Alabama

Physical Environment

    Alabama is the fifth most biodiverse state in the US, ranking first among states east of the Mississippi River (Stein 2002). Alabama contains six distinct Level III Ecoregions which are further divided into more specific Level IV Ecoregions; some of these are illustrated in Figure 1 below. I selected the following three locations based on their spatial distribution and their representation of three distinct ecoregions: Red Mountain, Old Cahawba Prairie, and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Map showing three selected locations within Alabama and their corresponding Level III and Level IV Ecoregions. Data source.

Climate

    Overall, Alabama has a humid subtropical climate type. Between my three selected locations, climate does not vary drastically. One notable difference is in mean precipitation of Bon Secour NWR, which has drier periods in the spring and fall relative to wetter winters and very wet summers (particularly in August) (Figure 4). Comparatively, Old Cahawba Prairie has a similar yet less dramatic pattern (Figure 3), while Red Mountain has an even more consistent mean precipitation throughout the year  (Figure 2). Additionally, mean temperatures are more similar between Red Mountain and Old Cahawba Prairie -- both have yearly lows between 40°F and 50°F in the winter and highs around 80°F in  July and August. Alternatively, Bon Secour NWR is generally warmer, with winter temperatures between 50°F and 60°F and summer temperatures exceeding 80°F in July and August.

    The most notable trend is the difference between Bon Secour NWR and the other two locations. Bon Secour NWR has lower variation, or range, in mean temperatures throughout the year compared to either Red Mountain or Old Cahawba Prairie (Figure 5). The overall consistently warmer climate of Bon Secour NWR can be attributed to continentality. Specifically, the high heat capacity of water in the nearby ocean maintains the air moving over Bon Secour NWR at a more constant temperature compared to the other two, more inland locations.

    Additionally, Bon Secour NWR has a mean annual precipitation over half an inch greater than either Red Mountain or Old Cahawba Prairie (Figure 6). This characteristic can, too, be explained by continentality as well as global circulation. Westerly winds push warm air masses from above the ocean towards the Southern Coastal Plain of Alabama, where they are met with cooler air masses above land. These collisions of air masses, or fronts, result in higher precipitation near the coastal Bon Secour NWR compared to the more inland Red Mountain and Old Cahawba Prairie.

Figure 2. Climograph showing monthly mean precipitation (in.) and temperature (°F) near Red Mountain, AL. Data from Birmingham Airport Station. Data source.

Figure 3. Climograph showing monthly mean precipitation (in.) and temperature (°F) near Old Cahawba Prairie, AL. Data from Marion Junction 2 NE Station. Data source.

Figure 4. Climograph showing monthly mean precipitation (in.) and temperature (°F) near Bon Secour NWR, AL. Data from Dauphin Island Number 2 Station. Data source.

Figure 5. Range of mean temperatures (°F) near three selected locations. Data source.

Figure 6. Mean annual precipitation (in.) near three selected locations. Data source.

Soils

    Soils on Red Mountain, AL comprise mainly of Bodine-Birmingham associations, with Bodine being the dominant soil type at 40% (Figure 7) (UC Davis SoilWeb). The Bodine series falls under the soil order Utisols, meaning it is strongly leached (low concentrations of minerals are left) and highly acidic (University of Idaho, n.d.). Soils in Old Cahawba Prairie vary, with one common association being Sumter silty clay. The Sumter soil series is dominant in this association at 85% (Figure 8) The Sumter soil series is more silty while the Bodine soil series contains more clay (UC Davis SoilWeb). One common soil in the Bon Secour NWR is the Leon soil series (Figure 9). As expected for this coastal area, the Leon series is sandy and, in this region, is poorly drained (UC Davis SoilWeb).

    As discussed in the section above, Alabama's climate is generally humid subtropical. The relatively high temperatures and levels of moisture in Alabama impact the soils' ability to sequester carbon; specifically, a study conducted in Auburn, Alabama found that levels of carbon stored in the soil were lower than those in drier, cooler regions (Huyler et al., 2014). This is likely due to the fact that increased humidity and temperatures accelerate decomposition of organic matter (a major source of carbon in soils) as well as carbon emission from soils (Huyler et al., 2014).

Figure 7. Bodine soil series, dominant on Red Mountain, AL. Source.

Figure 8. Sumter soil series, dominant in some areas of Old Cahawba Prairie, AL. Source.

Figure 9. Leon soil series, common in Bon Secour NWR, AL. Source.

