LOSS OF CAROLINA BAYS IN A FIVE COUNTY REGION OF NORTH CAROLINA

Carolina Bays are shallow depressions in the Atlantic coastal plain named for their abundance in North and South Carolina. The origin of Carolina Bays remains unknown, but ecological significance is undeniable. These isolated wetlands provide valuable habitat for various flora and fauna. Although natural processes can cause filling of these bays, they are in danger of being destroyed by human activities. Instead of the natural accretion of detritus and colonization by flora, which happens slowly and does not pose a threat to native fauna, they are threatened by clear cutting and rapid filling by humans. Bays can be filled for agricultural, residential, and commercial use and being altered in this manner poses a serious threat to loss of biodiversity. Using LandSat data from 1976 and 2010, a five-county region of North Carolina was analyzed and the changes detected using ENVI 4.7. A noticeable loss of forested cover was indicated as being lost to both agricultural use and urban use.