Northern Coast Of Gulf Research Articles

Stable Isotopic Evidence of Paleorecharge in the Northern Gulf Coastal Plain (USA)

Stable isotope abundances (δ18O and δ2H) in regional aquifers can provide important paleoclimate information. However, identifying paleoclimate signals can be complicated by cross-formational mixing and, potentially, by isotopic diffusion between aquifers and confining units. We examine controls on δ18O and δ2H distributions in the Wilcox aquifer of the northern Gulf Coastal Plain (USA). We sampled groundwater for δ18O, δ2H, Cl−, and 36Cl along a ~300 km downgradient transect. We developed a simplified, 1D numerical model of groundwater flow and 18O transport to assess the possible importance of isotopic diffusion between the aquifer and its confining units. Along the inferred flowpath, δ18O and δ2H values were depleted by as much as 1.3 and 8.2‰, respectively, as the Wilcox aquifer transitioned from unconfined to confined. However, they then gradually rose farther downgradient by up to 1.1 and 8.6‰. Chlorine-36 analyses and 14C analyses (from other studies) indicate that groundwater ages range from ~103 yr to ~8 × 105 yr. Modeling results indicate that the effect of diffusion on isotopic abundances is limited, whereas Cl− data indicate that cross-formational flow is limited. Therefore, we posit that confined groundwater in our study reflects a Pleistocene paleorecharge signal.

Tick Island Incised: an early ceramic skeuomorph in Late Archaic Florida

ABSTRACT Tick Island Incised (TII) is a relatively rare variety of Late Archaic fiber-tempered pottery found across sections of central and northern peninsular Florida. The striking stylistic divergences of TII from other Orange pottery types have led multiple researchers to invoke foreign influences or migrations to account for its appearance. This paper presents newly collected data on TII vessels from the Silver Glen complex (8LA1/8MR123) and related sites along the St. Johns River and northern Gulf Coast. These data, which represent the most detailed information yet collected on the technology, style, composition, and spatiotemporal distribution of TII pottery, are used to address numerous published speculations regarding the type's timing, origin, and cultural meaning. This research supports the idea that TII's aberrant style, which features symbolically powerful sinistral or left-opening spirals, can be explained as an example of skeuomorphism linked to preexisting lightning whelk shell cups. It further indicates that TII appeared during a particularly volatile time during the Late Archaic period and that its use and deposition in ritualized contexts may have been part of a deliberate effort to intervene in ongoing historical processes and mediate their impacts.

Metabarcoding reveals a high diversity and complex eukaryotic microalgal community in coastal waters of the northern Beibu Gulf, China.

Beibu Gulf is an important semi-enclosed bay located in the northwestern South China Sea, and is famous for its high bio-productivity and rich bio-diversity. The fast development along the Beibu Gulf Economical Rim has brought pressure to the environment, and algal blooms occurred frequently in the gulf. In this study, surface water samples and micro-plankton samples (20-200 μm) were collected in the northern Beibu Gulf coast. Diversity and distribution of eukaryotic planktonic microalgae were analyzed by both metabarcoding and microscopic analyses. Metabarcoding revealed much higher diversity and species richness of microalgae than morphological observation, especially for dinoflagellates. Metabarcoding detected 144 microalgal genera in 8 phyla, while microscopy only detected 40 genera in 2 phyla. The two methods revealed different microalgal community structures. Dinoflagellates dominated in microalgal community based on metabarcoding due to their high copies of 18 s rRNA gene, and diatoms dominated under microscopy. Altogether 48 algal bloom and/or toxic species were detected in this study, 34 species by metabarcoding and 19 species by microscopy. Our result suggested a high potential risk of HABs in the Beibu Gulf. Microalgal community in the surface water samples demonstrated significantly higher OTU/species richness, alpha diversity, and abundance than those in the micro-plankton samples, although more HAB taxa were detected by microscopic observations in the micro-plankton samples. Furthermore, nano-sized taxa, such as those in chlorophytes, haptophytes, and chrysophyceans, occurred more abundantly in the surface water samples. This study provided a comprehensive morphological and molecular description of microalgal community in the northern Beibu Gulf.

