NPS photo / SECN staff
NPS photo / SECN staff
Overview
Cape Lookout National Seashore comprises the southern portion of the North Carolina Outer Banks, and preserves approximately 56 miles of mostly undeveloped barrier islands (‘banks’) between Ocracoke Inlet and Beaufort Inlet. The 11,430-hectare (28,243 acres) National Seashore consists of three major islands: Shackleford Banks, South Core Banks, and North Core Banks. Additionally, Portsmouth Island, located on the northern tip of North Core Banks, was largely cut off from North Core Banks by a large breach caused by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Access to the barrier islands from the mainland is limited to boat. The Core Banks are low-lying (mostly less than 2 meters [6 feet] above sea level), and are subject to overwash during intense storms. In the lee of the dunes are found mostly marine grasslands and wetlands of varying sizes. Closer to the sound side of the islands, shrub thickets and small patches of maritime forest fringe an extensive marsh zone extending into the sound. Cape Lookout National Seashore is a very dynamic environment, with wind and water causing regular erosion and accretion across the expanse of the barrier islands. Shackleford Banks also has additional grazing pressure from more than 100 non-native horses present on the island.
The Southeast Coast Network conducts the following monitoring at Cape Lookout National Seashore:
- Water-quality monitoring is conducted in the estuarine waters near Cape Lookout National Seashore. To effectively monitor a diverse and dynamic set of estuarine water resources, the network implements a two-pronged monitoring approach consisting of a fixed-monitoring stations and parkwide assessments. This gives a more complete picture of physical processes, diurnal and seasonal variations, and spatial patterns during critical portions of the year. Fixed station sites are in the Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve and just off Shakleford Bank. At each site a data sonde measures depth, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, turbidity, and water temperature every 30 minutes. In addition, monthly samples are collected to evaluate nutrient levels and water clarity. These data help determine if there are excess nutrients in the estuary that are harmful to fish, oysters, and other animals. Water-quality data from the sonde are available on the Aquarius web portal and nutrient data are available from the Water Quality Portal. Parkwide water quality assessments are conducted every five years at 30 randomly selected estuarine sites and evaluate the same parameters monitored at fixed-stations. In addition, sediment samples are collected every ten years and analyzed for metals and organic contaminates. Water-quality monitoring at Cape Lookout National Seashore has been ongoing since 2006.
- Coastal shoreline change monitoring is conducted on an annual basis and frequently after major storm events. Change in shoreline position drives the alteration and replacement of established natural habitats, and shoreline retreat may destroy cultural resources, facilities, and other infrastructure. Shoreline monitoring has been ongoing at Cape Lookout National Seashore since 2017 and an open-data geo package containing all shoreline data collected by the Southeast Coast Network from 2017–2023 has been recently published.
- Salt marsh elevation monitoring sites are surveyed twice annually during spring and fall. Salt marshes and coastal wetlands habitats host a wide diversity of wildlife and are important to many aquatic species but are threatened by sea-level rise. The marshes must grow at a rate equal to or greater than the rate of sea level rise, or they will eventually disappear. The network measures salt marsh elevation and investigates the rate of accretion or subsidence (growth or reduction) in these areas. Salt marsh elevation monitoring at Cape Lookout National Seashore has been ongoing since 2014 and a cumulative data package was recently updated and published. This data package includes data from 1998 through 2024 and includes data for five I&M networks.
- Landbird community monitoring and Vocal anuran community monitoring is conducted on a rotating schedule every three years. These wildlife communities play critical roles in park ecosystems and interact with several trophic levels of food webs. The network uses automated recording devices (ARDs) to collect vocalization data during mornings and evenings in the spring, which are analyzed by bioacoustics specialists. Data collected from these vital sign monitoring efforts help assess the ecological integrity and diversity of park areas and how communities and park conditions may change over time. The landbird and vocal anuran monitoring efforts in network parks began in 2012.
- Vegetation community monitoring is conducted on a rotating schedule. Monitoring vegetation is important because it’s key indicator of overall ecosystem health. Changes in vegetation reflect the effects of stressors like extreme weather, disease, invasive species, fire, and land use change. Plant communities also provide structured habitat and food resources for other species. Vegetation monitoring data provides managers with information about the degree of change in their park’s natural communities. Vegetation plots have been established across the following habitats: Maritime Open Upland Grasslands, Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands, Maritime Tidal Wetlands and Maritime Non-tidal Wetlands. Data reports include information about new occurrences and rare plants, species richness and abundance, tree health and regeneration, disturbance observations, soil nutrients, landform/geomorphology, and downed woody debris.
|
Vital Sign |
Examples of Measurements |
|---|---|
|
Estuarine Water Quality |
pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity |
|
Terrestrial Vegetation Communities |
Plant community diversity, relative species/guild abundance, structure/age class, incidence of disease |
|
Landbird and Vocal Anuran Communities |
Species occurrence, distribution |
|
Salt Marsh Elevation |
Magnitude, rate and within-site variability of surface elevation, sediment accretion or erosion, different drivers |
|
Shoreline Change |
Net shoreline movement and end-point rate |
Source: Data Store Collection 9578. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Source: Data Store Collection 3937 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Source: Data Store Collection 3938. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Source: Data Store Collection 9577. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Source: Data Store Collection 3942 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Source: Data Store Collection 3941 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Source: Data Store Collection 3939 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Last updated: November 11, 2024