Monitoring salt marsh vegetation and nekton at William Floyd Estate, Fire Island National Seashore: 2011 summary report
Nicosia EL and Pooler PS. 2012. Monitoring salt marsh vegetation and nekton at William Floyd Estate, Fire Island National Seashore: 2011 summary report. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/NCBN/NRDS—2012/399. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network (NCBN) began monitoring salt marsh vegetation and nekton at the William Floyd Estate (WIFL) in 2009. This report summarizes the second year of data collected at three sites during the summer of 2011. Monitoring will continue on a biennial basis. A total of 150 vegetation plots were sampled at WIFL in July 2011. The percent cover of each vegetation species and non-vegetation cover type within each 1 m2 plot was visually estimated using a revised Braun-Blanquet method. Eighteen vegetation species and four non-vegetation cover types (bare ground, wrack & litter, trash, and water) were observed. A total of thirty six nekton stations were established (on ditches and pools/pannes) in 2011. Each station was sampled twice during the summer—once in late June / early July, and again in August. Sampling stations located on pools/pannes were sampled using a 1 m2 aluminum throw trap. Stations located along tidal ditches were sampled with ditch nets. Six species of nekton (four fish, one crab, and one shrimp species) were recorded. Examination of percent catch data indicates that F. heteroclitus (22%) and P. pugio (74.8%) accounted for approximately 97% of all nekton captured at WIFL in 2011.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Nicosia, Erika; Pooler, Penelope
- Date of Issue
- 2012-10
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- FIIS , NCBN , NRSS
- Keywords
- 2011, Braun-Blanquet method, ditch nets, FIIS, Fire Island National Seashore, I&M, inventory and monitoring program, Monitoring, NCBN, Nekton, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Salt Marsh, throw trap, Vegetation, Vital Signs, WIFL, William Floyd Estate