The Atlantic Coast

The North Atlantic coast of North America—commonly known as the Atlantic Coast—extends from Newfoundland and Labrador through the Maritime Provinces and the Northeastern United States south to Cape Hatteras. This North Atlantic region belongs to the sea. The maritime influence on climate, flora, and fauna is dominant—even far inland, out of sight and sound of the ocean.

Both on land and at sea, this region is where north meets south, where the great northern boreal forests intermingle with the mixed coniferous-hardwood forests farther south and where the cold, iceberg-studded Labrador Current, swinging down from the Arctic, and the warm Gulf Stream, an offshoot of the tropics, vie for supremacy and eventually mix.

The book includes chapters on the geological origins of this region, the two major forest realms, and the main freshwater and marine ecosystems. Along the way, it describes the flora and fauna that characterize each of these habitats. The book ends with a look at what has been lost but what remains of the natural heritage of the region and how that might be conserved in future.

The Atlantic Coastdraws upon the best and most up-to-date science on the ecology of the region as well as the author’s lifetime experience as a biologist and naturalist living in the region. It is both a personal tribute and a comprehensive guide to a unique and intriguing ecosystem.