Terrestrial Systems

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  Colonial Nesting Birds

  Several bird species nest in colonies on offshore islands and serve as important indicators of aquatic ecosystem health.

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  Forest Vegetation

  Establishing forest plots can help determine if forest communities are stable and resilient through time.

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  Invasive Exotic Plants

  Invasive plants are a serious threat to the ecological integrity of our parks, so we monitor for new invasions to reduce their impact.

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  Mangrove-Marsh Ecotone

  Ecotones are transition zones between habitats and may move in response to changes in climate or hydrology.

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  Mangrove Soil Surface Elevation Tables

  Monitoring the rate of change in soil elevation helps us predict the ability of mangrove forests to regenerate.

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  Periphyton

  Periphyton is a fundamental part of the food web as the primary food source for small consumers, including fish and invertebrates.