Long Island Geography, the Grandifolia Sand Hills and Dwarf Beech Trees of Long Island - Assignment Example

Long Island Geography, the Grandifolia Sand Hills and Dwarf Beech Trees of Long Island Long Island lies in the South Eastern side of New York and itforms a part of the outer lands region. It extends 118 miles east northeast from the mouth of Hudson River. It is between 12-20 miles wide and has an area of 1,041 square miles. The web encyclopedia describes its Eastern end divided into narrow peninsulas; the northern peninsula is about 25 miles long and culminates in Orient Point, and the Southern Peninsula is about 40 miles long and ends in Montauk Point. Long Island’s southern shore, fronting the Atlantic, is lined with an almost continuous series of sandbars and sandpits that form several embayments including Jamaica and Great South Bays. This ribbon of sand widens at certain points to form little islands of which several became popular bathing beaches. The encyclopedia further states that, climatic conditions of Long Island are said to be similar to the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States with warm and humid summers and cool wet winters. However, to be more distinctive, Eastern and Western Long Island have varying temperatures. It is said that the Western region of Long Island-Nassau County is warmer than the Eastern region of the island called Suffolk County. The reason for this lies in the location and the development of the areas. Nassau County is closer to the mainland and more developed in contrast with Suffolk County which is less developed and cooler due to the moderation of the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound. The formation of the island has made room for arguments by Geologists, as they still find it puzzling. The island is also said to have been sporadically researched. Some Geologists did conclude that the island was made up of two spines of glacial moraine with a large sandy outwash plain. The moraines consist of gravels and loose rock left behind thousands of years ago. The Moraine to the North of Long Island is called harbor Hill whilst the other on the Southern end, often referred by geologists as the backbone of Long Island is called Ronkonkoma which also gave birth to Lake Ronkonkoma- a kettle lake. It is referred as the backbone because it runs through the very center of the island. The glaciers melted and moved further to the North and thus creating North and South Shore Beach. The difference between the two is; North Shore Beach is rocky from the remaining glacial debris and South Shore Beach is crisp and clear with outwash sand. Blessed with four counties; Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Brooklyn, it is divided from the Sate by the East River, which is actually a tidal strait and not a river and from Connecticut by the ‘Long Island Sound’. A ‘sound’ in may be geographically described as a large sea or ocean inlet, larger than a bay, deeper than a bight, wider than a fjord, or it may identify a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land, according to an article published on wordIQ.com Long Island is a rather rare and unique island known for more than just beauty. A special Issue of the Long Island Botanical Society Newsletter (vol. 8 no. 3) referred to one of the islands rare beauty as the Grandifolia Sandhills. It is a unique and natural area of shrubs known to botanists, naturalists and Geologists for over a hundred years and is often referred to as a biogeographic region, constantly being modified by dynamic coastal forces. The formation of the Sandhills is due to the large deposits of sand on the island called dunes. A dune is a hill of sand built by aelion processes and occurs in different sizes, formed by interaction with the winds. The Long Island Sound Bluffs along the Northern edge of the Grandifolia Sandhills were eroded by undercutting maritime waters that caused landslides, diminishing vegetation and exposing both dune sands and glacial subsoils to being transported by coastal winds. It was also stated in the said newsletter that the maritime winds have for centuries blown large quantities of sand from these exposed and ever naturally receding bluffs to the above uplands. The winds blow and move the sands forming the great coastal dunes that dominate the Grandifolia Sandhills landscape. The Grandifolia Sandhills were located along the North Shore of Eastern Long Island in Basting Hollow. The front southern edge of the hills displayed a lobate shape, convex to the side, south southeast with their steep 10-15m relief stabilized by vegetation (Davis, Dan M., Klein Elliot C., Winslow III Francis D., and E. Holt William). It was also estimated that the formation of the Grandifolia started approximately 18 000 years before present. Popular amongst the trees were the Fagus Grandifolia- the scientific name for American beech trees for which the hills bore the name and thus was responsible for most of the