Coastal Plain Ponds Research Articles

Sediment-Trapping by Beaver Ponds in Streams of the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont and Coastal Plain, USA

The effect of beaver ponds on sediment deposition is undocumented in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of Virginia and North Carolina. We used 3 methods to exam- ine sedimentation: 1) depth-integrated base-flow sampling, 2) repeat channel-surveys, and 3) sediment-accumulation pads. During base flow, Piedmont ponds exported sedi- ment and Coastal Plain ponds had little or no effect on downstream suspended-sediment concentration. Most ponds accumulated sediment within the channel until dam breaching. Ponds inundating the floodplain trapped more sediment. Ponds of varying configura- tion trapped sediment differently. Mean floodplain accretion rates in these beaver ponds (2002-2003: 20 mm/yr 2003-2005: 15 mm/yr) greatly exceeded the mean deposition rate of similar unimpounded streams in these areas. Intact Piedmont ponds trapped 11 m 3 /yr on the floodplain and 77 m 3 /yr in the channel. Intact Coastal Plain ponds trapped 107 m 3 /yr on the floodplain and 8 m 3 /yr in the channel.

The relationship between coastal plain pond vegetation and environment at local and broad spatial scales

Abstract Coastal plain ponds support many plant species that have been designated as threatened due to human alteration of the hydrology and nutrient availability. Understanding how these species respond to environmental gradients at multiple spatial scales can support conservation efforts. I examined the relationship between plant species composition and environmental variables that operate at two spatial scales: within (local-scale) and among (broad-scale) 18 coastal plain ponds on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Patterns in species composition occurred at both local and broad scales. Elevation along the water-depth gradient was the only local factor strongly correlated with species composition. Significant broad-scale environmental factors included surficial geology, hydrology, and specific conductance of pond water. Overall patterns in vegetation species composition and abundance were more closely related to broad-scale environmental variables than to local environmental variables, sug...

Morphology-Dependent Water Budgets and Nutrient Fluxes in Arctic Thaw Ponds

Thaw ponds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska are productive ecosystems, providing habitat and food resources for many fish and bird species. Permafrost in this region creates unique pond morphologies: deep troughs, shallow low-centred polygons (LCPs) and larger coalescent ponds. By monitoring seasonal trends in pond volume and chemistry, we evaluated whether pond morphology and size affect water temperature and desiccation, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fluxes. Evaporation was the largest early-summer water flux in all pond types. LCPs dried quickly and displayed high early-summer nutrient concentrations and losses. Troughs consistently received solute-rich subsurface inflows, which accounted for 12 to 42 per cent of their volume and may explain higher P in the troughs. N to P ratios increased and ammonium concentrations decreased with pond volume, suggesting that P and inorganic N availability may limit ecosystem productivity in older, larger ponds. Arctic summer temperatures will likely increase in the future, which may accelerate mid-summer desiccation. Given their morphology, troughs may remain wet, become warmer and derive greater nutrient loads from their thawing banks. Overall, seasonal- to decadal-scale warming may increase ecosystem productivity in troughs relative to other Arctic Coastal Plain ponds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nutrient Limitation of Periphyton and Phytoplankton in Cape Cod Coastal Plain Ponds

Abstract We investigated nutrient limitation of periphyton and phytoplankton in Cape Cod, MA coastal plain freshwater ponds. We assayed periphyton growth response to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in situ, assessed phytoplankton growth in growth chambers, and measured ratios of dissolved N and P in surface waters to determine if nutrient ratios were accurate predictors of nutrient limitation. In ponds receiving low groundwater nutrient inputs, periphyton responded weakly to addition of N or P alone, but responded strongly to addition of N+P. In these ponds, increases in both N and P were also required to increase phytoplankton growth. In ponds receiving high groundwater nutrient inputs, increased N+P were also required to increase phytoplankton growth. We found no indication that high nutrient inputs shifted pond phytoplankton to P limitation. There was no consistent correlation between dissolved N:P and whether periphyton was limited by either N or P or co-limited by N and P. Strong and widespread co-li...

