3. Factors Affecting Transplant Survival. 



In the backshore test plantings at monthly intervals of sea oats and bitter panicum during 

 the past 5 years, transplant survival was variable (Table 16). Since establishment of 

 transplants is the most important phase of dune construction, it was necessary to examine 

 the factors affecting transplant survival to determine optimum planting conditions. Factors 

 which are potentially important or can influence transplant survival are: soil moisture, soil 

 salinity, plant dormancy and vigor, air and soil temperatures, sand inundation, and salt 

 spray. All but sand inundation and salt spray were measured for each planting, and related 

 to survival of the transplants by multiple correlation analysis. Although salt spray is an 

 important factor, it was not measured. 



Table 16. Transplant survival of monthly planting of sea oats and bitter panicum. 1 



Location 



Years 



July 



Aug. 



Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec 



Jan. Feb 



Mar. Apr. May 













Sea 



Oats 

















North Padre 



1969, 70 



1970, 71 

 1971,72 



1972, 73 



1973, 74 



37 



5 



6 



22 



7 







20 



5 

 12 

 46 



6 

 12 



30 

 28 



XX 



2 

 3 



68 

 8 

 64 

 26 

 19 



25 

 2 

 xx 3 

 60 

 21 



5 

 

 76 

 

 6 



7 



4 



27 



34 



29 



27 



75 



8 



41 



18 

 10 



South Padre 



1969, 70 



1970, 71 

 1971,72 



1972, 73 



1973, 74 



46 



.... 



32 





 29 

 38 



5 

 



XX 



5 

 22 



60 

 

 76 

 26 

 17 



30 

 9 

 73 

 43 

 62 



10 



2 

 61 

 81 



24 



xx 





 59 







xx 2 

 



4 



22 

 15 



41 



Bitter Panicum 



North Padre 



1969, 70 







.... 





60 



50 



55 



15 



20 



15 



70 



— 





1970, 71 











8 



37 



10 







2 



10 









1971, 72 







.... 



34 



22 



xx 2 



37 



84 



88 



58 



80 



.... 





1972, 73 





.... 



4 







30 



24 



10 



34 



62 



68 



70 



78 





1973, 74 



93 



89 



81 



37 



53 



78 



77 



78 



72 



50 



67 



.... 



South Padre 



1969, 70 











25 



60 



70 



68 



10 



10 









1970, 71 







.... 





32 



7 



32 



22 



34 



XX 



.... 







1971, 72 





.... 





28 



XX 



39 



21 



26 



35 







51 



.... 





1972, 73 







.... 









12 



40 



33 



38 



46 



40 



97 





1973, 74 



83 





12 



36 



32 



19 



59 



39 







.... 



.... 



1. 100 plants per species per site. Months in which no planting was made are indicated by dashes ( — ). 



2. Destroyed by vehicles (xx). 



3. Destroyed by storm surge (xx). 



76 