Sources Cited in Part 1

Huyler, A., Chappelka, A. H., Prior, S. A., & Somers, G. L. (2013). Drivers of soil carbon in residential ‘pure lawns’ in Auburn, Alabama. Urban Ecosystems, 17(1), 205-219. doi:10.1007/s11252-013-0294-3

Stein, B. A. (2002). States of the Union: Ranking America’s Biodiversity. Arlington, VA: NatureServe.

University of Idaho. (n.d.). The Twelve Soil Orders. Retrieved from https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/soil-orders

Biotic Communities

Red Mountain

Longleaf Pine

Figure 10. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Miller). at Ruffner Mountain (also part of the Ridge and Valley ecoregion) just ~20 km from Red Mountain. Source.

Figure 11. Native range of longleaf pine in Alabama and Georgia. Longleaf pine range is indicated by dark and light shading. Dark shading denotes mountainous range of longleaf pine. Physiographic ecoregions are underlaid in white. Source. 

    Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Miller) forest once spanned over 90 million acres in the southeastern United States (Shelton, 2012), including the Ridge and Valley ecoregion of Alabama. Today, there are only 4.3 million acres remaining (Hoyle, 2013). As shown in Figure 11, even before its decline, the native range of longleaf pine in Alabama excludes much of the Black Belt prairie region and northwestern portion of the state. This is likely due in part to the more clayey, poorly drained soils in the prairie region compared to the better drained, gravely soil type of the Ridge and Valley ecoregion that is preferred by xeric and mesic species such as longleaf pine and those associated with it (Carey, 1992).

    The distribution of longleaf pine in Alabama today is a result of several anthropogenic-driven disturbances, including deforestation for urban and agricultural land use, the prevalence of tree farms with quickly growing species (e.g., loblolly pines), and fire suppression (Shelton, 2012). Fire and its impacts on longleaf pine is discussed in the ‘Disturbance Regimes’ section.

Pine Warbler

Figure 12. Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus). Source.

Figure 13. Range of Pine Warbler. Source.

    The Pine Warbler can be found year-round throughout the state of Alabama. Its diet varies widely, from insects and fruits to seeds and suet from backyard feeders (Cornell University, n.d.-a). This adaptation to feed on a variety of sources allows Pine Warblers to maintain a broad range year-round. Additionally, this aptly named bird prefers pine trees as their main habitat (Cornell University, n.d.-a), which are plentiful in the Ridge and Valley ecoregion.

Old Cahawba Prairie

Northern Bobwhite

Figure 14. Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). Source.

Figure 15. Range of Northern Bobwhite. Source.

    Despite their wide, year-round distribution, Northern Bobwhites have experienced a sharp decline in their populations, most likely due to habitat loss (Cornell University, n.d.-b). Northern Bobwhites are primarily found in open habitat types, including grasslands such as the Old Cahawaba Prairie. They have adapted to travel in groups called coveys, run between shrubby patches for shelter, and quickly fly to cover when they feel threatened (Cornell Univeristy, n.d.-c). These behavioral adaptations allow Northern Bobwhites to thrive in these open and seemingly vulnerable areas.

Old Cahawba Rosinweed

Figure 16. Old Cahawba rosinweed (Silphium perplexum). Source.

Figure 17. Range of Old Cahawba rosinweed. Source.

    Old Cahawba Rosinweed is known from only three Alabama counties worldwide (Keener et al., 2021). This plant is thought to be a result of hybridization between two other Silphium species, S. glutinosum and S. integrifoliu (Allison & Stevens, 2001). Allison & Stevens 2001 posit that the proximity of these two species to the Cahaba River facilitated the movement of S. glutinosum downstream via flood waters into the range of S. integrifoliu. Therefore, it is likely that the range of Old Cahawba Rosinweed is limited by those of its presumed ancestors. Within its range, Old Cahawba Rosinweed is plentiful where prairie has been grazed by cattle; this is likely to due its unpalatability to cattle (Allison & Stevens, 2001). Where grazing has occurred, Old Cahawba Rosinweed is largely left untouched, allowing it to outcompete other herbaceous species that were leveled by cattle. 

Bon Secour NWR

Alabama Beach Mouse

Figure 18. Alabama Beach Mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates). Source.

Figure 19. Approximate range of Alabama Beach Mouse according to the AL Ecological Services Field Office. Information source.