greenery. The Grandifolia Sandhills was named by Frederick C. Schlauch in 1977. Schlauch was a Geologist who was responsible for some of the region’s research. An article collated by Davey C, described the American Beech as a tall and wide tree. The mature tree size is anywhere from 90 to 100 feet and spreads 50 to 70 feet wide. The growth buds have a yellow tinge, looking like a bullet. The leaves are bright green and are about three inches in length. They start wide, and then get smaller and smaller until they come to a point. The leaves have distinct, strong veins and toothed edges. The American Beech does not strive in city life, maybe because of the high levels of carbon monoxide. Unusual to everyone, the Beech trees adapted to the soil, temperature and moisture on Long island. However, a combination of these three caused the American Beech to grow dwarfed and stunted in size and growing sideways rather than up, earning it the name ‘Maritime Dwarf Beech Forest’. The particular geographic location of the forest also had it exposed to salt spray, sand blow-up and winter ice according to Laura Lamont, Naturalist writer. The Long Island Quarterly Newsletter (vol. 8, no. 3) special issue stated that there were at least five unique but interrelated plant communities growing on the Grandifolia Sandhills. The first one the Maritime Dwarf Beech Forest was described above. Then there was the Coastal Beech Forest. This plant community located on the sand dunes was found nowhere else other than New York. They were found throughout the protected depressions of the indulating Duneland south of the bluffs. Surprising to Botanists were the discoveries of two cool climate trees; Sugar Maple and a grove of Canada Hemlock. The Sugar Maple grew wild among the Beech trees. It was first reported in the late 1800’s in Basting Hollow by Elihu S Miller, co-author of the only published flora of Suffolk County, whilst the discovery of the Canada Hemlock is owed to Roy Latham. Next up was the Maritime Dunes. It was reported that this plant population occurred on active sand dunes that reflected past disturbances resulting in sand movement. Large areas of this community were present at the Friars Head Blowout and DeFriest Blowout and covered only (10%) making way for bare sand at (89%) and litter at (1%). Next up was the Pitch Pine Oak Duneland. This plant community in contrast with the Maritime Dunes occurred on recently stabilized sand dunes. Some of the dunelands associated with the blowouts were dominated by an unusual growth form of pitch pine in which the lower branches surrounding the upright trunk grew out horizontally over the sand like a blanket. Black Oak and Wild Cherry were also found amongst them. Lastly, we had the Maritime Shrubland. This one occurred on seaside bluffs and dunelands that were exposed to offshore winds and salt spray. This community was found on the island and at Montauk Moorlands. The plant community was dominated by black huckleberry, bayberry, beach plum and lowbush blueberry. The forest was one of New York’s rarest sanctuaries. The article written by Laura Lamont, published by Long Island Botanical Society cited Roy Latham as the regions premier naturalist who stated that the region is a significant migratory pathway for Neotropical birds. Probably not recognized by many, the geography and Grandifolia Hills of Long Island play an important role in the ecosystem. The Bitterroot Restoration website described ecosystems as dynamic interactions between plants, animals and microorganisms and their environment working together as a functional unit. They have no particular size and are a combination of living and non-living things. Each organism has its role to play. The most important points of an ecosystem include; soil, atmosphere, heat and light from the sun, water and living organisms. All these combined help to yield renewable and non-renewable resources. The geomorphologic formation of Long Island allows for it to produce renewable resources. Renewable resources refer to resources which may be used and reused or once used can be restored or regrown in a reasonable period of time. An example of such a resource on the island would be the millions of gallons of water pumped from underground water reserves. The water is held in aquifers and supplies enough for the resident population. This is possible through the series of sand and gravel aquifers on the island, which can hold transmit and yield water in usable quantities. On the other hand, the Grandifolia Sandhills does the same thing in its own unique way. As a forest, it helps to regulate water supplies/rainfall. The forested area releases significant amount of moisture into the atmosphere through the process of precipitation, the moisture laden air then rises, making way for condensation to take place and precipitation results. If it were not for the Grandifolia Hills, rainfall would have been significantly decreased. Grandifolia Sandhills also help to prevent