Intensification of Hurricane Sally (2020) over the Mississippi River Plume

Abstract Tropical Cyclone (TC) Sally formed on 11 September 2020, traveled through the Gulf of Mexico (GMX), and intensified rapidly before making landfall on the Alabama coast as a devastating category-2 TC with extensive coastal and inland flooding. In this study, using a combination of observations and idealized numerical model experiments, we demonstrate that the Mississippi River plume played a key role in the intensification of Sally near the northern Gulf Coast. As the storm intensified and its translation slowed before landfall, sea surface cooling was reduced along its track, coincident with a pronounced increase in SSS. Further analysis reveals that TC Sally encountered a warm Loop Current eddy in the northern GMX close to the Mississippi River plume. Besides deepening the thermocline, the eddy advected low-salinity Mississippi River plume water into the storm’s path. This resulted in the development of strong upper-ocean salinity stratification, with a shallow layer of freshwater lying above a deep, warm “barrier layer.” Consequently, TC-induced mixing and the associated sea surface cooling were reduced, aiding Sally’s intensification. These results suggest that the Mississippi River plume and freshwater advection by the Loop Current eddies can play an important role in TC intensification near the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Inbound arrivals: using weather surveillance radar to quantify the diurnal timing of spring trans‐Gulf bird migration

More than two billion birds migrate through the Gulf of Mexico each spring en route to breeding grounds in the USA and Canada. This region has a long history of complex natural and anthropogenic environments as the northern Gulf coast provides the first possible stopover habitats for migrants making nonstop trans‐Gulf crossings during spring migration. However, intense anthropogenic activity in the region, which is expanding rapidly at present, makes migrants vulnerable to a multitude of obstacles and increasingly fragments and alters these habitats. Understanding the timing of migrants' overwater arrivals has biological value for expanding our understanding of migration ecology relative to decision‐making for nonstop flights, and is imperative for advancing conservation of this critical region through the identification of key times in which to direct conservation actions (e.g. temporary halting of wind turbines, reduction of light pollution). We explored 10 years of weather surveillance radar data from five sites along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast to quantify the daily timing and intensity of arriving trans‐Gulf migrants. On a daily scale, we found that migrant intensity peaked an average of nine hours after local sunrise, occurring earliest at easternmost sites. On a seasonal level, the greatest number of arrivals occurred between late April and early May, with peak intensity occurring latest at westernmost sites. Overall intensity of migration across all 10 years of data was greatest at the westernmost sites and decreased moving farther to the east. These findings emphasize the differential spatial and temporal patterns of use of the Gulf of Mexico region by migrating birds, information that is essential for improving our understanding of the ecology of trans‐Gulf migration and for supporting data‐driven approaches to conservation actions for the migratory birds passing through this critical region.

Using Neutron Activation Analysis to evaluate social connections during a period of transformative social change in the American Southeast

Major changes marking the social transformation between the Middle (A.D. 200 to 650) and Late (A.D. 650 to 1000) Woodland periods throughout much of the American Southeast include settlement reorganization and shifts in ritual practices and material culture. In the Lower Suwannee region of Florida’s northern Gulf Coast, this transformation entailed the abandonment of major population and ritual hubs (i.e., civic-ceremonial centers) and the resettlement of the region in small-scale, dispersed, and diverse villages. Historically, large-scale social transformations such as this are accompanied by a reorganization of connections among social groups; however, the results of Neutron Activation Analyses of 300 domestic pottery vessels from 12 sites in the Lower Suwannee demonstrate that regional connections among communities did not change significantly between the Middle and Late Woodland periods, even as many other aspects of practice and culture were transformed.

Concordant Spatial Gradients in Predation Intensity and Productivity Archived in Surficial Mollusk Shell Accumulations in Seagrass Meadows Along the Gulf Coast of Florida

