

(M
Bigleaf magnolia 

(Magnolia ma crophyila) 

Swe

(Magnoli
(
Water t

(Nyxxa aq
Swa

(@a 
(Ostva vzrginiana) 

Sourw

(@dddrum 
(Persea borbonia) 
American sycamore 

(Platan us occidentaiis j 

Co

(Popu1

(Quercus alba) 

Swamp w

(Quercus b
Scarlet oak 

(Quercus coccinea) 

(
Cherrybark 

(Quercus falcuta va
(Quercus irnbricaria) 

Blu

(Quer
y 

(Qucrcus Iuevis) 

L

(Querc
(Quercus Qrata) 

(Que
(Quercus mrilandica) 

Swamp ch

(Quercus m
Chinkapin oak 

(Quercus muehlepabergii) 

Wa

(Quer
(Quercus nuttullii) 

Pin o

(Quercm p
Willow oak 

{~uercus phellm) 

Che

(Querc
(Quercus rubra) . 

Shum

(Quercus 
Post oak 

(~uercusstellata) 

De

(Quercus ste
(Quercus velutina) 

Live o

(Quercus v
W

(S
(Sassafrm albidum) 

American 

(Tilia arn
g

657rnus alata) 

(U
(

Slippe

(UZm