Vegetation Monitoring After Beach Nourishment on Perdido Key - A Final Report

Gibson DJ and Ely JS. 1994. Vegetation Monitoring After Beach Nourishment on Perdido Key - A Final Report. University of West Florida - Institute for Coastal Research. Pensacola, FL

This final report summarizes the effect of beach nourishment along 11 Km of Perdido Key, Florida that occurred between November, 1989 and April, 1990. Pre-nourishment surveys identified 7 vegetation habitats on Perdido Key: strand, back slopes, dunes, wooded dunes, dry swales, wet swales, and marshes. Plants in each habitat type were identified and indicator species identified. After the nourishment project, the indicator species varied from 1 year to the next. None were permanent. Various factors were related to the results: (1) Hurricane Andrew's storm surge in August, 1992; (2) spatial and temporal influences; (3) change of nutrient/waste composition of the sand; (4) change in the beach topography; and (5) depletion in nutrients. Overall, the revegetation process was successful, but slow.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Gibson, David; Ely, Joseph
Date of Issue
1994-09
Publisher
University of West Florida - Institute for Coastal Research
Units
GUIS
Keywords
Beach Nourishment, Ecology, Gulf Islands National Seashore FL - MS, Management, Monitoring, Perdido Key (GUIS), Physical Sciences, Plant Studies

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