Habitat monitoring and improvement for Cordylanthus maritimus ssp. palustris
This project aims to monitor C. maritimus ssp. palustris populations within the North Spit of Coos Bay, Oregon. Through a combination of annual mapping and monitoring, we will track changes in population
This project aims to monitor C. maritimus ssp. palustris populations within the North Spit of Coos Bay, Oregon. Through a combination of annual mapping and monitoring, we will track changes in population size and location through time. We will also test the effect interspecific competition on recruitment by experimentally removing neighboring species in a subset of the plots.
There was significant variability in the number Cordylanthus from 2010-2013. Vegetation removal experiments did not elucidate any potential effects of competitors on Cordylanthus growth. As this species is a hemiparasite and known to be associated with higher cover of select species, it is not surprising that we did not find a positive effect of our vegetation treatment.
From 2011-2013 there were great changes in the cover of different habitat classes in the protected area particularly in the cover of habitat types associated with Limonium californicum. It is likely that this perennial plant is benefitting from the lack of disturbance in the protected area. Very little L. californicum was found in the unprotected area. Additionally it was noted that the C. maritimus ssp. palustris was commonly associated with the disturbed areas in the unprotected area.
Continued habitat mapping and population surveys will elucidate general population trends of these two bureau sensitive species.
