Vegitation Sampling

My name is Jesse VanderMey and last week we did vegetative sampling at the GTMNERR. We performed transect samplings of 9 meters with 1 meter quadrants at 0,3,6, and 9 meter intervals. In these quadrants we measured the number of plants from each species and the percent of the quadrant that each species covered. these recordings were taken at the low tide so as to be able to measure the data more effectively. What we found was that at the water line up till about 7 meters from the waters edge Spartina alterniflora was abundant and was almost exclusively the only plant inhabiting this region. However at this transition mark the Spartina diminished drastically disappearing within less then a meter. It was replaced by Sporobolus virginicus, Salicornia virginica, and Batis maritima. These small shrubs seemed to out compete the Spartina. I think the reason for this transition is because as the elevation increases the salinity of the soils decrease. Spartina is able to survive and reproduce in a much more saline environment then the other species of plants and this allows it to colonize the areas that are more impacted by salt water influx. However the plants that have a lower saline tolerance seem to be able to out compete the Spartina in regions where salinity is not a issue for them. This causes the Spartina to dominate the water line but to disappear as the elevation increases.

Spatina Alterniflora colonizing the edge of the low tide water line.