Seagrass meadows are highly structured habitats of great socioeconomic value but are declining globally due to human impacts. The northern Gulf Coast of Florida contains one of the largest relatively unaltered seagrass habitats (~3,000 km2), making it a model system for acquiring baselines to better manage and monitor seagrass meadows. This project investigated spatial gradients in ecological and taphonomic attributes of surficial seagrass-associated benthic mollusk death assemblages. An updated analysis of water parameters (based on project COAST data) indicated that total dissolved phosphorous (TDP) and chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) concentrations increased steadily northward. To analyze the historical ecology of local seagrass meadows, mollusk assemblages were bulk sampled at 12 stations across multiple estuaries along the gradient. Radiocarbon dating of valves (n = 90) from several estuaries indicated that the assemblages represented a multi-millennial accumulation with a median shell age of 1760 AD. Focusing on two abundant bivalves found within all estuaries, Transennella spp and Crassostrea virginica, the study evaluated spatial trends in body size, traces of predation, and post-mortem shell alterations. The results, primarily focused on Transennella spp., indicated that ecological and taphonomic characteristics varied notably, both among and within estuaries. Relative abundance, body size, and taphonomic attributes did not appear to correlate significantly with productivity or drilling frequency. However, drilling frequency correlated significantly with TDP and CHL-a, suggesting that predator-prey interactions may co-vary tightly with productivity. These results suggest that spatial gradients in predation can be archived by drilling frequencies in death assemblages. Moreover, the consistency between the long-term record of predation and modern gradient conditions suggests that long-term spatial dynamics of predator-prey interactions may be hydrologically controlled.

Seasonal abundance and distribution patterns of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) near St. Joseph Bay, Florida, USA

Three unusual mortalities events involving bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus Montagu 1821) occurred along Florida’s northern Gulf of Mexico coast between 1999 and 2006. The causes of these events, in which over 300 bottlenose dolphins are known to have died, are still under investigation. The impact of these mortality events cannot be fully evaluated, because little prior information on bottlenose dolphin abundance and distribution patterns exist in this region. Thus, the goals of this study were to estimate seasonal abundance, develop site-fidelity indices, and describe distribution patterns of bottlenose dolphins in St. Joseph Bay, Gulf County, Florida, USA. This study site was chosen because it was impacted by all three unusual mortality events and was the geographic focus of the 2004 event. Mark-recapture photo-identification surveys were conducted across multiple seasons from February 2005 through July 2007. Site-fidelity indices were calculated for each identifiable dolphin based upon all photo-ID efforts undertaken in the area. Distribution patterns were investigated by short-term (12-94 days) radio-tracking of tagged individuals across seasons (April-July, n=9; July-October, n=15). Mark-recapture closed and robust abundance estimates, as well as site-fidelity indices suggest that St. Joseph Bay supports a resident community of 78-152 bottlenose dolphins. During spring and autumn, this region experiences an influx of dolphins, as demonstrated by closed and robust abundance estimates of 313-410 and 237-340, respectively. These results are supported by the distribution patterns of radio-tagged individuals. Individuals tagged in summer tended to stay within or near St. Joseph Bay, whereas two individuals tagged in spring ranged more than 40km from the study site. This study provides the first detailed examination of bottlenose dolphin abundance and distribution patterns for this region of the northern Gulf coast of Florida. These results suggest that unusual mortality events probably had, and will in the future have, seasonally variable effects on bottlenose dolphins in St. Joseph Bay. Future mortality events that occur during the summer and winter in St. Joseph Bay may predominantly affect resident individuals, while those that occur during the spring and autumn will probably affect both residents and seasonal visitors.

Relating tools to tasks: shell hammers and oyster management on Florida's northern Gulf Coast

ABSTRACT The purposeful management of oyster fisheries has increasingly been used to explain millennial-scale sustainability evident at shell-bearing archaeological sites throughout the Southeast and beyond. While the focus of oyster management has been on the oysters themselves, the tools related to sustainable practices must also be the subject of investigation. Crown conch hammers are common artifacts recovered from coastal sites in the Southeast although their purpose has remained ambiguous. Building on previous studies of this class of artifacts, this paper relates crown conch hammers to oyster processing, specifically the management practice of culling. Evidence presented herein was recovered from the Lower Suwannee region of the northern Gulf Coast of Florida.