Distribution, species composition and management implications of seed banks in southern New England coastal plain ponds

Buried seeds that germinate during periods of low water or water level drawdown can play important roles in shaping plant community composition, community dynamics and species richness in ecosystems with fluctuating water levels. Northeastern US coastal plain ponds have fluctuating water levels and contain a characteristic shoreline flora that contains many rare plants. The objectives of this study were to: (1) test whether geographically distant ponds in Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard had distinct seed banks, (2) determine if hydrologic status as permanent and ephemeral ponds led to differences in seed banks, and (3) examine seed diversity and seed abundance across gradients of shoreline elevations and sediment characteristics. Viable seeds of 45 plant species were identified from nine ponds. Native species dominated pond-shore seed banks and made up 89–100% of all species. There was high overlap in seed bank composition across hydrological classes and geographic regions. One hydrological class captured 73–76% of total species and one geographical region captured 69–78% of the total species recovered from the entire suite of seed bank samples. Seeds were relatively evenly distributed along the shorelines of ephemeral ponds but seed diversity and abundance were lower at low elevations in permanent ponds. Results suggest that strategies to protect pond shorelines to capture maximum diversity of coastal plain pond plants contained in pond sediment seed banks should be implemented across pond hydrologic classes and across a wide geographic area. Shoreline seed distributions indicate that ground-water withdrawals or climate changes that lower pond water levels in permanent ponds will reduce the diversity and abundance of plants recovered from seed banks by shifting water levels to a shoreline zone of high sediment organic matter where seed densities are lower. This effect will be much less in ephemeral ponds where seed diversity and abundance on pond bottoms was high.

Mannahatta: An Ecological First Look at the Manhattan Landscape Prior to Henry Hudson

The British Headquarters Map, circa 1782, provides a remarkable window onto the natural topography, hydrology, and land cover of Manhattan Island, NY, before extensive urbanization. Manhattan formerly hosted a rugged topography watered by over 108 km of streams and at least 21 ponds, flowing in and out of wetlands that covered nearly 10% of the island in the late 18th century. These features are largely representative of the landscape prior to European settlement. We used ecological features interpreted from the British Headquarters Map, and additional historical, ecological, and archeological information, to hypothesize about the ecosystem composition of the pre-European island. We suggest that 54 different ecological communities may have once been found on the island or in nearby waters, including chestnut-tulip tree forests, Hempstead Plains grasslands, freshwater and tidal marshes, hardwood swamps, peatlands, rocky headwater streams, coastal-plain ponds, eelgrass meadows, and culturally derived ecosystems, such as Native American village sites and fields. This former ecosystem mosaic, consisting of over 99% natural areas, stands in sharp contrast to the 21st-century state of the island in which only 3% of its area is dedicated to ecological management.

Alteration of water levels in a Massachusetts coastal plain pond subject to municipal ground-water withdrawals

ABSTRACT The coastal plain ponds that occur within glacial deposits in the northeastern U.S. experience annual and inter-annual water level fluctuations. Periodic inundation and drying of coastal plain pond shorelines has led to the development of pondshore vegetation communities that are unusually diverse and restricted in distribution. Because water level fluctuations are the primary abiotic control on plant community composition and dynamics, ground-water extraction for municipal supply has the potential to alter pond hydroperiod and plant community structure. We assessed the influence of ground-water pumping on pond levels at Mary Dunn Pond in the Hyannis Ponds Complex in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Short-term well pumping tests, seepage rate measurements, and measurements of surface-water and ground-water temperatures during pumping tests provided unequivocal evidence of an intimate surface-water/ground-water connection. A regression model that related pond levels to pumping and natural background var...

Effects of flooding on pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) growth and survivorship1

Craine S. I. and Orians C. M. (Tufts University, Medford, Mass.). Effects of flooding on pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) growth and survivorship. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 133(2): 289–296. 2006.—Pitch pines (Pinus rigida Mill.) colonize the shores of Cape Cod coastal plain ponds in periods of low water and, once established, inhibit the growth of resident herbaceous species, including rare endemics. The effects of flooding on P. rigida may vary with plant age and may be affected by previous exposure to flooded conditions. To determine the effects of flooding on pitch pine survivorship, we performed three sets of experiments. First, we examined the effects of relative flood depth—root flooding versus total submersion—on three-month-old seedlings. Second, we determined whether prior exposure to root flooding enhanced subsequent survivorship in flooded conditions one year later. Lastly, we compared the effects of root flooding on pines of different ages—three months, 15 months, and five years. We found that three-month-old P. rigida succumbed to total submersion in two to four weeks but tolerated root flooding for up to one year. Fifteen-month-old seedlings that had survived eight weeks of root flooding one year earlier were significantly more flood-tolerant than members of the same cohort that had never been flooded. Fifteen-month-old seedlings, as well as five-year-old saplings, suffered significantly more mortality after four months of root flooding than did three-month-old seedlings. The ability of young P. rigida, normally an upland plant, to survive in waterlogged soil appears to be due, in part, to morphologic modifications acquired in response to flooded conditions, including hypertrophy of lenticels on the stem and plagiotropism. Both these acquired modifications are known to help oxygenate root tissues through internal channels, avoiding cellular anoxia despite reduced oxygen availability in the rhizosphere. Overall, our results suggest that periodic flooding has historically played a role in preventing the colonization of P. rigida on coastal plain pond shores and that reduced flooding intensity may lead to more frequent encroachment of P. rigida in this habitat.

