Maritime Grassland Guide – New York Natural Heritage Program

Maritime Grassland

Imperiled or Vulnerable globally – At senior high school or moderate risk of extinction due to rarity or other factors ; typically 80 or fewer populations or locations in the world, few individuals, restricted rate, few remaining acres ( or miles of pour ), and/or late and widespread declines. More information is needed to assign either G2 or G3. critically Imperiled in New York – specially vulnerable to disappearing from New York ascribable to extreme point rarity or other factors ; typically 5 or fewer populations or locations in New York, very few individuals, very qualify range, very few remaining acres ( or miles of stream ), and/or very steep declines .

Summary

Did you know?

From Stack ( 1989 ) : “ early nineteenth hundred maps and photos show that about the stallion easterly end of Long Island was once covered with tallgrass prairie-like vegetation. The grasslands supported big herds of grazing animals driven there from as far away as East Hampton to summer on the rich crop. annual burn in summation to cattle and sheep crop kept arboraceous species like bayberry, sumac, cherry, and locust from establising in the community. There are records that suggest that this ( burning ) was a practice learned from the former inhabitants of the sphere, the Montauk Indians. ”

State Ranking Justification

Some of the attested occurrences of this community have good viability and respective are protected on public or secret conservation land. The community is restricted to the Coastal Lowlands ecozone of eastern Long Island in Suffolk County and is found chiefly on the South Fork. The vogue for the community is declining due to significant threats from exploitation, fire suppression, and tread .

Short-term Trends

The number, extent, and viability of maritime grasslands is suspected to have decreased in the recent past, chiefly due to fire suppression, arboraceous species proliferation, and exotic species invasion. Some patches do placid undergo official burn and an effort has been made to add fuel to managment regimes, but the efforts may not be sufficient to maintain stable acreage. Continued development pressures have contributed to extra declines .

Long-term Trends

The number, extent, and viability of nautical grassland in New York are suspected to have declined well over the long-run. These declines are probable correlated with fire suppression and decreased graze, which historically kept woody species at bay. Declines are besides due to coastal development and associated changes in landscape connectivity and natural processes .

Conservation and Management

Threats

Maritime grassland is threatened by increasing development pressure, arouse inhibition leading to woody species success, and trampling. administration and spread of encroaching exotic species ( Anthoxanthum odoratum, Celastrus orbiculatus, Lonicera morrowii, Setaria sp., Pinus thunbergii, and Agrostis sp. ) is besides a threat to this community. Some occurrences are threatened by ORV price and herbicide use along railroad lines .

Conservation Strategies and Management Practices

restore and replicate the natural fire regimen, as appropriate. Monitor for trampling damage. Monitor the abundance of invasive species in this community and, as needed, control their trespass using non-chemical protocols ; in particular, restrict herbicide spraying along dragoon tracks .

Development and Mitigation Considerations

This community is well protected as part of a large maritime system, encompassing grasslands, shrublands, bluffs, heath, forests, barrens, and dunes. Development should avoid fragmentation of such systems to allow for alimentary menstruate, seed dispersion, and seasonal worker animal migrations within them. Bisecting trails, roads, and developments can besides allow alien plant and animal species to invade and potentially increase ‘edge species ‘ ( such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes ). connectivity to brackish and freshwater tidal communities and to shallow offshore communities should besides be maintained vitamin a much as possible to maintain “ maritime ” conditions, which imply deposition of salt spray and shearing from offshore winds .

Inventory Needs

The residential district has been well-inventoried, but extra occurrences may be found using forward pass surveys. More compositional data, including plot data collection, is needed, as is data on rare and characteristic animals .

Research Needs

documentation of the natural fire regimen of this community is needed, possibly using the sources referred to in Stack ( 1989 ). early records ( from the 1650 ‘s ) indicate that the grasslands were burned frequently ( at times per annum ) by the Montauk Indians and subsequently by early settlers ( Stack 1989 ). An probe into the taxonomic eminence between nautical grassland and the stabilized, graminoid-dominated nautical dune version is needed, as these communities can be basically identical in species composition, structure, and function. They need far documentation, analysis, and clearing .

Rare Species

• Abagrotis benjamini (Coastal Heathland Cutworm)

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• Agalinis decemloba (Sandplain Agalinis)

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• Aletris farinosa (White Colicroot)

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• Amelanchier nantucketensis (Nantucket Juneberry)

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• Ammodramus henslowii (Henslow’s Sparrow)

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• Apamea burgessi (Burgess’s Apamea)

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• Asclepias viridiflora (Green Milkweed)

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• Carex emmonsii (Emmons’ Sedge)
• Carex mesochorea (Midland Sedge)

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• Cenchrus tribuloides (Dune Sandspur)

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• Circus hudsonius (Northern Harrier)

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• Cisthene packardii (Packard’s Lichen Moth)

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• Crocanthemum dumosum (Bushy Rock Rose)

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• Cyperus retrorsus var. retrorsus (Retrorse Flatsedge)

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• Dargida rubripennis (The Pink Streak)