A multi-decadal analysis of river discharge and suspended sediment load in three Texas coastal rivers in relation to hurricanes, seasonal rainfall, and ENSO

Coastal river discharge and sediment load exert major influence on the sustainability of coastal systems. Controlled by various hydroclimatic/hydrometeorological agents, they exhibit distinct trend/variability at different time scales. Coastal Texas, while being a major target for tropical cyclones over the past 6 decades, has been experiencing drought and flood cycles associated with ENSO in the long term. However, it is still unclear the temporal variability of river discharge and the associated sediment delivery over this area at different time scales, and the controlling factors behind it. In this study, a 58-years (1960–2017) dataset is compiled to analyze the influence of ENSO, seasonal rainfall distribution and hurricanes event on the river discharge and suspended sediment load of three Texas coastal rivers-the San Bernard River, the Brazos River, and the Trinity River, at annual, seasonal and event scales, respectively. In the short-term, all three rivers attained the highest average daily discharge and sediment load during Hurricane Harvey. On a seasonal scale, the precipitation regime exerts more influence on the Texas watersheds than tropical storms and hurricanes. Over a multi-decadal scale, amplified rainstorms during the El Niño phases likely play an important role in the overall discharge and sediment transport in large rivers along the northern Gulf coast. Overall, it is reasonable to conclude that the magnitude of hurricane impacts on the overall discharge and suspended sediment load is regulated by the duration and intensity of the rainfall, as well as the coupled drought-flood cycle in relation to the intensity of ENSO.

Evaluating the Role of Social Movements in the Middle-to-Late Woodland Transformation on the Northern Gulf Coast of Florida

Evaluating the Role of Social Movements in the Middle-to-Late Woodland Transformation on the Northern Gulf Coast of Florida

Arrival condition and refueling performance of long-distance migratory songbirds at a spring stopover site in the eastern Gulf of Mexico

Barrier islands along the northern Gulf coast provide critical stopover habitats for Nearctic–Neotropical migratory songbirds using a spring trans-Gulf migration strategy. Islands bordering Apalachicola Bay, Florida, project southward into the Gulf of Mexico providing an opportunity for first landfall. In 2013 and 2014, we studied spring stopover ecology on St. George Island, Florida. We provide a detailed description of the arrival body condition and fuel deposition rates of 8 species of migratory birds. We used 3 approaches to measure fuel deposition rate: (1) estimated an hourly rate of mass change by regressing body mass or scaled body mass by time of day, (2) estimated a daily rate of mass change by examining body mass of recaptured individuals, and (3) for 4 species, measured plasma triglyceride concentrations as a proxy of individual refueling rate. The majority of migratory birds in the eastern Gulf of Mexico arrived in poor body condition with depleted fat and muscle stores. We found no significant changes in body mass or scaled body mass as the day progressed, except for Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), which gained mass throughout the day. Recapture rate was low on St. George Island (<5%), but most recaptured individuals tended to lose mass. Using plasma triglyceride concentration, we found that refueling rate for Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) declined throughout the day. We found no relationship between body condition and refueling rate in Gray Catbird or Catharus thrushes. Our results suggests that long-distance migratory birds arriving on St. George Island after a nonstop migratory flight may be physiologically challenged due to poor body condition. Our results provide the first quantitative assessment of songbird refueling performance on Florida panhandle barrier islands and reinforce the importance of Gulf of Mexico barrier islands as critical stopover sites for long-distance migrants in poor body condition.

Yucca carrii (Asparagaceae), a New Species from the Northern Gulf Coast Prairie of Texas

Yucca carrii, a new species from the northern Gulf Coastal Prairie of Texas is described. Morphology indicates that Yucca carrii belongs to Section Chaenocarpa (the dry-fruited yuccas). A lack of observed fruit production to date and reduced pollen viability indicates that this species may be of hybrid origin. The sole pollinator, the yucca moth, has not been documented within the species' range; it may be extirpated. Although known from few populations, the wide-ranging distribution of this species along the north Texas coast, ecological niche specificity and morphological distinctiveness indicates this taxon may have a long history in the area and persists by way of vegetative reproduction. It may be vulnerable to extinction and conservation measures are warranted. DNA analyses are needed to determine the origin and relationship of Y. carrii within Yucca L. Examination of the type of Y. tenuistyla Trel. revealed Y. tenuistyla is a nomen confusum that was described from a mixed collection of three yucca species, none of which is Y. carrii.