    The Alabama Beach Mouse is a federally endangered species, whose small range includes the Bon Secour NWR (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d.). They have several adaptations that allow them to succeed in this habitat--their light color blends into the sandy beaches, and they have large ears and eyes to aid in navigating their dune burrows as well as in the night when they are most active (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d.). The habitat type and food resources of the Alabama Beach Mouse limits their range. They only burrow and raise young in coastal dunes, and they feed on coastal plant species such as sea oats, dune spurge, beach pea, and seaside pennywort (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d.). Additionally, their light color would be disadvantageous in more inland habitats with darker surfaces (i.e., brown dirt and leaves), making them more visible to predators. The already tight range of the Alabama Beach Mouse is steadily threatened by increasing coastal development, leading to habitat degradation and fragmentation.

Royal Tern

Figure 20. Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus). Source.

Figure 21. Range of Royal Tern in the United States and Alabama. Source.

    The Royal Tern is a seabird whose range is limited exclusively to coastal habitats (Figure 21) due to its required food and nesting resources. The Royal Tern feeds on small fish and crustaceans which they catch by soaring above shallow ocean, bay, and stream waters; they nest on beaches and islands, both of which are predominant habitat types at the Bon Secour NWR (Cornell University, n.d.-d). With long and slender wings, and a long and forked tail, the Royal Tern's aerodynamic body type--coupled with a daggerlike beak--is an adaptation allowing them to have great control and precision when flying over water in search of prey (Cornell University, n.d.-d).

Sources Cited

Allison, J. R., & Stevens, T. E. (2001). Vascular Flora of Ketona Dolomite Outcrops in Bibb County, Alabama. Castanea, 66(1/2), 154-205. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/4033889

Carey, Jennifer H. (1992). Pinus palustris. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinpal/all.html

Cornell University. (n.d.-a). Pine Warbler Identification. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Warbler/id

Cornell University. (n.d.-b). Northern Bobwhite Overview. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Bobwhite/overview

Cornell University. (n.d.-c). Northern Bobwhite Identification. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Bobwhite/id

Cornell University. (n.d.-d). Royal Tern Identification. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Royal_Tern/id

Hoyle, Z. (2013). Longleaf pine forests in the South, past and future. Retrieved from https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/2013/01/15/longleaf-pine-forests-in-the-south-past-and-future/?doing_wp_cron=1618313022.9760510921478271484375

Keener, B.R., Diamond, A.R., Davenport, L.J., Davison, P.G., Ginzbarg, S.L., Hansen, C.J, Major, C.S., Spaulding, D.D., Triplett, J.K., & Woods, M. (2021). Alabama Plant Atlas. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.

Shelton, S. (2012). Restoring a 'wonder tree' in a changing climate. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/endangered/map/esa_success_stories/ga/ga_story1/index.html

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (n.d.). Alabama Beach Mouse - Bon Secour. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Bon_Secour/wildlife_and_habitat/Alabama_beach_mouse/

Disturbance Regimes

Red Mountain

Fire in longleaf pine forest. Source.

    Historic longleaf pine forests in the Ridge and Valley ecoregion were characterized by a natural disturbance regime of frequent, low-severity fires most which were caused by lightning and occurred in the late spring and summer (Carey, 1992). Longleaf pines have many adaptations to thrive in this fire regime. To name just a few of these adaptations: the terminal bud is protected by cluster of moist, dense needles as well as scales; the bark of mature longleaf pines is thick to protect the inner vascular tissue, or cambium; the crowns of longleaf pines are high up and widely spaced, making crown fires rare (Carey, 1992).

    Recently, fire suppression has allowed hardwood and herbaceous species in the understory of historically longleaf pine stands to survive longer than the natural fire interval, and therefore outcompete the slower growing longleaf pine seedlings. This fire suppression, in combination with other anthropogenic-driven disturbances, has led to a drastic reduction in longleaf pine forests in the southeastern US--specifically, to just approximately 3% of their original acreage (Trek Birmingham, n.d.).

Old Cahawba Prairie

    One disturbance that has contributed to the persistence of Old Cahawba Rosinweed is grazing. As mentioned above, Old Cahawba Rosinweed appears to be unpalatable to cattle, and likely wild mammals as well, allowing it to remain after other competing species have been grazed upon. 

    Another natural disturbance in the Old Cahawba Prairie is fire. Frequent, low intensity fires help maintain open grasslands dotted with shrubs, which is the preferred habitat of Northern Bobwhites. One study emphasized that the accumulation of hardwood species in mid- and overstories due to fire suppression leads to reduced habitat suitability for bobwhite quail (Wilson et al., 1995). 

