Spartina patens and Panicum amarum. The community area has increased from 
IkG) to) S4uehectares!) (5s acres! ston si >uracres) aaGlablerm 5). The largest 
increase has occurred on the north edge of the FRF. This may have 
been caused in part by the construction of the 549-meter (1,800-foot) pier 
at) | ehelmirackel city amelny MOG. The bottom contours of the beach show a 
decrease in the slope south of the pier and an increase in the slope north 
of the pier (Birkemeier, et al., 1981). The result is a larger area for 
wave energy distribution on the south side, which decreases the probability 
of overwash. 
The addition of the two wetland areas was in part due to sprigging of 
Spartina alterntflora as an erosion stabilizer on the soundside of the FRF 
(Birkemeier, et al., 1981). These grasses promote soil accretion and 
prepare the habitat for establishment of numerous other fresh and brackish 
water plants (Benner, et al., 1982). 
V. SUMMARY 
A vegetative study of CERC's Field Research Facility at Duck, North 
Carolina, was undertaken from May through December 1981 to determine and 
document natural or manmade changes which occurred since Levy's (1976) 
original study. For four sampling periods, his procedures were replicated 
and his permanent quadrats reestablished and mapped. A vegetation map of 
the area was prepared using aerial infrared photos and ground-truth surveys. 
Fourteen different plant communities were delimited. Stratified random 
sampling of these communities produced frequency and biomass data for 12 
communities and frequency and density data for the 2 shrub communities. 
Biomass data were obtained using the clip quadrat method. The distinctive- 
ness of the foredune, sandgrass, sandgrass-buttonweed, sound-side disturbed- 
shrub, and sound-side shrub communities was borne out by the ordination 
techniques. The interdunal marsh, low dune grass, planted bitter panicum- 
planted American beachgrass, and roadside disturbed communities showed a 
strong similarity in all three ordination perspectives. Several of the 
vegetational communities delimited were considered to be in a near climatic 
state3 i.e., the foredune, oceanside intershrub, oceanside shrub, sound-side 
shrub, and planted bitter panicum-planted American beachgrass communities. 
Although dominant species have shifted and minor floral compositional 
changes have occurred, all but the planted bitter panicum-planted American 
beachgrass community had been previously defined by Levy (1976). This 
community, originally delimited by Levy (1976) as distinct communities, con- 
stituted the greatest acreage within the study area. 
The most visible change which occurred since Levy's (1976) original 
study was the homogeneous mixing and expansion of the planted bitter panicum 
and planted American beachgrass communities. Trtplasts purpurea appeared to 
be the primary pioneering species of the barren sand areas, with Ammnophtla 
brevtligulata becoming very important as a dune stabilizer. Floristic 
collections made throughout the study revealed a flora of approximately 180 
species and 151 genera, representing 58 families. 
34 