2020 hurricane impact assessment for the northern Gulf of Mexico: Hurricane Sally and Hurricane Zeta

Regional-scale shoreline and beach volume changes are quantified using the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise’s digital elevation model products in a change detection framework following the passage of the two landfalling hurricanes, Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, along the northern Gulf Coast in late fall 2020. Results derived from this work include elevation change raster products and a standard set of beach volume and shoreline change metrics. The rapid turn-around and delivery of data products to include volume and shoreline change assessments provide valuable information about the status of the coastline and identification of areas of significant erosion or other impacts, such as breaching near Perdido Key, FL, from Hurricane Sally’s impact. These advanced change detection products help inform sediment budget development and support decisions related to regional sediment management and coastal storm risk management.

Genetic structure as a response to anthropogenic and extreme weather disturbances of a coastal dune dwelling spider, Arctosa sanctaerosae.

The continued increase in the number of tourists visiting the Northern Gulf Coast (NGC), USA, in the last century, and the resulting sprawl of large cities along the coast, has degraded and fragmented the available habitat of Arctosa sanctaerosae, a wolf spider endemic to the secondary dunes of the white sandy beaches of the NGC. In addition to anthropogenic disturbance to this coastal region, hurricanes are an additional and natural perturbation to the ecosystem. The data presented here explore the status of populations of this species spanning the entire known range and the factors influencing population demography including anthropogenic disturbance and severe tropical storms. Using microsatellite markers, we were able to document the genetic structure of A. sanctaerosae, including current and historic patterns of migration. These results combined with ecological and census data reveal the characteristics that have influenced population persistence: ecological variables affecting the recovery of the population clusters after severe tropical storms, genetic fragmentation due to anthropogenic disturbance, and their interaction. These findings demonstrate the significance that the high traffic beach communities of the NGC and their impact on the once intact contiguous dune ecosystem have on recovery after severe tropical storms. Contemporary modeling methods that compare current and historic levels of gene flow suggest A. sanctaerosae has experienced a single, contiguous population subdivision, and the isolates reduced in size since the onset of commercial development of the NGC. These results point to the need for monitoring of the species and increased protection for this endangered habitat.

Quantifying Vegetation and Landscape Metrics with Hyperspatial Unmanned Aircraft System Imagery in a Coastal Oligohaline Marsh

Billions of dollars are projected to be spent on restoration projects along the northern Gulf Coast which will require efficient monitoring at both landscape and project-specific scales. Recent developments in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have sparked interest in the ability of these “drones” to capture hyperspatial imagery (pixel resolution < 10 cm) that resolves individual species and produces accurate data for monitoring programs in coastal landscapes. We present a case study conducted at Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) station 0392, a Spartina patens–dominated, oligohaline coastal marsh in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Results demonstrate the ability of UAS technology to collect hyperspatial, multispectral aerial images in a coastal wetland, and to produce very-high-resolution orthomosaics and digital elevation models. We then used object-based image analysis (OBIA) techniques to (1) delineate the land–water interface, (2) classify composition by dominant species, and (3) quantify average plant height by species. Model results were validated with traditional on-the-ground CRMS vegetation surveys. Results suggest that OBIA methods can overcome the spectral variability of hyperspatial datasets, quantify uncertainties in conventional techniques, and provide improved estimates of wetland vegetation cover and species composition. These methods scale conventional plot-level coverage values to data-rich landscape-level models and provide useful tools to monitor restoration performance, landscape changes, and ecosystem services in coastal wetland systems.

Coastal subsistence and platform mound feasting on Florida’s northern Gulf Coast

Platform mounds during the Woodland period (ca. 200 BCE to 600 CE) of the American Southeast were integrative structures that included elevated stages for communal food consumption (feasting). While this pattern appears consistent across inland mound sites, food remains from contemporaneous coastal platform mounds have not been adequately studied and the activities associated with these monuments are poorly understood. To address this lacuna, we present results of zooarchaeological analysis of assemblages from a platform (Mound II) and contemporaneous domestic midden at the Garden Patch site, a civic-ceremonial center on the northern Gulf coast of peninsular Florida. One difficulty arising from the coastal context comes from the building material used to construct mounds, which often included redeposited midden originally associated with daily refuse. Our study navigates this difficulty through multiple lines of evidence showing that mound constituents include remains from special events that occurred mostly during the winter. The faunal assemblage from the platform mound is broadly similar to the midden except in the prevalence of toadfish (Opsanus sp.) and in the high diversity of migratory birds. Different proportions of these fauna in each context may reflect seasonal availability, preferences for particular taxa at feasts, or both. Ultimately, the feasts at coastal platform mounds appear to have been the maritime version of their inland counterparts, supplied with local foods at particular times of the year.

