Vegetation/Elevation Monitoring

The annual vegetation and elevation monitoring of the GTMNERR (GTM Research Reserve) Wetlands and Water Levels (WLWL) sites has been successfully completed. WLWL is a national program with standardized protocols for each NERR to examine the interplay of water levels, elevation and plant communities in coastal wetlands at scales relevant to local, regional and national decision makers. Vegetation plots are assessed for percent cover, stem density and canopy height for each plant species present at the WLWL sites. Monitoring the Surface Elevation Table (SET) allows for the detection of minute changes in elevation within the marsh over time. In addition to vegetation and SET monitoring, elevations have been measured in most of the plots via differential leveling which occurs every three to five years.