Functional equivalency of natural and excavated coastal plain ponds

A major obstacle to assessing functional equivalency of restored or created wetlands is the time needed to develop the functions of natural wetlands. We compared hydrologic, water-quality, and vegetation-composition functions of nine natural coastal plain ponds in the New Jersey Pinelands with those of four small, well-established excavated basins that are at least 50 years old. Our study revealed that well-established (> 50 yr old) excavated ponds achieved a moderate degree of functional equivalency with Pinelands wetlands, representing a range of coastal plain pond characteristics. Based on water-depth-fluctuation patterns and the similarity of most hydrologic indices, including high-water pond area, mean water depth, area of exposed substrate (drawdown), and the presence of a clay lens, the excavated ponds seemed to achieve hydrologic equivalency with the natural reference wetlands. However, steeper bank slopes found at most of the excavated ponds affected nearshore water depths and resulted in the absence of plant zonation that characterizes coastal plain ponds. The water-quality function, represented by pH, specific conductance, and total organic carbon, differed between pond types. The pH and specific conductance of the excavated ponds were higher and total organic carbon concentrations were lower compared with the natural ponds. We attributed these differences to landscape setting, reflected by adjacent vegetation and contrasting plant zonation. Elevated specific conductance values in the natural ponds were likely due to the higher hydrogen ion concentrations. Reduced light transmission due to higher organic carbon concentrations in the natural ponds may have greater ecological importance. However, differences in water-quality functions between the pond types may make excavated ponds more prone to changes in pH if constructed within landscapes with extensive developed or agricultural lands. The excavated ponds met or exceeded most vegetation-composition reference criteria associated with the natural wetlands. Total and herbaceous species richness were greater in the excavated ponds. Most importantly, the excavated ponds supported a native Pinelands species composition, thus preserving regional biodiversity. Because all ponds were acidic and displayed pH values within the range associated with native Pinelands plants, differences in pH may not have been the cause of the greater species richness. Although overall species composition differed between the two pond types, the flora of the created wetlands was similar to that of coastal plain ponds found in other regions and other areas of the Pinelands. The major difference in vegetation composition between ponds was both the lack of distinct vegetation zonation due to steeper slopes and lower patch-type diversity in the excavated ponds. These structural differences can be overcome by constructing ponds with slopes that are comparable to natural ponds. Because the transitional-upland location of the excavated ponds is a more likely location for a mitigation wetland, the effect of landscape setting on water quality may not be as easily remedied as the lack of nearshore slopes.

Pitch pine ( Pinus rigida Mill.) invasion of Cape Cod pond shores alters abiotic environment and inhibits indigenous herbaceous species

Invasion by pitch pine ( Pinus rigida Mill.) on coastal plain pond shores may have direct impacts on the herbaceous community, or may merely indicate changes in hydroperiod, which are the actual cause of community change. We compared abiotic conditions and community composition of sites that had been invaded by P. rigida and those that had not on two Cape Cod ponds. Soil under living pines had lower pH and water content, reduced net nitrification, and increased rates of ammonification. Dense stands of pine saplings reduced PAR penetrance by 94% and excluded virtually all herbaceous species. To determine if pines alone can change community composition, we imposed artificial shade and added pine needle litter to experimental plots. In the course of one growing season, both litter and shade significantly reduced the frequency of herbs in the herbaceous zone of the pond shore. Litter had the greater effect (significant for six of seven taxa), while shade reduced the frequencies of three taxa significantly.

Habitat requirements and local persistence of three damselfly species (odonata: coenagrionidae)

Habitat requirements and population persistence were investigated in three damselfly species, all coastal plain pond specialists: Enallagma recurvatum, E. laterale, and E. pictum. Because of geographic restriction, two are of special concern to conservation, E. recurvatum and E. laterale. We surveyed more than 70 ponds on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and collected adult presence-absence data during the summers of 1999 and 2000. We achieved a detection rate approaching 100% for each species by visiting each pond up to three times. We looked for relationships between the presence of each damselfly species and presence of specific aquatic vegetation, the presence of the other Enallagma species, and the number of ponds within various distances of the 72 surveyed ponds. Using stepwise logistic regression, we found the following significant associations: E. recurvatum with the rush Juncus militaris; E. laterale with water lilies (Nuphar variegatum and Brasenia schreberi) the damselfly E. pictum, and the number of ponds within 2 km; and E. pictum with the water lily Nymphaea odorata, the damselfly E. laterale, and the number of ponds within 1.5 km and 2.5 km. Presence-absence data were used to calculate turnover and local extinction rates for each species between the two years. E. recurvatum's turnover and local extinction rates (33.3% and 41% respectively) were much higher than either E. laterale (9.8%, 11.5%) or E. pictum (7.7%, 10%). These results suggest that E. recurvatum occurs in a metapopulation, and that patch colonization rates might be important to local population persistence.

