Subsections and Subregions

The North Atlantic Coast Ecoregion is divided into eleven subsections (two in the marine realm), which in turn were grouped into four subregions: Gulf of Maine, Cape Cod, Long Island Sound, and New Jersey/Delaware (Table 1, Figure 1). Subsections were used to set plant and animal species goals, while the subregions proved to be distinct and useful divisions for setting natural community and ecosystem goals as well as evaluating threats and strategies.

Table 1.

NAC Subregions and Subsections Northern Atlantic Coast Ecoregion
Gulf of Maine Subregion
212 Db Penobscot Bay Coast
221Ak Gulf of Maine Coastal Plain Lowland
Cape Cod Subregion
221Aa Boston Basin
221Ab Cape Cod Coastal Lowland and Islands
221Ac Narragansett-Bristol Lowland and Islands
Long Island Sound Subregion
221Ad Southern New England Coastal Lowland
232Aa Long Island Coastal Lowland and Moraine
232Af Long Island Sound
New Jersey/Delaware Subregion
232Ab New Jersey Outer Coastal Plain
232Ac New Jersey Inner Coastal Plain
232Ae Delaware Bay