Bon Secour NWR

    As a coastal habitat in the southeastern US, Bon Secour NWR experiences tropical storms and hurricanes. Disturbance, largely wind, from these storms reduce the density of woody plants in dune habitats (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2006). This disturbance is essential in maintaining open scrub dune habitat since these communities are not fire-adapted, and organisms that rely on this habitat--such as the Alabama Beach Mouse--would not respond well to either natural or prescribed fires (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2006).

Sources Cited

Carey, Jennifer H. (1992). Pinus palustris. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinpal/all.html

Trek Birmingham. (n.d.). A Special Forest: The Longleaf Pine Woodlands. Retrieved from https://trekbirmingham.com/articles/a-special-forest-the-longleaf-pine-woodlands/

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2006). Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Habitat Management Plan. Retrieved from https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/16116

Wilson, C. W., Masters, R. E., & Bukenhofer, G. A. (1995). Breeding bird response to pine-grassland community restoration for red-cockaded woodpeckers. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 59(1), 56. doi:10.2307/3809116   

Anthropogenic Stressors

Red Mountain

    An anthropogenic stressor that is currently affecting the historical distribution of longleaf pines, such as those in mountainous regions of Alabama like Red Mountain, is the prevalence of intensively managed loblolly pine plantations. Specifically, loblolly pines comprise 13.4 million hectares of commercial forest in the southern US, taking up much of what was previously optimal habitat for longleaf pines; nationwide, the current area of loblolly pines is approximately equal to that of longleaf pines 200 years ago (Zhang et al., 2010). Loblolly pines are more economically viable than their longleaf counterparts and are used to produce pulp for paper as well as in solid wood products (Die´guez-Aranda et al., 2006). Loblolly pines grow quickly in a variety of conditions and do not need fire to regenerate, allowing them to outcompete longleaf pines under fire suppression (Zhang et al., 2010).

Figure 22. Natural distribution of loblolly pine (shaded in gray). Long-term loblolly pine plantations sampled in Die´guez-Aranda et al. 2006 (black triangles). Source.

Old Cahawba Prairie

    Change in land use, specifically to cultivated or agricultural land use, is a major anthropogenic threat to prairies across the US, including the Black Belt Prairie of which Old Cahawba Prairie is a part. Cultivation is the dominant land use type in the Black Belt, meaning that natural prairie habitat in this area has largely been replaced by agricultural fields for corn, cotton, soybeans, and even cattle (Hansen, n.d.). Although the remaining tract of Old Cahawba Prairie (less than 5,000 acres) is protected and managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Northern Bobwhites are still greatly threatened by this change in land use and subsequent habitat loss. As discussed above, Northern Bobwhites rely on their shrubby habitat to provide shelter; the loss of such shelter to agriculture, combined with heavy pesticide use, are thought to have greatly contributed to the 85% decline in Northern Bobwhite populations between 1966 and 2014 (American Bird Conservancy, n.d.).

Figure 23. Cultivated land in the Black Belt Prairie in Mississippi and Alabama. Darker green shows more cultivation. Source.

Bon Secour NWR

    Coastal development is a major threat to the natural habitats on the Alabama gulf coast, including the dune habitat required by the Alabama Beach Mouse (U.S. Fish & Wildlife, 2015). As discussed above, Alabama Beach Mice only burrow and raise their young in coastal dunes; the construction of beach houses, condominiums, and businesses along the coast destroys this dune habitat in the mouse’s already small range. In fact, Bon Secour NWR contains the only remaining undisturbed Alabama Beach Mouse habitat (U.S. Fish & Wildlife, 2015). Figures 24 and 25 show the stark boundary between Bon Secour NWR and human development on either side. 

Figure 24. Screenshot from Google Earth showing anthropogenic coastal development on either side of the Bon Secour NWR. 

Figure 25. Screenshot from Google Earth showing anthropogenic coastal development to the east of Bon Secour NWR. Here, you can clearly see intact dune habitat on the left, and the lack of such habitat due to development on the right.

Sources Cited

American Bird Conservancy. (n.d.). Northern Bobwhite. Retrieved from https://abcbirds.org/bird/northern-bobwhite/#:~:text=Habitat%20loss%20and%20the%20increased,similar%20habitats%2C%20including%20Loggerhead%20Shrike.