Genetic Variation and Protection Priorities in Ptilimnium nodosum (Apiaceae), an Endangered Plant of the Eastern United States

Ptilimnium nodosum (Rose) Mathias, commonly known as harperella, is a member of the Carrot Family (Apiaceae). It is a federally listed endangered plant native to seasonally flooded rocky streams in Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas, and coastal plain ponds in South Carolina and Georgia. In the past, P. nodosum had been divided into three species, P. viviparum(Rose) Mathias, P. fluviatile (Rose) Mathias, and P. nodosum sensu stricto, which were considered geographically and ecologically distinct (see Maddox & Bartgis [1991] for a complete review of the taxonomic history). The first two species are riverine ecotypes that grow on sandy shoals or, rarely, on muddy banks of seasonally flooded and quickly moving streams in Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina (P. viviparum), Alabama, and Arkansas

Coastal plain ponds in New England

New England's coastal plain ponds occupy areas of glacially deposited outwash, till, or former glacial lake beds. Generally, these ponds lie in gently sloping basins with no inlet or outlet and are intimately linked with the underlying groundwater or aquifer. Water levels rise and fall naturally with the seasons, depending on rainfall/ evaporation cycles. There are hundreds of ponds, distributed in three main areas. New England's coastal plain ponds vary significantly in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, but are united by several dominant features. (1) With rare exceptions they are permanent bodies of water and do not dry out annually as do southern US ponds. (2) They are highly acidic and nutrient-poor. (3) Their basins are sloping, creating concentric bands of vegetation as waters recede. (4) The dominant emergent, when present, is Juncus militaris, not Panicum hemitomon as in southern US ponds. (5) Dominant plants in the drawdown zone are graminoid and herbaceous species; woody plants are absent. Forty-one Atlantic coastal plain pond plant taxa are considered rare in one or more New England states, the great majority occuring only in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. One taxon is endemic to the region: Eupatorium leucolepis var. novae-angliae; five others are nearly so. Because they hold water during the summer, New England's coastal plain ponds are attractive to recreation and housing development. During 1970–1990 large-scale impacts resulted from these activities and from recreational vehicle use and water extraction, so that few pristine ponds are left.

Allotopic Distribution of Two Salamanders: Effects of Fish Predation and Competitive Interactions

Factors leading to the allotopic distribution of two pond-breeding salamanders (Ambystoma talpoideum and A. maculatum) were examined in laboratory and field experiments. Eggs and larvae of A. talpoideum were readily consumed by the fish Lepomis macrochirus. The larvae of A. maculatum were also readily consumed; however, eggs were afforded protection by the thick outer jelly coat of their egg mass. Although fish could not penetrate the outer jelly coat, eggs experimentally excised from the mass were eaten. More larvae of A. maculatum survived than of A. talpoideum when reared in the presence of L. macrochirus in artificial ponds with shallow edge refugia. The presence of A. talpoideum did not affect the growth and survival of A. maculatum in artificial ponds any differently than conspecifics. Likewise, the presence of A. maculatum did not affect the growth or survival of A. talpoideum. Survival of A. maculatum in a field transplant experiment also was not reduced by the presence of A. talpoideum and three other predatory salamanders. These data indicate that A. talpoideum may be excluded from ponds with fish by predation on its eggs and larvae. However, A. maculatum is probably not excluded from temporary coastal plain ponds because of the presence of A. talpoideum or other salamanders. An alternative hypothesis to explain the allotopic distribution of these two species is presented where post-metamorphic survival of A. maculatum is lower in the dry upland terrestrial habitats typically surrounding temporary ponds relative to survival in bottomland hardwood habitats surrounding sloughs along streams where fish are more likely to be present. EXPLAINING the abundance and distribu

Food Habits of the Greater Siren, Siren lacertina, in an Alabama Coastal Plain Pond

Food Habits of the Greater Siren, Siren lacertina, in an Alabama Coastal Plain Pond

Predation of Eggs of the Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, by the Leech, Macrobdella decora

Predation of the eggs of the spotted salamander by leeches is illustrated by a photograph for the first time.Macrobdella was observed to penetrate and mechanically damage a gelatinous mass of salamander eggs in a small Coastal Plain pond in Maryland. Ingestion was ascertained by the discovery of egg mass particles in the stomach of a 4 1/2 inch leech.