Terrestrial vegetation monitoring at Canaveral National Seashore: 2022 data summary
Authors: Boyle Maxwell 
Published: April 2024

The Southeast Coast Network (SECN) conducts long-term terrestrial vegetation monitoring as part of the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program. The vegetation community vital sign is one of the primary-tier resources identified by SECN park managers, and monitoring is conducted at 15 network parks (DeVivo et al. 2008). Monitoring plants and their associated communities over time allows for targeted understanding of ecosystems within the SECN geography, which provides managers information about the degree of change within their parks? natural vegetation.

2022 marked the first year of conducting this monitoring effort at Canaveral National Seashore (CANA). Fourteen vegetation plots were established throughout the park in April. Data collected in each plot included species richness across multiple spatial scales, species-specific cover and constancy, species-specific woody stem seedling/sapling counts and adult tree (greater than 10 centimeters [3.9 inches {in}]) diameter at breast height (DBH), overall tree health, landform, soil, observed disturbance, and woody biomass (i.e., fuel load) estimates. This report summarizes the baseline (year 1) terrestrial vegetation data collected at Canaveral National Seashore in 2022. Data were stratified across two dominant broadly defined habitats within the park, Coastal Plain Upland Open Woodlands and Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands. Noteworthy findings include:

176 vascular plant taxa were observed across 14 vegetation plots, including seven species not previously documented within the park.

The most frequently encountered species in each broadly defined habitat included:

Coastal Plain Upland Open Woodlands: saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), dune greenbrier (Smilax auriculata), Elliott?s milkpea (Galactia elliottii), myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), Chapman oak (Quercus chapmanii), and southern evergreen blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites).

Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands: live oak (Quercus virginiana), muscadine (Muscadinia rotundifolia var. rotundifolia), saw palmetto, cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto), dune greenbrier, and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).

Four non-native species categorized as invasive by the Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC 2019) were encountered within Maritime Upland Forest and Shrubland plots during this monitoring effort. These included Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia), cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), common lantana (Lantana strigocamara), and caesarweed (Urena lobata). There were no invasive species observed in Coastal Plain Upland Open Woodland plots.

Two species listed as Endangered by the state of Florida (FDACS 2021) were encountered on the park during this monitoring effort and included hand fern (Cheiroglossa palmata) and Atlantic Coast Florida lantana (Lantana depressa var. floridana). Hand fern was observed in 30%of Maritime Upland Forest and Shrubland plots, while lantana was observed in one (10%) of Maritime Upland Forest and Shrubland plots. An additional five vascular species categorized as Commercially Exploited by the state of Florida (FDACS 2021) were also observed in these vegetation plots.

Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) or South Florida slash pine (Pinus densa) and sand live oak (Quercus geminata) were the most dominant species within the tree stratum of Coastal Plain Upland Open Woodlands within the park; cabbage palmetto and live oak were the most dominant species of Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands, although 11 other species large enough to be measured as trees (i.e., more than 1.37 meters (4.5 ft) in height and greater than or equal to 10 centimeters (3.9 in) in diameter at breast height (DBH) were also present within these plots.

Based on these baseline findings, the most immediate threat to vegetation resources within Upland Open Woodlands of Canaveral National Seashore is related to exclusion of fire and an altered natural fire regime. These factors have likely led to a reduction of canopy species (pines) across all woody stem strata?tree, sapling, seedling?and an increase in abundance of woody shrub species (e.g., saw palmetto). These characteristics (low canopy species density and high woody shrub abundance) were observed in monitoring plots of this habitat type. The most immediate threat to Maritime Upland Forest and Shrubland habitat within the park is from potential expansion of non-native, invasive plant species, like Brazilian peppertree and cogongrass.

All plots are scheduled to be resampled during the summer of 2026.