Terrestrial vegetation monitoring at Fort Pulaski National Monument: 2019 data summary

The Southeast Coast Network (SECN) conducts long-term terrestrial vegetation monitoring as part of the nationwide Inventory and Monitoring Program of the National Park Service (NPS). The vegetation community vital sign is one of the primary-tier resources identified by SECN park managers, and monitoring is currently conducted at 15 network parks (DeVivo et al. 2008). Monitoring plants and their associated communities over time allows for targeted understanding of ecosystems within the SECN geography, which provides managers information about the degree of change within their parks’ natural vegetation. 2019 marks the first year of conducting this monitoring effort on four SECN parks, including Fort Pulaski National Monument (FOPU). Twelve vegetation plots were established at Fort Pulaski National Monument in August. Data collected in each plot included species richness across multiple spatial scales, species-specific cover and constancy, species-specific woody stem seedling/sapling counts and adult tree (greater than 10 centimeters [3.9 inches {in}]) diameter at breast height (DBH), overall tree health, landform, soil, observed disturbance, and woody biomass (i.e., fuel load) estimates. This report summarizes the baseline (year 1) terrestrial vegetation data collected at Fort Pulaski National Monument in 2019. Data were stratified across two dominant broadly defined habitats within the park (Maritime Tidal Wetlands and Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands). Noteworthy findings include: Sixty-six vascular plant taxa were observed across 12 vegetation plots, including six taxa not previously known from the park. Plots were located on both Cockspur and McQueen’s Island. The most frequently encountered species in each broadly defined habitat included: Maritime Tidal Wetlands: smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), perennial saltmarsh aster(Symphyotrichum enuifolium), and groundsel tree (Baccharis halimifolia) Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands: yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), southern/eastern red cedar (Juniperus silicicola + virginiana), and cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto). Four non-native species identified as invasive by the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (GA-EPPC 2018) were found during this monitoring effort. These species (and their overall frequency of occurrence within all plots) included: Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica; 17%), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum; 8%), Vasey’s grass (Paspalum urvillei; 8%), and European common reed (Phragmites australis; 8%). Two rare plants tracked by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR 2013) were found during this monitoring effort. These include Florida wild privet (Forestiera segregata) and Bosc’s bluet (Oldenlandia boscii). Southern/eastern red cedar and cabbage palmetto were the most dominant species within the tree stratum of the maritime Upland Forest and Shrubland habitat type. Species that dominated the sapling and seedling strata of this type included yaupon, cabbage palmetto, groundsel tree, and Carolina laurel cherry (Prunus caroliniana). The health status of sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)—a typical canopy species in maritime forests of the South Atlantic Coastal Plain--observed on park plots appeared to be in decline, with most stems experiencing elevated levels of dieback and low vigor. Over the past decade, this species has been experiencing unexplained high rates of dieback and mortality throughout its range in the Southeastern United States; current research is focusing on what may be causing these alarming die-off patterns. Duff and litter made up the majority of downed woody biomass (fuel loads) across FOPU vegetation plots.

Highlighting Complex Long-Term Succession Pathways in Mixed Forests of the Pacific Northwest: A Markov Chain Modelling Approach

Forest succession is an ecological phenomenon that can span centuries. Although the concept of succession was originally formulated as a deterministic sequence of different plant communities by F. Clements more than a century ago, nowadays it is recognized that stochastic events and disturbances play a pivotal role in forest succession. In spite of that, forest maps and management plans around the world are developed and focused on a unique “climax” community, likely due to the difficulty of quantifying alternative succession pathways. In this research, we explored the possibility of developing a Markov Chain model to study multiple pathway succession scenarios in mixed forests of western red cedar, hemlock and Pacific silver fir on northern Vancouver Island (western Canada). We created a transition matrix using the probabilities of change between alternative ecological stages as well as red cedar regeneration. Each ecological state was defined by the dominant tree species and ages. Our results indicate that, compared to the traditional Clementsian, deterministic one-pathway succession model, which is unable to replicate current stand distribution of these forests in the region, a three-pathway stochastic succession model, calibrated by a panel of experts, can mimic the observed landscape distribution among different stand types before commercial logging started in the region. We conclude that, while knowing the difficulty of parameterizing this type of models, their use is needed to recognize that for a given site, there may be multiple “climax” communities and hence forest management should account for them.

