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Eastern Highland Rim

Ecoregion on Cumberland Plateau, Appalachian Mountains in AL, TN, KY

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The Eastern Highland Rim has more level terrain than the Western Highland Rim (71f), with landforms characterized as tablelands of moderate relief and irregular plains. Mississippian-age limestone, chert, shale, and dolomite predominate, and karst terrain sinkholes and depressions are especially noticeable between Sparta and McMinnville. Numerous springs and spring-associated fish fauna also typify the region. Natural vegetation for the region is transitional between the oak-hickory type to the west and the mixed mesophytic forests of the Appalachian ecoregions (68, 69) to the east. Bottomland hardwoods forests were once abundant in some areas, although much of the original bottomland forest has been inundated by several large impoundments. Barrens and former prairie areas are now mostly oak thickets or pasture and cropland.

— EPA

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Ecoregion