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Natural area inventory of New Hanover County, North Carolina

Natural area inventory of New Hanover County, North Carolina - Page 98

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alterniflora). The Salt Flat community, also called salt panne, occurs on irregularly flooded sand
flats where seawater pools and salt accumulates from evaporation, thus only plants with a very high
salt tolerance can grow there. The community is found in association with both Salt Marsh and
Brackish Marsh communities, and usually occupies small areas around marsh edges. Large flats up
to 4 acres in size occur in Figure Eight Island Marsh natural area. These flats are dominated by
Virginia saltwort ( Salicornia virginica), with Carolina sea lavender ( Limonium carolinianum) co-dominant
in some areas, salt grass ( Distichlis spicata) forming patches, and saltmarsh cordgrass
prominent.
Brackish Marsh occurs in areas that are upstream of or inland from the Salt Marsh community where
tide water salinity is reduced, and/ or where flooding only occurs with lunar and storm tides. At
Figure Eight Island Marsh natural area, this community is most frequently encountered as an ecotone
between Salt Marsh habitat and adjacent uplands, though patches up to 5 acres in size also occur
here. The Brackish Marsh community is densely dominated by saltmeadow cordgrass ( Spartina
patens), with black needlerush ( Juncus roemerianus) forming patches, and marsh fimbry
( Fimbristylis castanea) and saltmeadow cordgrass prominent.
An extensive Upper Beach natural community in excellent condition fronts the wave zone of the
Atlantic Ocean, and is sparsely vegetated by plants acclimated to the harsh conditions of wave
action, wind, sand deposition, and salt. Among this sparse vegetation is the Federally and State
Threatened seabeach amaranth.
The Dune Grass community is found on dunes behind the beach where sea- deposited sand is
tentatively stabilized by sea oats ( Uniola paniculata) and other grasses capable of growing rapidly
upwards through accumulating sand. The ability of sea oats to build dunes is so critical that it is
protected by law in North Carolina from picking or unnatural destruction. Seaside little bluestem
( Schizachyrium littorale) is locally a patch dominant in the Dune Grass community at this site.
Maritime Wet Grassland is found on low flats on the small dunes located along the southeastern
edge of the marshes. The examples are small and locally transitional to dry grassland, but have the
highest species diversity of the maritime communities here. Saltmeadow cordgrass and switchcane
( Panicum virgatum var. virgatum) are dominant, with seaside oxeye ( Borrichea frutescens) forming
patches in drier areas. Small examples of the Salt Shrub community are found on drier portions of
these small dunes. This community has a dense to moderately open shrub layer dominated by wax-myrtle
( Morella cerifera), groundsel- tree ( Baccharis halimifolia), and bigleaf marsh elder ( Iva
frutescens).
A small example of Maritime Evergreen Forest is found on one of the “ inlet remnant” dunes along
the southeastern edge of the marshes near Rich Inlet. Because its dune is so narrow, the community
is heavily influenced by adjacent Brackish Marsh habitat. The canopy is open to dense, with live
oak ( Quercus virginicus) dominant and coastal red cedar ( Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola)
prominent. Canopy trees are only 20- 30 feet tall with a maximum trunk diameter of 16 inches. The
shrub layer is patchy, and the dense ground layer is dominated by saltmeadow cordgrass.

92
alterniflora). The Salt Flat community, also called salt panne, occurs on irregularly flooded sand
flats where seawater pools and salt accumulates from evaporation, thus only plants with a very high
salt tolerance can grow there. The community is found in association with both Salt Marsh and
Brackish Marsh communities, and usually occupies small areas around marsh edges. Large flats up
to 4 acres in size occur in Figure Eight Island Marsh natural area. These flats are dominated by
Virginia saltwort ( Salicornia virginica), with Carolina sea lavender ( Limonium carolinianum) co-dominant
in some areas, salt grass ( Distichlis spicata) forming patches, and saltmarsh cordgrass
prominent.
Brackish Marsh occurs in areas that are upstream of or inland from the Salt Marsh community where
tide water salinity is reduced, and/ or where flooding only occurs with lunar and storm tides. At
Figure Eight Island Marsh natural area, this community is most frequently encountered as an ecotone
between Salt Marsh habitat and adjacent uplands, though patches up to 5 acres in size also occur
here. The Brackish Marsh community is densely dominated by saltmeadow cordgrass ( Spartina
patens), with black needlerush ( Juncus roemerianus) forming patches, and marsh fimbry
( Fimbristylis castanea) and saltmeadow cordgrass prominent.
An extensive Upper Beach natural community in excellent condition fronts the wave zone of the
Atlantic Ocean, and is sparsely vegetated by plants acclimated to the harsh conditions of wave
action, wind, sand deposition, and salt. Among this sparse vegetation is the Federally and State
Threatened seabeach amaranth.
The Dune Grass community is found on dunes behind the beach where sea- deposited sand is
tentatively stabilized by sea oats ( Uniola paniculata) and other grasses capable of growing rapidly
upwards through accumulating sand. The ability of sea oats to build dunes is so critical that it is
protected by law in North Carolina from picking or unnatural destruction. Seaside little bluestem
( Schizachyrium littorale) is locally a patch dominant in the Dune Grass community at this site.
Maritime Wet Grassland is found on low flats on the small dunes located along the southeastern
edge of the marshes. The examples are small and locally transitional to dry grassland, but have the
highest species diversity of the maritime communities here. Saltmeadow cordgrass and switchcane
( Panicum virgatum var. virgatum) are dominant, with seaside oxeye ( Borrichea frutescens) forming
patches in drier areas. Small examples of the Salt Shrub community are found on drier portions of
these small dunes. This community has a dense to moderately open shrub layer dominated by wax-myrtle
( Morella cerifera), groundsel- tree ( Baccharis halimifolia), and bigleaf marsh elder ( Iva
frutescens).
A small example of Maritime Evergreen Forest is found on one of the “ inlet remnant” dunes along
the southeastern edge of the marshes near Rich Inlet. Because its dune is so narrow, the community
is heavily influenced by adjacent Brackish Marsh habitat. The canopy is open to dense, with live
oak ( Quercus virginicus) dominant and coastal red cedar ( Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola)
prominent. Canopy trees are only 20- 30 feet tall with a maximum trunk diameter of 16 inches. The
shrub layer is patchy, and the dense ground layer is dominated by saltmeadow cordgrass.