The LIISMA team recently took a trip to Long Pond Greenbelt in Southampton, NY and spent the day kayaking and surveying for invasive species in this invasive species prevention zone (ISPZ). This ISPZ is found within a chain of coastal plain ponds that have a number of rare species — in fact it has one of the highest concentrations of rare plant species within New York State. Due to the nature of its glacial origins, it has various water levels throughout the year which can impact the species living in it. Any disturbance to these natural fluctuations can be a detriment to the beautiful and important organisms that rely on it.
Some rare species found within LI coastal plain ponds include:
– Globe-fruited Seed-box (Ludwigia sphaerocarpa)
– Globe-fruited Seed-box (Ludwigia sphaerocarpa)
– Atlantic bluet damselfly (Enallagma doubledayi)
– Lateral bluet damselfly (Enallagma laterale)
– Creeping St. John’s wort (Hypericum adpressum)
– Knotted spike rush (Eleocharis equisetoides)
One of the largest threats to LPBG is Phragmites (Phragmites australis), which was introduced over 30 years ago to this site as camouflage for duck blinds. In 1999, The Nature Conservancy began treating for phragmites using a variety of strategies from mowing, cutting and hand digging, to selective wiping of herbicide (glyphosate) on leaves.
In one of the locations where herbicide treatments were conducted (Site 2), we now see no phragmites and instead are noticing the natives eagerly returning such as marsh mermaidweed, swamp loosestrife, bog bulrush, pickerelweed, white waterlily, marsh rose, blue flag iris, buttonbush, prickly sedge, and more!
Locations of Initial treatments of phragmites along Long Pond 1999-2003
Along Ligonee Brook where cutting and hand digging were done, the populations of phragmites are still at large. We also noticed some new populations, including one in the middle of the pond where there were approximately 150-200 stems of phragmites surrounding natives like pickerel weed and white water lily.
Later in the week we had the opportunity to attend a meeting with the Southampton Town Trustees and presented them with our findings, and discussed options for management.
