Ecosystem Profiles, Ecosystem Map, and Vegetation of Coburg Peninsula, Esquimalt Lagoon
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Ecosystem Profiles, Ecosystem Map, and Vegetation of Coburg Peninsula, Esquimalt Lagoon By Magnus Bein December, 2005 Work Term Project Report at Capital Regional District, Environmental Services In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Environmental Studies Co-op Program Department of Biology and School of Environmental Studies University of Victoria Fall, 2005 [email protected] 361-4389 Abstract In the summer of 2005, Coburg Peninsula, the barrier spit of Esquimalt Lagoon was profiled, mapped and the vegetation inventoried. Using the Emery Method of beach profiling, ten profiles were completed that included the exposed beach and the sheltered lagoon sides of the spit. The profiles were bisected by the road and parking area. The elevation and slope ranges and substrate was determined for the dunes, tidal marshes, tidal meadow, and shrub profiles, along with representative species including Leymus mollis, Salicornia virginica, Distichlis spicata, and Festuca rubra. The area was mapped into polygons using orthophotos, Differential Geographic Positioning System, and site visits. Excluding built features, the total area of the spit ecosystem was 7.47 ha: 30% was dune; 23% was coastal riparian meadow; 19% was beach ridge; 12% tidal marsh; 7% tidal meadow; 7% shrub; and less than 1% tree or freshwater marsh. 4.00 ha of the spit was covered by anthropogenic features, the road and parking covering more area than any one ecosystem class. Site visits included visual estimates of plant cover and distribution. The plant composition of these ecosystem classes was tabulated. The habitat profile, ecosystem map, and vegetation survey of Coburg Peninsula provided a snap-shot of the area in summer months. This added to baseline reference for monitoring and assessment of environmental change and impacts as well as for conservation and restoration planning. i Acknowledgements I acknowledge the Esquimalt Lagoon Stewardship Initiative for compelling ecological management and planning of Coburg Peninsula. I am indebted to Jody Watson for supporting and facilitating the completion of this study. I thank Heather Anderson for leading field measurements and assisting with data entry and processing of the spit transects and profiles. Michael Page, Lisa Naylor, and Mike Mooney of Capital Regional District provided drafting expertise and produced the final profiles. Shane Ruljancich, Capital Regional District, provided technical expertise with Geographic Information System mapping. Carol Mitchell, Capital Regional District, assisted data entry. Mapping by Neevis Antoniazzi of Archipelago Marine Research and Royal Roads students contributed to the final map. Thank you for your contributions! The Capital Region District, Human Resources Development Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided funds that made this study possible. ii Table of Contents Abstract............................................................................................................................................ i Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures............................................................................................................................ iv Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 The Spit Landscape................................................................................................................. 1 Risks and Degradation ............................................................................................................ 2 Study Purposes and Components............................................................................................ 3 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 5 Profiles ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Ecosystem Classification and Map ............................................................................................. 5 Vegetation Inventory .................................................................................................................. 6 Results............................................................................................................................................. 7 Profiles ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Ecosystem Classification and Map ............................................................................................. 9 Vegetation Inventory ................................................................................................................ 11 Discussion..................................................................................................................................... 15 Beach Face and Ridge............................................................................................................... 15 Dune.......................................................................................................................................... 15 Tidal Wetlands.......................................................................................................................... 16 Coastal Riparian Zone............................................................................................................... 16 Rare and At-Risk Communities and Species............................................................................ 17 Exotic Plant Species.................................................................................................................. 18 Anthropogenic Impacts............................................................................................................. 18 Recommendations......................................................................................................................... 19 Directing and Changing Park Uses........................................................................................... 19 Protection and Restoration........................................................................................................ 20 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 21 References..................................................................................................................................... 23 Appendix 1: Key to Plant Names By Ecosystem Class............................................................. 26 Appendix 2: Profile Field Form and Annotation ....................................................................... 27 Appendix 3: Profile Procedure and Equipment ......................................................................... 29 Appendix 4: Ecosystem Inventory Field Forms ........................................................................ 31 Appendix 5: Vegetation Cover and Distribution ....................................................................... 33 Appendix 6: Coburg Peninsula Ecosystem Profiles .................................................................. 34 Appendix 7: Coburg Peninsula Ecosystem Map ....................................................................... 45 iii List of Tables Table 1: Horizontal distances (m) of ecosystem classes and roadway. .......................................... 7 Table 2: Elevation (m) and slope (°) of selected ecosystem classes and associations................... 8 Table 3: Typical substrate of selected ecosystem classes and associations.................................... 8 Table 4: Area (m2) of ecosystem classes and associations. .......................................................... 10 Table 5: Dune plant composition, frequency (%), and cover (%). ............................................... 11 Table 6: Tidal marsh plant composition, frequency (%), and cover (%)...................................... 12 Table 7: Tidal meadow plant composition, frequency (%), and cover (%).................................. 12 Table 8: Coastal riparian meadow composition, frequency (%), and cover (%).......................... 13 Table 9: Coastal riparian shrub composition, frequency (%), and cover (%)............................... 13 Table 10: Tree composition, frequency (%), and cover (%)......................................................... 14 List of Figures Figure 1: Site plan of transects...................................................................................................... 34 Figure 2: Transect 1 ...................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 3: Transect 2 ...................................................................................................................... 36 Figure 4: Transect 3 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