Die´guez-Aranda, U., Burkhart, H. E., & Amateis, R. L. (2006). Dynamic Site Model for Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Plantations in the United States. Forest Science, 52(3), 262-272.

Hansen, K. (n.d.). Black Belt Prairie. Retrieved from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/92321/black-belt-prairie.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2015). About the Refuge - Bon Secour. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Bon_Secour/about/

Zhang, Y., Majumdar, I., & Schelhas, J. (2010). Changes in Woodland Use from Longleaf Pine to Loblolly Pine. Sustainability, 2(9), 2734-2745. doi:10.3390/su2092734. 

 

Climate Change Projections

Red Mountain

    Under the RCP 8.5 climate change scenario, average daily maximum temperatures near Red Mountain are projected to increase from 76°F to 78°F by 2050, and to 84°F by 2099 (Figure 26). Total precipitation is not projected to have consistent significant change, from 57.5 inches to 59 inches by 2050, and back down to 57 inches by 2099 (Figure 27). Costanza et al. 2015 found that climate change will have little effect on the wildfire regime in the southeastern US, and therefore on longleaf pines. However, under a 3°C warming scenario in Alabama, the Pine Warbler is considered a high vulnerability species, projected to lose up to 59% of its range, largely due to spring heat waves (Audubon Society, n.d.). 

Figure 26. Projected change in average daily temperature (°F) for Birmingham, AL (Red Mountain) under high emissions scenario. Source. 

Figure 27. Projected change in total precipitation (inches) for Birmingham, AL (Red Mountain) under high emissions scenario. Source. 

Old Cahawba Prairie

    Under the RCP 8.5 climate change scenario, average daily maximum temperatures near Old Cahawba Prairie are projected to increase from 78°F to 81°F by 2050, and to 86°F by 2099 (Figure 28). Again, total precipitation is not projected to change as much—around 55 inches both in 2020 and 2050, and 53 inches by 2099 (Figure 29). Since climate change is not expected to significantly affect wildfire regimes in the southeastern US (Costanza et al., 2015), it will likely not have a significant effect on available Northern Bobwhite habitat (which is, as discussed previously, maintained by frequent, low-intensity fires) either. Indeed, under a 3°C warming scenario in Alabama, the Northern Bobwhite is considered a stable species (Audubon Society, n.d.). This categorization of the Northern Bobwhite, combined with the extremely limited range of Old Cahawba Rosinweed (again, only three counties worldwide), lead me to argue that Old Cahawba Rosinweed is more threatened by climate change than the Northern Bobwhite.

Figure 28. Projected change in average daily temperature (°F) for Orrville, AL (Old Cahawba Prairie) under high emissions scenario. Source.

Figure 29. Projected change in total precipitation (inches) for Orrville, AL (Old Cahawba Prairie) under high emissions scenario. Source.

Bon Secour NWR

    Under the RCP 8.5 climate change scenario, average daily maximum temperatures at Bon Secour NWR are projected to increase from 79.5°F to around 81.5°F by 2050, and to 86.5°F by 2099 (Figure 30). Total precipitation in this area is projected to change from 65 inches to 66 inches by 2050, and back down to around 63 inches by 2099 (Figure 31). Under a 3°C warming scenario in Alabama, the Royal Tern is considered a stable species (Audubon Society, n.d.). However, the endemic Alabama Beach Mouse appears to be much more threatened by climate change. Yuro 2011 found that, as hurricanes increase in frequency and intensity with climate change, Alabama Beach Mice will be negatively affected, and may even be extirpated entirely from the gulf coast in the event of successive major hurricanes. 

Figure 30. Projected change in average daily temperature (°F) for Bon Secour, AL under high emissions scenario. Source.

Figure 31. Projected change in total precipitation (inches) for Bon Secour, AL under high emissions scenario. Source.

Sources Cited

Audubon Society. (n.d.). Survival by Degrees: 389 bird species on the brink. Retrieved May 01, 2021, from https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees/

Costanza, J. K., Terando, A. J., McKerrow, A. J., & Collazo, J. A. (2015). Modeling climate change, urbanization, and fire effects on Pinus Palustris ecosystems of the southeastern U.S. Journal of Environmental Management, 151, 186-199. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.12.032

Yuro, A. M. (2011). The impact of storm surge from successive hurricanes on the Alabama beach mouse population (Master's thesis, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011). Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Libraries.

