SEA 



SCIENCE 



the pounding surf. The study is funded by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife 

 Service. 



Historically, the herb, an annual that dies at the end of each 

 season, occurred in 31 counties in nine states from Massachusetts 

 to South Carolina. However, now, there are only 1 ,000 to 3,000 

 seabeach amaranth left from Delaware to Georgia, according to the 

 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. In North Carolina, the dune plants can 

 be found on many beaches south of Cape Hatteras. 



"The last time that seabeach amaranth was found on Bird 

 Island was in 1 989," says Dale Suiter, an endangered species 

 biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. "The habitat may 

 have been destroyed by hurricanes and tropical storms." 



Before planting the seabeach amaranth, Rosenfeld, who was 

 wearing long pants and a long-sleeve shirt to avoid sunburn on a 

 hot day, demonstrated the proper way to plant, including placing 

 the plant in the back of the hole and then filling it with sand. 



"We would like to have two teams of workers," she says. 

 "One group will dig the holes, and the others will water the plants." 



Wth shovels in their hands, the group planted more than 300 

 plants in seven rows, each set two meters apart. 



"These plants are very adapted to this environment," says 

 David Nash, North Carolina Cooperative Extension extension agent 

 in coastal management and commercial horticulture for Brunswick 

 and New Hanover counties. "However, they are tender. A lot get 

 broken through handling." 



For Sarah McCurdy of Hiddenite in Alexander County, the 

 planting provided an opportunity to leam about different 

 vegetation on a barrier island. "It is hot and sandy here," she says. 

 "At home, we plant tobacco in red clay. This is the other end of the 

 extreme." 



If the plants survive, they will be an effective sand binder, 

 building dunes where they grow. Once the dunes are created, 

 longer-lasting plants like sea oats and bitter panicum can take root. 



"It is our hope that this study will teach us something about 

 the basic biology of seabeach amaranth as well as contribute in a 

 small way to the long-term recovery of the species," says Rosenfeld. 

 "If the plants we put out on Bird Island are successful, they could 

 potentially generate thousands and thousands of seeds that will be 

 put back out into the environment." □ 



For more information about Bird Island, visit www.ncnerr.org and click on 

 reserve sites. To find out more about the vegetation survey, go online to 

 www.bio.unc.edu/faculty/peet/lab/CVS. 



TOP: A volunteer checks to see if a hole is deep enough for a seabeach 

 amaranth planting. MIDDLE: Seabeach amaranth provide protection 

 for sand dunes on coastal beaches. BOTTOM: Bird Island is a critical 

 habitat for a variety of plants and animals. 



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