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Maritime Forest Ecosystem
State Rank: S4This ecosystem is the narrow belt of coniferous forest along the immediate coastline. The salt spray, frequent fogs, and temperate influence of the ocean make the maritime forests distinct from those only a few miles inland. Soils are generally thin, and trees often wind-flagged due to exposure. Where bedrock is at the surface, the typical spruce-fir forest may be replaced by a conifer woodland.