Conservation Plans

Red Mountain

    The conservation plan for Red Mountain will borrow strategies used on Ruffner Mountain to restore longleaf pine forest as well as utilize canopy removal in loblolly pine forests in order to reduce competition with longleaf pine seedlings. Invasive plants and undesired understory plants will be removed before planting longleaf pine plugs (seedlings); after these seedlings have established, prescribed burns will be conducted to mimic the natural fire regime of longleaf pine forests and facilitate longleaf pine regeneration, and appropriate understory herbaceous plants will be implemented (Ruffner Mountain, n.d.). Knapp et al. 2016 found that silviculture practices such as canopy removal, particularly of established loblolly pines, facilitate growth of longleaf pine seedlings as they reduce competition for resources like light availability. Therefore, canopy removal will be a part of this conservation plan.

Old Cahawba Prairie

     The conservation plan for Old Cahawba Prairie involves the conversion of adjacent agricultural fields to prairie. The Nature Conservancy provides a restoration guide for such a process (The Nature Conservancy, 2015). First, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources must either purchase adjacent agricultural fields or incentivize farmers to convert their fields to prairies. Once the land is acquired, these general steps will be taken to prepare the land for the planting of native prairie vegetation: assess the site to understand its characteristics and identify realistic goals for the site; remove existing and undesired vegetation to reduce competition for native prairie plants; prepare a seedbed by conducting any necessary tilling (The Nature Conservancy, 2015). Native prairie plants will then be planted either by seed or plugs and intensively cared for (especially through weed control) until they are established; after this, a long-term management plan will be put in place (The Nature Conservancy, 2015). This plan will include frequent and low-intensity prescribed burns to mimic the natural fire regime of prairies in this area. The overall goal of this conservation plan is to increase the area of native prairie habitat in the Old Cahawba Prairie region.

Bon Secour NWR

    The conservation plan for Bon Secour NWR entails protecting and enhancing existing dune habitat and constructing additional dune habitat. The installation of fences and boardwalks can help prevent people from walking on and disturbing dunes; planting native dune plants, such as sea oats and bluestem, can enhance existing dune habitat and provide food for Alabama Beach Mice (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2017). There are several different techniques for creating new dune habitat, the most common of which involves bulldozing sand into piles (Coastal Care, n.d.). However, the use of heavy machinery to create artificial dunes can degrade existing beach habitat and it may take a long time for the dune to stabilize and for vegetation to establish, as well as be a costly process (University of Connecticut, n.d.). Therefore, protecting and enhancing existing dune habitat will be prioritized. 

Relative Vulnerability 

    Due to its small size (again, less than 5,000 acres) and the presence of endemic species such as the Old Cahawba Rosinweed, I would argue that Old Cahawba Prairie is overall more vulnerable than the Red Mountain region which is much larger and home to fewer sensitive/endemic taxa. Along these same lines, Bon Secour NWR is probably even more vulnerable than Old Cahawba Prairie. The Bon Secour NWR is 7,000 acres which is slightly larger than Old Cahawba Prairie. However, these 7,000 acres are divided into five separate units; additionally, about 100,000 tourists visit Bon Secour NWR each year (State Parks, n.d.). These factors, combined with increasing coastal development, more frequent and severe storms, and the endangered and endemic Alabama Beach Mouse, likely make Bon Secour NWR one of Alabama’s most vulnerable habitats.

Sources Cited

Coastal Care. (n.d.). Sand Dunes. Retrieved from https://coastalcare.org/educate/sand-dunes/

Knapp, B. O., Wang, G. G., Walker, J. L., & Hu, H. (2016). Using silvicultural practices to regulate competition, resource availability, and growing conditions for Pinus palustris seedlings underplanted in Pinus taeda forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 46(7), 902-913. doi:10.1139/cjfr-2016-0066

Ruffner Mountain. (n.d.). Longleaf Pine Reforestation. Retrieved from https://ruffnermountain.org/longleaf-pine

State Parks. (n.d.). Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved from http://www.stateparks.com/bon_secour_national_wildlife_refuge_in_alabama.html

The Nature Conservancy. (2017). Restoring Your Crop Field to Conservation Prairie [PDF].

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2017). Alabama Beach Mouse. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/daphne/es/abm/ABM_Index.html#:~:text=Ways%20to%20help%20Alabama%20beach,found%20in%20the%20coastal%20dunes

University of Connecticut. (n.d.). Constructing Dunes: Connecticut Beaches and Dunes: A hazard guide for coastal property owners. Retrieved from https://beachduneguide.uconn.edu/is-the-beach-is-eroding/constructing-dunes/