Chemical evaluation of two tropical wood species for use as grilling planks

This research evaluated the possible use of tropical hardwood species (Myrocarpus frondosus and Ocotea porosa) for grilling plank production. Physical, chemical, and organoleptic properties were evaluated and compared with properties of a well-used wood species for grilling planks, western red cedar (Thuja plicata). For chemical analysis, one technique was used: hydrodistillation. Normality tests and analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used for the comparisons between Thuja plicata and tropical hardwoods. The results of the organoleptic, chemical, and statistical analyses demonstrated the possibility of using Myrocarpus frondosus and Ocotea porosa in grilling plank production.

Vermicompost and Mycorrhizae Use on Cedrela odorata L. Growth in Nursery Conditions

Objective: To evaluate the effect of mycorrhizal inoculation and the use ofvermicompost on the growth of red cedar (Cedrela odorata L.) seedlings under nurseryconditions.Materials and Methods: The treatments were with and without a Glomus intraradicesinoculum, combined with different amounts of vermicompost in the growth substrate (0,10, 20 and 30 %), in a completely randomized block design. The variables evaluatedwere plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), number of leaves (NL), dry weight (DW),mycorrhizal colonization (MC) and number of spores (NS).Results: The addition of vermicompost to the growth substrate improved the growth ofC. odorata seedlings, the best treatment being 30% of vermicompost withoutmycorrhizae. The percentage of mycorrhizal colonization and number of spores per 100g of soil decreased when increasing the amount of vermicompost in the substrate.Study Limitations/Implications: None. Findings/Conclusions: Vermicompost was the leading promoter of C. odorata plantgrowth under nursery conditions.

Toona ciliata (toon).

The family Meliaceace contains some of the world's finest grade cabinet timbers. These include the Honduran mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), West Indian mahogany (S. mahogani), Ugandan mahogany (Entandrophragma sp.), Asian Chukrasia (Chukrasia tabularis) and the Australian red cedar or Indian Toon (T. ciliata). Timber of T. ciliata was exported from Australia to Calcutta, India, in 1795 just seven years after the first British settlement was established in Sydney, thus becoming Australia's first export. The harvesting of this species was very important to the economy of the early European settlement and the timber getters helped open up the coastal forests for later agricultural activities (Boland, 1997). The species was also arguably the first Australian plant species to have conservation measures placed upon it (Boland, 1997) when it was realised that the species was rapidly disappearing in areas near Sydney. In India, thirty years ago, timber of T. ciliata was said to be available in large quantities from Uttar Pradesh and in fair quantities from North Bengal and Assam (Anon, 1963). Timber is also available in small quantities from other areas; mainly from roadside trees and from trees on cultivated lands (Anon, 1963).

Didymascella thujina (cedar leaf blight).

In North America seedling mortality rates of up to 97% have been recorded resulting in large economic losses to growers. Seedling mortality of nursery-grown seedlings also occurs when they are planted into reforestation areas. Seedling mortality greatly reduces the number of plants suitable for planting. Kope and Trotter (1998b) have shown that the growth and yield of younger (< 4 years of age) western red cedar trees can be affected by cedar leaf blight. A decrease of 30% in stem diameter, 50% in shoot biomass and 35% in root biomass has been recorded for blight-affected trees compared to unblighted trees in reforestation sites. This decrease in tree growth and yield can contribute to additional years of tree maintenance in reforestation sites, before the trees can compete with other plants and the site is considered adequately reforested.