Abstract
Maritime forests in the southeastern United States are very susceptible to climate change and have experienced dramatic reductions in extent following anthropogenic disturbances over the past two hundred years. St. Catherines Island, Georgia, an undeveloped barrier island, is home to an unusual pignut hickory (Carya glabra) maritime forest that is experiencing rapid rates of change, including a reduction in basal area from 23 m2·ha-1 in 1996 to 15 m2·ha-1 in 2014. Nine permanent forest plots and associated animal exclosures were installed across this 37 ha stand in 2012 to track forest change and seedling recruitment. From 2012 to 2014, declines in total basal area were caused by mortality of pignut hickory in the overstory and redbay (Persea borbonia) in the midstory. Pignut hickory continues to be ranked first in relative frequency, density and dominance, while Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) is slightly increasing in relative density. In 2012, there were no woody species regenerating in any of the plots and following one year of animal exclosures, we found 478 pignut hickory seedlings ha-1; thus, deer browse and feral hog predation of nuts may be important drivers of change in this stand. The interplay among deer browse, exotic animal pressures, exotic insects and a drier climate has resulted in a very open forest with the regeneration of few woody plants. Without management of the feral hog and deer population, this unusual maritime forest, with trees as old as 250 years, may continue to decline.
Highlights
In the United States, southeastern maritime forests are among the rarest and least studied coastal biological communities [1]
Pignut hickory was present at the highest relative densities in both 2012 and 2014 (Table 2; Table 3), and we detected a decline in total basal area, hickory density and hickory basal area over the two year period (Table 4)
There were no significant differences among the three sites for total basal area, numbers of live or standing dead hickory, or total numbers of live trees (p > 0.10)
Summary
In the United States, southeastern maritime forests are among the rarest and least studied coastal biological communities [1]. Depth of fresh groundwater and soil salinity largely determine the extent of maritime forests on barrier islands, and on Hog Island, Virginia, Hayden et al [2] noted that all the island’s plant communities experienced rapid rates of change and were susceptible to sea level rise. On Bald Head Island, North Carolina, urban development has forced the deer population to seek browse in the remaining tracts of maritime forest, which authors hypothesized would alter tree regeneration in the coming years [4]. Clearing of forest for agriculture, logging, the introduction of domestic livestock, the lowering of aquifers, and urban development have greatly altered the extent and composition of the remaining maritime forests on southeastern barrier islands [1] [5]-[7]. The island is managed for conservation, education and research; and the island’s forests are exposed to disturbances, they are allowed to recover without human intervention
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