Phragmites australis maps and change, Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana (2011, 2013, 2016)

Publication Date

2018-02-08

Start Date

2011-09-30

End Date

2016-11-05

Dugas, J.L., SooHoo, W.M., Enwright, N.M., and Couvillion, B.R., 2018, Phragmites australis maps and change, Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana (2011, 2013, 2016): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7K936RG.

Coastal wetlands are dynamic ecosystems due to their position at the land-sea interface. Storms, waves, tides, currents, and relative sea-level rise are powerful forces that influence wetland coverage and condition. Coastal wetlands provide numerous valuable ecosystem goods and services including providing fish and wildlife habitat, wave attenuation, reduction in effects of storm surge, carbon sequestration, and recreation. Thus, coastal managers are keenly interested in monitoring the status of coastal wetlands over time. Recently, coastal managers have noted extensive dieback of P. australis in the Mississippi River Delta, particularly between 2015 and 2017. During this same period, coastal managers have also noted evidence of Phragmites scale (also known as Roseau cane mealy bug), an invasive species from Asia, in P. australis in this Mississippi River Delta. Researchers from Louisiana State University have begun to research the scale as it could be one factor contributing to this dieback. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Survey has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to produce detailed of P. australis and other general land cover (non-P. australis land and water) maps for 2011, 2013, and 2016 and assess spatial change in coverage between mapping efforts. This dataset will serve as these valuable snapshots to study recent and future changes of these critical wetlands.

• USGS Data Release Products
• USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center