Simulation and Prediction of Storm Surges and Waves Using a Fully Integrated Process Model and a Parametric Cyclonic Wind Model

AbstractThis paper presents a fully integrated coastal process model and a simple parametric cyclonic wind‐pressure model for simulation of wind, storm surges, waves, tidal currents, and river flows. By sharing one computational grid within all those process modules and no need for switching executable codes from one module to another, this full‐coupling feature eliminates possible errors and loss of information due to interpolation and extrapolation of variables between different grids. To generate better cyclonic wind speed and barometric pressure, this parametric wind model includes nonlinear decay effect on wind intensity after hurricane's landfall. By implementing a new wind energy source term, the wave action model is capable of computing wave growth, propagation, and deformation through a regional‐scale domain from deepwater to shallow waters. Model validation and model skill assessment were performed by hindcasting wind, storm surges, waves, and river flows during Hurricane Gustav (2008) by using a high‐resolution grid covering the northern Gulf Coast. With improved wind fields estimated by the new parametric wind model, this fully integrated process model produced high‐quality wavefields in deep and shallow waters and storm tidal levels in the northern Gulf Coasts. Because of computing efficiency provided by seamless integration of process modules and optimized numerical solution schemes, faster‐than‐real‐time predictions of storm surges for the advisories during Hurricane Isaac (2012) were achieved by running the validated model in a desktop computer.

Submergence, nutrient enrichment, and tropical storm impacts on Spartina alterniflora in the microtidal northern Gulf of Mexico

Salt marshes face chronic anthropogenic impacts such as relative sea level rise and eutrophication, as well as acute disturbances from tropical storms that can affect the productivity of these important communities. However, it is not well understood how marshes already subjected to eutrophication and sea level rise will respond to added effects of episodic storms such as hurricanes. We examined the interactive effects of nutrient addition, sea level rise, and a hurricane on the growth, biomass accumulation, and resilience of the saltmarsh cordgrass Spartina alterniflora in the Gulf of Mexico. In a microtidal marsh, we manipulated nutrient levels and submergence using marsh organs in which cordgrasses were planted at differing intertidal elevations and measured the impacts of Hurricane Isaac, which occurred during the experiment. Prior to the hurricane, grasses at intermediate and high elevations increased in abundance. After the hurricane, all treatments lost approximately 50% of their shoots, demonstrating that added nutrients and elevation did not provide resistance to hurricane disturbance. At the end of the experiment, only the highest elevations had been resilient to the hurricane, with increased above- and belowground growth. Added nutrients provided a modest increase in above- and belowground growth, but only at the highest elevations, suggesting that only elevation will enhance resilience to hurricane disturbance. These results empirically demonstrate that S. alterniflora in microtidal locations already subjected to submergence stress is less able to recover from storm disturbance and suggests we may be underestimating the loss of northern Gulf Coast marshes due to relative sea level rise.

Habitat-Suitability Model for the Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) in the Northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi, USA

The yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) is a migratory bird of high conservation priority throughout its range and winters across the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains regions of the southeastern United States. Although the winter ecology of this species has been recently explored, no studies have addressed their distribution and abundance in relation to suitable habitat capable of supporting this species during winter along the northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi. The objectives of this study were to develop a habitat-suitability model for yellow rail wintering in the northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi. We then used this model to evaluate the distribution of habitat suitable for supporting yellow rail in this geographic area. Using a multivariate approach that makes use of presence-only data through a maximum entropy framework we compared the distribution of where the focal species was observed to a reference set of the whole study area. Of the 784,657 ha over which our model was applied, only 1% (8643 ha) of this area was predicted suitable in its present condition, for supporting yellow rail in winter. Our analysis indicates that the yellow rail along the northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi occupy a very narrow range of environmental conditions highlighting need for specific management actions to maintain and conserve suitable winter landscapes for this habitat-restricted species.