Plant and soil characteristics of hammock uplands Dr. Merryl Alber University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

malber@uga.edu https://marsci.uga.edu/directory/people/merryl-alber https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9467-4449 Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

gcelter@uga.edu https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/ Dr. Merryl Alber University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

malber@uga.edu https://marsci.uga.edu/directory/people/merryl-alber https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9467-4449 Principal investigator 1999-01-01 2003-12-31 Gayle Albers University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

galbers@uga.edu Graduate research assistant 2026

G. Albers (MS student, UGA) and M. Alber (UGA) did a study that characterized plant and soil composition on 14 hammocks near Sapelo Island. Eighty-three species were observed in 52 100 m2 plots. Quercus virginiana and Ilex vomitoria were the dominant overstory and understory plants, respectively, in these maritime forest communities. Linear regression analyses showed that biogeographic variables contributed to ~30% of the variance; island size and origin were important predictors of diversity. Soil analyses indicated fine sands with low nitrogen (= 2%) and variable carbon values (1.7-48%). Nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed differences in species composition based on plot location and soil C:N ratios that were not reflected in diversity analyses. Resource managers may use these findings to designate sensitive areas and develop policies that promote their sustainable use.

Question 4: What are the underlying mechanisms by which proximity of marshes to upland habitat drives ecosystem change along lateral gradients in the intertidal zone? (more information)

LTER NSF Georgia GCE Ilex vomitoria Quercus virginiana biogeographic diversity hammocks maritime soil Overall geographic extent of the research project -84.438334 -81.195661 34.385550 31.315563 1993-01-01 2003-12-31

National Science Foundation grant number OCE-9982133

estuary marsh complex Altamaha River basin - Upper Altamaha River watershed basin, encompassing the drainages of the Oconee, Ohoopee, Ocmulgee and Little Ocmulgee Rivers. -84.438334 -81.506075 34.385550 31.315563 Hunt Camp - Barrier island/marsh site on western Sapelo Island. This site is located at the upper reaches of the Duplin River, and is within the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Existing well fields border small marsh area to northwest, some wells have been installed to south end of hammock where marsh is more extensive and permanent plots are located. Two existing hydrographic sondes and weather stations within this site are operated by SINERR (Hunt Camp dock) and UGAMI (flume dock). -81.295506 -81.258908 31.497026 31.462320 North Sapelo - High salinity marsh/Sapelo Sound site. Few or no small creeks, but one large creek is easily accessed. Further upstream upland drainage is affected by culvert at Reynolds' duck pond. Upland is heavily forested. Hydrographic sonde is deployed adjacent to this site attached to a channel marker (under U.S. Coast Guard permit). A huge mud flat is present at the northern tip of Sapelo Island. -81.233249 -81.195661 31.546868 31.515188 Hammock overview. https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/resources/projects/hammockOverview.png Albers, G. 2004. Applications of Island Biogeography: Plant Diversity and Soil Characteristics Among Back-Barrier Islands Near Sapelo Island, Georgia. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. 113 pp. http://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/files/pubs/Albers_Gayle_MS_2004.pdf Albers, G. and Alber, M. 2003. Presentation: Vascular Plant Composition and Soil Characteristics of Undeveloped Back-barrier Islands near Sapelo Island, Georgia. 2003 Ecological Society of America meeting. Aug. 2003, Savannah, GA. Albers, G. and Alber, M. 2003. A vegetative survey of back-barrier islands near Sapelo Island, Georgia. Hatcher, K.J. (editor). Proceedings of the 2003 Georgia Water Resources Conference. Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. http://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/files/pubs/Albers_gwrc_2003.pdf Albers, G. and Alber, M. 2002. Presentation: The Impact of Residential Development on Georgia's Marsh Hammocks: Exploring the link between land and water in the coastal zone. The Coastal Society Conference. The Coastal Society Conference, May, 2002, Galveston, Texas.