Hammock is a term used in the
southeastern United States for stands of trees, usually
hardwood, that form an
ecological island in a contrasting
ecosystem. Hammocks grow on elevated areas, often just a few inches high, surrounded by
wetlands that are too wet to support them. The term
hammock is also applied to stands of hardwood trees growing on slopes between wetlands and drier uplands supporting a mixed or
coniferous forest. Types of hammocks found in the United States include tropical hardwood hammocks, temperate hardwood hammocks, and maritime or coastal hammocks. Hammocks are also often classified as hydric (wet soil), mesic (moist soil) or xeric (dry soil). The types are not exclusive, but often grade into each other.