Do Habitat Characteristics Influence American Alligator Occupancy of Barrier Islands in North Carolina?

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Adam Parlin ◽  
Steve Dinkelacker ◽  
Aaron McCall
1968 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.P. Savage ◽  
W.W. Woodhouse

Experiments are underway along the coast of North Carolina using sand fences and dune grasses to create and stabilize a barrier dune line parallel to and behind the existing beaches of low lying barrier islands. Several miles of experimental sections have been established, and their effectiveness in trapping wind-blown sand has been analyzed. Results to date (1968) show that sand fences and dune grasses will trap wind-blown sand and create a barrier dune. A vigorous, rapidly-growing strip of American beachgrass, 90 feet wide, will trap and retain all of the sand being transported by the wind in the area. Thus, a stabilized dune can be "grown" in the area using American beachgrass. Sand fences have been shown to be effective sand traps and can be used where satisfactory plants are not available or where it may not be feasible to await the establishment of vegetation. Two methods of using sand fences to create large dunes have been investigated; both are workable. The use of fabrics as sand fences has been investigated; their effectiveness varies with the porosity of the fabric.


Castanea ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-129
Author(s):  
Jonathan L. Horton ◽  
Joseph McKenna ◽  
C. Reed Rossell ◽  
H. David Clarke ◽  
Jennifer Rhode Ward ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Shauna McBride-Kebert ◽  
Jessica S. Taylor ◽  
Krystan A. Wilkinson ◽  
Heidi Lyn ◽  
Frank R. Moore ◽  
...  

Understanding how habitat characteristics influence common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, distribution and behavior can be useful for conservation. The dolphin community in Roanoke Sound, North Carolina primarily exhibits seasonal residency and there is limited information on their habitat use. The objectives of this study were to increase habitat use knowledge and determine the relationship between habitat characteristics and dolphin distribution using standardized photographic-identification data (2009 – 2017). A hot spot (Getis-Ord Gi*) analysis showed dolphins frequently use the southern region containing the mouth of the estuary for feeding and traveling. Habitat characteristics were modeled with zero-altered gamma (ZAG), generalized linear (GLM), and generalized additive (GAM) models to predict dolphin group density. Models showed that groups were more likely to be present in areas with greater benthic slope variation and shallow areas closer to land, and that different habitat characteristics were associated with feed, social, and travel activities. This study suggests that Roanoke Sound provides a seasonal foraging area and travel corridor between the estuaries and coastal waters. This information contributes baseline knowledge of how habitat potentially influences dolphin distribution and behavior which can be useful for management and conservation, especially in areas where habitat changes and impacts need to be assessed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 858-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A Medici ◽  
Thomas G Wolcott ◽  
Donna L Wolcott

Little is known about the migration of female crabs (Callinectes sapidus) to spawning grounds, or how effectively they are protected by North Carolina's “spawning sanctuaries.” To investigate migration, we tagged and released a total of 2700 mature female crabs in the fall of 2001 and the summer and fall of 2002 in the three tributaries of Pamlico Sound. Tag returns indicate that females begin migration during September to November and that they probably do not complete it until the next spring. To assess site fidelity and protection of females by spawning sanctuaries, 398 tagged adult females were released in or near sanctuaries at Ocracoke and Hatteras inlets. Most recaptures occurred near the barrier islands (Outer Banks), suggesting that mobility declines once females reach euhaline waters, but recapture data also showed that crabs move over scales larger than sanctuaries and derive only temporary protection by entering sanctuaries. Ovigerous females fitted with ultrasonic pingers were tracked after release inside the boundary of Ocracoke spawning sanctuary. Crabs with orange (new) egg masses meandered over small areas, but those with eggs approaching hatching moved directly seaward. Apparently spawning sanctuaries must be large to be effective; where this is not practical (as in North Carolina), other strategies should be considered.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document