Maritime forests represent a climax community increasing diversity and structure across the landscape. Maritime forests are threatened by sea level rise, storm surge and encroachment of salt tolerant species along the Atlantic Coast. Geographic position may account for differences in recovery of coastal forests as rates of relative sea-level rise (RSLR) and storm frequency/intensity differ along coastlines. Maritime forests on barrier islands withstand the full force of tropical storms, hurricanes and nor’easters while the impact is reduced for communities behind barrier islands. In this study we surveyed maritime forest on Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and on Parramore Island, VA at two timepoints (15 and 21 years apart, respectively) to determine whether the trajectory of these forests are shifting toward succession or disassembly with sea-level rise and storm exposure. Additionally, Landsat TM5 satellite imagery was used to assess long-term fate of woody vegetation due to known erosion on Parramore Island.
Results/Conclusions
The results show that the dominant species at Savage Neck, Acer rubrum, and Pinus taeda, Liquidambar styraciflua, remained dominant and the total number of individuals recorded in 2018 was 86% of those recorded in 2003, indicating natural succession over time. Conversely, on Parramore Island, 33% of the former forested plots converted to grassland and 33% were lost to erosion and now occur as ghost forests on the shore or lost to the ocean, which contributed to significant tree loss. Since the initial census in 1997 there was a decrease in the dominant tree species, 99% in Juniperus virginiana, 88% in Persea palustris, 41%, in Pinus taeda. Of the remaining forested plots, the shrub Morella cerifera, increased 64%, indicating disassembly of maritime forest and conversion to shrub dominance. Geographic position, elevation, and species shifts may contribute to or hinder the resiliency of maritime forests.