Overview

Attached to this page are .xlsx and .xls files containing a list of 224 plant species known to exist on Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (SPNWR), St. Croix, VI. These species are distributed among 62 different families, representing 41 different orders, representing four classes, and two divisions. The Sandy Point Orchid (Psychilis macconelliae) is listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Virgin Islands Dept. of Planning and Natural Resources, and Vahl's Boxwood (Buxus vahlii) is listed as an endangered species by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Proposed Research

In march 2012 we will collect data to compare the structure of the plant community on the southeast shore of the peninsula (Figure 1) to the northwest shore (Figure 2).

Figure 1. Windward side (southeast shore) of SPNWR.

Figure 2. Leeward side (northwest shore) of SPNWR.

The effects on the growth forms of the plants are obvious from the photos above. Our intent is to quantify differences in growth form, vegetation height, community composition, community structure, etc. This may involve some or all of the following: belt and line transects, quadrants, measuring heights of plants, using a fish-eye lens to determine canopy density, core samples to estimate ages, above ground biomass, and measuring stem cross-sectional area.