Pea Island Tour

Wax Myrtle

woody species that only grow when the islands are more old/built up

Yaupon Holly

-woody species that only grow when the islands are more old/built up

Red Cedar

-woody species that only grow when the islands are more old/built up

Salt Meadow Cordgrass

-grasses filter out salt from water so can grow directly from water

Black Stemmed Needle Rush

-grasses filter out salt from water so can grow directly from water

Glasswort (sea asparagus)

-edible, tastes like salt

Sea Oxeye Daisy

-edible, tastes like pepper

Fiddler Crabs

-large claw used in courtship behavior (cant pinch)

-colony is when there are dime sized holes with small piles of mud balls

-feed by filtering mud through their mouthparts, leaving those mud balls

Marsh Periwinkles

-sensitive to pollution (indicator species), in presence of toxins the whole pop will turn male

-eats algae + sometimes plants and can cause serious plant damage in absence of predators

Diamondback Terrapin

-saltwater turtle

-species of special concern (once hunted for meat but now making good comeback)

-eat insects, crustaceans, mollusks, fish

Clearnose Skate

-skim over shallow water bottoms stirring up food

Bluntnose Stingray

-skim over shallow water bottoms stirring up food

Mullet

-juveniles jump out of the water to fill an organ in back of throat with air

-allows them to remain active in bodies of water with low oxygen (more jumps=less O in water)

-jumping is more common during the day

Salt Marsh Cordgrass (smooth cordgrass)

-most common, indicator of coastal wetland

-frequently flooded

-1-8ft tall meadows

Salt (spike) Grass

-lives with salt meadow grass above high tide line

Sea Lavender

-grows at fringe of upper intertidal marsh

Bulrush

-can be up to 10ft tall

-tops crowned with spikelets

Saw Grass

-6-7 feet tall

-stiff and tough leaves with saw teeth around edges

Cattail

-the spikes can be up to a foot long

-plant can grow up to 10ft tall

-common outside wetlands

Salt Meadow Grass (hay)

-low to medium heigh perennial wire-like grass (1-3ft)

-forms dense mats

Salt Reed/Giant Cordgrass

-up to 10ft tall

same family as salt marsh cordgrass