Jones Lake State Park - Ecology

Ecology

Jones Lake is one of a series of Carolina bay lakes that stretch from New Jersey to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Exactly how the lakes were formed remains a mystery. What is known is that Jones Lake is not fed by any stream but relies entirely upon rain. The land beneath and surrounding the lake is mica-rich sandy clay and sand that is from the Upper Cretaceous era with a thin layer of Pleistocene deposits covering it. This land is lower than the surrounding land and drains very poorly, creating Jones Lake.

Jones Lake is surrounded by a bay forest. This forest consists primarily of bay trees such as the loblolly, red bay, pond pine and Atlantic white cedar. The understory consists of huckleberry, leucothoe, gallberry and pepperbush. Turkey Oak, blueberry, holly and Longleaf pine can be found at the higher elevations away from the shoreline.

The forests of Jones Lake State Park provide a habitat for a variety of animals that are fairly common to an eastern woodland habitat. Wild Turkey, white-tailed deer and rabbits can be spotted on from time to time. Wood Ducks live on the lake. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers can be seen in the forest as can Red-tailed Hawks, Yellow-throated Warbler, White-eyed Vireo and Pileated Woodpeckers. Jones Lake State Park is also home to box turtles, fence lizards, Pine barrens tree frog, southern toads, bullfrogs and Carpenter frogs.

This park is also the place where the type specimen of Phyllophaga nebulosa, a species of June beetle, was found and is currently the only known location for this species.