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• Desmodium obtusum (Rigid Tick Trefoil)

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• Dichagyris acclivis (Switchgrass Dart)

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• Eacles imperialis imperialis (Imperial Moth)

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• Empetrum nigrum (Black Crowberry)

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• Eucoptocnemis fimbriaris (Fringed Dart)

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• Eupatorium torreyanum (Torrey’s Thoroughwort)

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• Eurybia spectabilis (Showy Aster)

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• Euxoa pleuritica (Fawn Brown Dart)

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• Euxoa violaris (Violet Dart)

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• Hydraecia stramentosa (Hairy Hydraecia)

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• Hypomecis umbrosaria (Umber Moth)

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• Liatris scariosa var. novae-angliae (Northern Blazing Star)

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• Linum intercursum (Sandplain Wild Flax)

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• Lithospermum virginianum (Virginia False Gromwell)

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• Marimatha nigrofimbria (Black-bordered Lemon Moth)

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• Oenothera laciniata (Cut-leaved Evening Primrose)

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• Oligia bridghamii (Bridgham’s Brocade)

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• Parasa indetermina (Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth)

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• Paspalum laeve (Field Bead Grass)

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• Pycnanthemum muticum (Blunt Mountain Mint)

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• Pycnanthemum verticillatum var. verticillatum (Whorled Mountain Mint)

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• Quercus phellos (Willow Oak)

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• Renia nemoralis (Chocolate Renia)

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• Satyrium edwardsii (Edwards’ Hairstreak)

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• Silene caroliniana ssp. pensylvanica (Wild Pink)

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• Sisyrinchium mucronatum (Sharp-tipped Blue-eyed Grass)

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• Spiranthes vernalis (Grass-leaved Ladies’ Tresses)

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• Sympistis riparia (Dune Sympistis)

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• Tyto alba (Barn Owl)

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• Viburnum dentatum var. venosum (Southern Arrowwood)

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Range

New York State Distribution

This community is restricted to the Coastal Lowlands ecozone of easterly Long Island in Suffolk County on the South Fork and vicinity. The historical scope may have extended west to Nassau County, where the community may have graded into Hempstead Plains grassland .

Global Distribution

This community occurs in patches along the northeastern seashore and on offshore islands of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York ( NatureServe 2009 ) .

Best Places to See

• Montauk Point State Park (Suffolk County)
• Shadmoor State Park (Suffolk County)
• Hither Hills State Park (Suffolk County)

General Description

A grassland community that occurs on rolling outwash plains of the glaciate dowry of the Atlantic coastal plain, near the ocean, and within the influence of offshore winds and salt spray. This residential district is dominated by grasses that normally form a turf ; the grasses jointly have greater than 50 % cover. humble heath shrub may be give, with less than 50 % breed .

Characters Most Useful for Identification

The dominant grasses are small bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium ), common hairgrass ( Deschampsia flexuosa ), and poverty-grass ( Danthonia spicata ). early feature species include Pennsylvania sedge ( Carex pensylvanica ), rush ( Juncus greenei ), indian grass ( Sorghastrum nutans ), Atlantic gold aster ( Pityopsis falcata ), bushy rockrose ( Helianthemum dumosum ), grey virginia crownbeard ( H. propinquum ), grass-leaved goldenrod ( Euthamia graminifolia ), white-topped aster ( Sericocarpus asteroides ), pussy’s-toes ( Antennaria plantaginifolia ), bitter milkwort ( Polygala polygama ), hyssop-leaved boneset ( Eupatorium hyssopifolium ), bayberry ( Myrica pensylvanica ), shining sumac ( Rhus copallinum ), and northern dewberry ( Rubus flagellaris ). rare plants occuring in some maritime grasslands are ( Agalinis acuta ) and New England blazing asterisk ( Liatris scariosa volt-ampere. novae-angliae ). A feature lichen is reindeer lichen ( Cladonia rangiferina ) .

Elevation Range

Known examples of this community have been found at elevations between 1 feet and 90 feet .

Best Time to See

One of the best times to see nautical grasslands is in the fall after the first frost, when the grasses have turned from fleeceable to their distinct former temper reds and purples. early fall is besides a good time to enjoy asters and goldenrods in bloom .

Maritime Grassland Images

Maritime grassland at Shadmoor State Park
Aissa L. Feldmann

Maritime grassland at Shadmoor State Park
Aissa L. Feldmann

Maritime grassland at Gateway National Recreation Area, Great Kills Unit
Gregory J. Edinger

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Classification

International Vegetation Classification Associations

This New York natural community encompasses all or region of the concept of the take after International Vegetation Classification ( IVC ) lifelike community associations. These are often described at finer resoluteness than New York ‘s natural communities. The IVC is developed and maintained by NatureServe .

• Northern Bayberry / Shore Little Bluestem – Poverty Oatgrass Shrub Grassland
  (CEGL006067 )

NatureServe Ecological Systems

This New York natural community falls into the follow ecological system ( mho ). ecological systems are much described at a coarser resolution than New York ‘s natural communities and tend to represent clusters of associations found in alike environments. The ecological systems project is developed and maintained by NatureServe .

• Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Heathland and Grassland
  (CES203.895 )

Characteristic Species

Shrubs 2 – 5m

Prunus serotina

Shrubs < 2m

Myrica pensylvanica
Prunus serotina
Rhus copallinum

Vines

Rubus flagellaris ( northern dewberry )

Herbs

Artemisia vulgaris ( mugwort )
Baptisia tinctoria ( wild-indigo )
Danthonia spicata ( poverty pot )
Deschampsia flexuosa
Eragrostis spectabilis ( purple love supergrass )
Euthamia graminifolia ( coarse flat-topped-goldenrod )
Pityopsis falcata ( sickle-leaved golden-aster )
Schizachyrium scoparium
Solidago rugosa
Sorghastrum nutans ( amerind grass )

Similar Ecological Communities

• Hempstead Plains grassland

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  Hempstead Plains grassland occurs inland, beyond the influence of offshore winds and salt spray, and is dominated by species characteristic of midwestern tallgrass prairies : adult bluestem ( Andropogon gerardii ), short bluestem, indian supergrass, and switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ). Maritime grassland occurs near the ocean within the range of offshore winds and salt spray and is dominated by little bluestem, common hairgrass, and poverty-grass .

• Maritime dunes

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  Maritime dunes occur on active and stabilize sand dunes along the Atlantic slide. active dunes are characterized by a dear monoculture of beachgrass ( Ammophila breviligulata ) and more static areas can support a assortment of species, some of which ( like small bluestem ) can besides be found in nautical grasslands. Maritime grasslands are located on the deeper soils of rolling outwash plains ( not on flaxen dunes ) far from the ocean but however within the range of offshore winds and salt spray. They are characterized by the grasses little bluestem, common hairgrass, and poverty-grass .

• Successional northern sandplain grassland

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  While these communities may share alike species, successional northerly sandplain grasslands occur on arenaceous dirt and are dominated by bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium ), hairgrass ( Avenella flexuosa ), Pennsylvania sedge ( Carex pensylvanica ), poverty grass ( Danthonia spicata ), and panic grasses ( Dichanthelium spp. ). Maritime grasslands occur on rolling outwash plains of the glaciate part of the coastal plain, near the ocean and within the influence of offshore winds and salt spray. They are dominated by little bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium ), coarse hairgrass ( Avenella flexuosa ), and poverty-grass ( Danthonia spicata ) .

Vegetation

Shrubs 2 – 5m
5 %
Shrubs < 2m 12 % Vines 9 % Herbs 76 % percentage cover This number helps visualize the structure and `` look '' or `` feel '' of a distinctive Maritime Grassland. Each stripe represents the measure of `` coverage '' for all the species growing at that altitude. Because layers overlap ( shrub may grow under trees, for example ), the shade regions can add up to more than 100 % .

Additional Resources

References

Dunwiddie, P. W., R. E. Zaremba, and K. A. Harper. 1996. A classification of coastal heathlands and sandplain grasslands in Massachusetts. Rhodora 98 ( 894 ) :117-145 .
Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero ( editors ). 2014. ecological Communities of New York State. second Edition. A revised and expand version of Carol Reschke ’ s Ecological Communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY. hypertext transfer protocol : //www.nynhp.org/ecological-communities/
Edinger, Gregory J., D.J. Evans, Shane Gebauer, Timothy G. Howard, David M. Hunt, and Adele M. Olivero ( editors ). 2002. ecological Communities of New York State. irregular Edition. A revised and extend edition of Carol Reschke ‘s ecological Communities of New York State. ( Draft for review ). New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, NY. 136 pp .
Grossman, D. H., K. Lemon Goodin, and C. L. Reuss, editors. 1994. rare implant communities of the coextensive United States : An initial surveil. The nature Conservancy. Arlington, VA. 620 pp .
NatureServe. 2015. NatureServe Explorer : An on-line encyclopedia of life [ web application ]. version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. available hypertext transfer protocol : //www.natureserve.org/explorer .
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2022. New York Natural Heritage Program Databases. Albany, NY .
Reschke, Carol. 1990. ecological communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Latham, NY. 96 pp. plus eleven .
Stack, L. 1989. A open fire History and Justification for The Maritime Grasslands of Eastern Long Island. Presented to The Nature Conservancy, New York Field Office, Albany, NY .
taylor, N. 1923. The vegetation of Montauk. A discipline of grassland and forest. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Memoirs 2 : 1-107 .
Thompson, John E. 1997. ecological communities of the Montauk Peninsula, Suffolk County, New York. Prepared for The Nature Conservancy, Long Island Chapter. April 1997 .

Links

• Conscience Point National WIldlife Refuge
• Montauk Point State Park

About This Guide

This guide was authored by : Aissa Feldmann
information for this usher was last update on : April 29, 2019
Please cite this page as :
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2022. Online Conservation Guide for Maritime grassland. available from : hypertext transfer protocol : //mindovermetal.org/en/maritime-grassland/. Accessed January 27, 2022 .