Cape Hatteras National Seashore Seabeach Amaranth Surveys 2011 Annual Report

Seabeach amaranth populations have fluctuated greatly since surveys began in 1985 (Table 1). In the last 10 years, numbers were the highest in 2002 with 93 plants. More recently numbers have declined with only one plant found in 2004 and two plants found in 2005. No plants have been found since 2006 and the plant is currently thought to possibly be extirpated from CAHA. The area on Bodie Island spit where amaranth had been located in 2004 and 2005 has been continuously protected through summer and winter resource management closures. At Cape Point, a portion of the area where amaranth was historically found has also been continuously protected through summer and winter resource closures. No plants were found within any of these protected areas. At Hatteras Inlet, large portions of the historic range were simply no longer present due to continued erosion. While it is thought that the plant may possibly be extirpated from CAHA, it should be noted that since plants are not evident every year, but may survive in the seed bank, populations of seabeach amaranth may still be present even though plants are not visible for several years (USFWS 2007).