Miller and Egler Photostations - established August 25, 1947

Photostation No.: 9

Location: Palmer Neck Marsh (second mosquito ditch south of Dike 1 - view looking east)

Images - top (Scylea 1947), middle (Coleman 1976) and bottom (Rozsa 2013).

1947 – The photostation is along a ditch edge on Palmer Neck marsh. Iva frutescens borders the ditch in a belt 2-3 meters in width. Distichlis spicata and Spartina patens intermingle with the Iva frutescens bushes. There is no Spartina alterniflora along the other ditches in the photograph. Occasional clumps of Iva frutescens are observed along the other ditches in the photograph. It is possible that the grass between the ditches is Spartina patens and that the circular depression between the two ditches is a forb panne. (Source: Miller & Egler, 1950)

1976 – The picture was shot at a slightly different angle than in 1948. Bushes of Iva frutescens are scattered along the ditch edge. Spartina alterniflora is the predominant species along the ditch edge, occurring in a belt which averages a meter in width. A stand of Distichlis spicata community, approximately 2 meters wide, extends down the right side of the mosquito ditch to the creek. The yellow green circular patch of vegetation on the left side of the ditch is a stand of Spartina patens/Distichlis spicata community. This circular patch is an extension of a strip averaging 2 meters wide that borders the entire length of the ditch grading into Juncus gerardii community 10 meters from the creek. The grasses in the foreground of the picture , between the ditches , are a mixture of Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Distichlis spicata and forbs. As one approaches the tidal creek, stands of forb become prevalent. Juncus gerardii and Distichlis spicata are dominant along the tidal creek levees. There is an extensive stand of Iva frutescens along the ditch opposite that in photostation 9, on Headquarters marsh. (Source: Coleman 1978)

2013 - In the foreground is a narrow belt of Spartina patens. In the background (forward of the tree line is the main creek that drains impoundment 1 and runs ~ perpendicular to the mosquito ditch. From the belt of S. patens across nearly ½ of this marsh panel is short Spartina alterniflora (SAS) with some Distichlis spicata mixed in. Beyond that is shorter but nearly pure SAS. Near the creek bank is a 2 meter wide band of Spartina patens and Juncus gerardii. At the edge of the creek is tall form Spartina alterniflora. A band of Spartina alterniflora lies on either side of the mosquito ditch - taller than the SAS but shorter than the creekbank Spartina. Pannes are present in foreground. (Source: Rozsa 2013).