looks ;like pin oak to me.

Thanks!

Prb'ly pin oak -- definitely not enough leaf-indentations for red oak. However, most any oak can grow in somewhat dry soil, including pin oak.

That's good to know. In this case though it'd be going to the NJ Pine Barrens. I copied this from Wikipedia:

"The name pine barrens refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil. Although European settlers could not cultivate their familiar crops there, the unique ecology of the Pine Barrens supports a diverse spectrum of plant life, including orchids and carnivorous plants."

Wikipedia page on NJ Pine Barrens

loris, pines can populate nutrient-poor areas because they can get by on so few nutrients. That doesn't mean they can't grow in good areas, just those areas they will be in much more competition. And you are correct that such areas, for some reason, harbor very diverse animals (including insects) and other-type plants. The virgin pine forests of the southeast US in poor, sandy soils harbored a large percentage of diversity as tropical rain-forests. Actually much more diversity than, say, a California redwood forest, where the forest-floor is practically shut-off from sunlight.

Thanks. That's interesting.