P24AS00287 Canaveral National Seashore Post-Hurricane Resource Assessment

Canaveral National Seashore (CANA) includes approximately 57,000 acres of coastal, estuarine and upland habitats along the east coast of central Florida. Major plant communities include pine flatwoods, hammock, beach dune, freshwater wetlands, beach dune, coastal strand, salt marsh and mangrove shrublands. Development within the boundary is largely restricted to public beach access facilities on the northern and southern ends of the park. The majority of Mosquito Lagoon and associated islands as well as the adjacent open waters of the Atlantic Ocean are included within the CANA boundary. Coastal uplands and wetlands within CANA support a wide variety of listed species. Beaches represent nationally important nesting habitat for marine turtles with more than 16,000 nests within CANA in 2023. Beach dune and coastal strand habitats also support populations of terrestrial species including southeastern beach mouse, gopher tortoise and eastern indigo snake. Salt marsh and mangrove habitats are utilized by organisms including Atlantic salt marsh snake, wading birds, eastern black rail and diamondback terrapin. CANA also protects a wide range of cultural resources that reflect human history in the area from 2000 BC to the early 20th century. In September 2022, Hurricane Ian impacted CANA, resulting in tidal flooding, substantial coastal erosion, widespread vegetation damage and structural modifications to coastal habitats. Subsequently, Hurricane Nicole also made landfall within CANA, compounding the effects of the Hurricane Ian. In addition to direct effects of the storms on natural resources, elevation loss within beach dune communities facilitated regular tidal flooding for several months. While impacts to resources have been generally characterized, detailed information on the majority of species and habitats within the Seashore has not been collected. The trajectory of the natural system, including plant communities and associated species, following these storms is not clearly understood. NPS natural resource managers are seeking proposals for studies and/or surveys of natural and cultural resources that lead to a better understanding of short and long term effects of the 2022 hurricane season on those resources. Successful proposals will seek to improve the understanding of natural resources that became and/or remain vulnerable to post storm conditions that are coupled with the development of implementable management recommendations/actions. The following topics are suggested focal areas. Proposals covering topics outside of these areas are also encouraged, provided the work will evaluate the effects of hurricanes on natural and/or cultural resources within Canaveral National Seashore. Proposals for all focal areas should demonstrate an expected link to implementable management actions. 1. Studies of direct and indirect storm effects on the life history of species of management concern 2. Studies of physical and structural changes to coastal plant communities and adjacent coastal wetlands 3. Studies of non-native species status and trends in storm impacted areas Specific elements of each of these topic areas are described below. These descriptions are provided as a guide to help identify issues and questions that can be addressed in submitted proposals. The geographic area of the proposed studies is the legislative boundary of Canaveral National Seashore. 1. Assessment of direct and indirect storm effects on the life history of species of management concern Storm surge, tidal flooding and wind impacts resulted in short and long term, direct and indirect impacts on a variety of coastal plant and animal species within CANA. Impacts may have resulted in an increase or decrease in occupiable habitats, changes in predation rates, foraging and reproductive habitats and other impacts to one or more life history periods for a variety of organisms. CANA seeks to understand the short- and long-term effects of these storms on species of management concern in order to direct management actions where they are most appropriate and most effective. Additionally, CANA seeks to support work that is expected to result in actionable management recommendations that can be implemented following these and future storms that will mitigate or improve post-storm conditions for species of management concern. Animal species of interest to CANA include southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris), eastern black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis) eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi), Atlantic salt marsh snake (Nerodia clarkia taeniata), eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius), Wilson’s plover (Charadrius wilsonia) and marine turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea and Lepidochelys kempii), Florida intertidal firefly (Micronaspis floridana) and beach tiger beetle (Cicindela dorsalis media). Plant species of interest include Caribbean applecactus (Harrisia fragrans), beachstar (Cyperus pendunculatus) and Curtis’s hoarypea (Tephrosia angustissima var. curtissii). Specific topics of interest include the following: a. Comparison of pre- and post-hurricane distribution of one or more species of management concern that utilize hurricane impacted areas. b. Assessment of effects of hurricanes on life history stages of one or more species of management concern. c. Development of baseline distribution and population estimates of poorly known species in areas affected by hurricanes. 2. Studies of physical and structural changes to coastal upland plant communities and adjacent coastal wetlands Storm surge and associated sand movement resulted in changes in elevation across portions of the barrier island that separates Mosquito Lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean. Observed storm effects to the physical environment include dune erosion and loss, creation of dune escarpments, elevation loss from erosion and elevation gains from sand accretion. These effects will result in short and long term changes to local and regional hydrology, soil chemistry and ultimately plant community composition on small and large scales within CANA. Characterization of these changes and understanding how these changes will evolve in conjunction with other ongoing natural processes is of interest to CANA managers. Specific topics of interest include the following: a. Creation of detailed elevation profiles of areas affected by storm surge and other hurricane effects. b. Development of updated plant community maps and conducting comparison of pre- and post-storm plant community distribution in affected areas. c. Development of modelling or other predictive tools using remote sensing (LiDAR, satellite imagery, aerial imagery), including techniques that can be readily used by park managers to conduct comparable studies in the future. d. Developing data-based approaches to understanding the relationship of observed hurricane effects with recent and predicted sea level rise projections in the region. 3. Studies of non-native species status and trends in storm impacted areas Wind and storm surge effects appear to have resulted in mixed impacts to existing populations of invasive plant and animal species in CANA. For example, storm effects appear to have resulted in a significant reduction in cover of Brazilian peppertree in areas immediately adjacent to the shoreline, at least in the short term. Openings created by damage and mortality of native plant species and sand deposition have also created potential for invasion or expansion of existing and/or new invasive plant and insect species. Expansion of infestations of opportunistic invasive species such as crowfoot grass have been observed within CANA following the storms but it is unclear if these increases will be short or long lived and if the changes will have a meaningful or measurable effect on plant community recovery and native fauna utilization of the areas. Storm effects are also likely to have impacted existing populations of priority invasive animal species including feral swine and coyote, but it is unclear to what degree these species were affected. Little is understood about the effects of storms on invasive plant and animal species on islands within Mosquito Lagoon. Specific topics of interest include the following: a. Short and long term effects of storms to high priority invasive species that occur in affected areas. b. Species or plant community specific, effective and feasible rapid response recommendations to invasive organisms following current and future, similar storm events. c. Improving understanding of interactive effects of invasive species on native plant and animal populations in the affected areas. The primary objective of this funding program is to supplement the capacity of CANA to assess resource impacts resulting from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole and to develop and implement actionable plans for resource protection from hurricanes.