soil erosion and flooding of low-lying areas. Vegetation protects the soil in a variety of ways. Firstly, the leaves and branches of the trees break the force of the rain reducing its capability to break up the soil. Secondly, roots facilitate rain water to soak into the soil. As water percolates underground, there is a reduction in run-off so soil erosion is prevented. Finally, roots bind the soil and prevent it from being washed away. In addition, the Fagus Grandifolia (American Beech) provides lumbering to sustain the furniture industry. It produces a lot of paper. It also produces berries, which animals feed on, and people harvest for sale. Forests also act as carbon sinks, according to Steve Nix, an About.com contributor. In the process of making its food, the trees lock away the carbon dioxide, which is a contributing factor to global warming in its wood, roots and leaves. While forests still stand, people don’t have to worry much about significant amounts of greenhouse gas being emitted from that area. Sadly, the destruction of the Grandifolia Sandhills forest came faster than its formation, despite its rare attribuutes. Dozens of environmental groups kept closely on their toes and monitored a proposal plan to destroy and so called ‘develop’ the Grandifolia Sandhills in Long Island. On this day in History, December 15, 1998, Riverhead Town Board was presented with a 1000+ page Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) by Ron Abrams of Dru Associates of Glen Cove. The DEIS, stated that no environmental harm will come from the development of the proposed 36-hole golf course and hotel complex. Abrams went further to state that there is nothing special, rare or unique about the forest. The developers then went and hired their own consultants to study the area. The consultants confirmed that they found no nesting humming birds neither any rare plants. Contrary to his arguments, Eric Lamont, a Naturalist writer for Long Island Botanical Society confidently stated in his newsletter that the area provided suitable habitat for several plant species previously collected there. According to him The New York National Heritage Program reported seventeen (17) rare plant species discovered on the Grandifolia Sandhills, of which eleven were not observed since the late 1800’s. White Milk Weed, Silvery Aster, Heath Aster, Flax-leaf Aster, Dittany, small white snakeroot, round-leaf boneset, downy milk pea, purple everlasting, slender pinweed and New England Blazing star are only a selected few of the seventeen rare species. The destruction of such a forest will result in a reduction in biodiversity levels of the island. Biodiversity may be defined as the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur. In other words, the term encompasses topics such as; ecosystems, species, genes and their relative abundance as defined by CA.gov. Biodiversity is important as it provides invaluable ecological services; such as water purification, climate regulation and the generation of moisture and oxygen. It is for this reason why we should PROTECT and CONSERVE our ecosystems. Vegetation/Forestry plays a crucial role in the hydrologic cycle as well. Constant urges from Dr. Paul Adams, professor of Biology, that the Riverhead bluffs be accorded outstanding natural coastal area status because of imminent threats to the Sandhills. His plea fell on deaf ears and the Beech Forest was bulldozed in February 2000. Environmentalists including Long Island Botanical Society’s representatives (LIBS) fought feverishly for the preservation of the Sandhills. As mentioned before, the forest played an important role in the ecosystem, which is beneficial to our well being and there is a strong need to preserve them. Evidently, Environmentalists are disappointed and outraged at the destruction of the Beech Forest. At the same time, some hundreds of Golfers are fulfilling their passion on the area which was once richly forested and now known to the public as the Traditional Links Golf Club. What environmental hazards does this development pose to the public, the island and the ecosystem on a whole? Though assured by the developers, that the development posed no threats, the ecosystem of Long Island lost a major contributor. Rare specimens and plants have now become extinct based on the lack of knowledge or selfishness about the matter by who officials proposed the destruction. Works Cited C. Davey, American Beech, 2001, retrieved November 14, 2010 from: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/american_beech.htm Davis, Dan M., Klein Elliot C., Winslow III, Francis D., and E. Holt William (n.d.) retrieved November 14, 2010 from: http://web.me.com/danmdavis/Lab/some_other_papers_files/PleistDunes.pdf Case Studies of the Sound, (n.d.) retrieved November 15, 2010 from: http://ny.audubon.org/lts/page8-11.pdf Definition of Ecosystems, (n.d), retrieved November 14, 2010, from: http://www.bitterrootrestoration.com/ecosystems/definition-of-ecosystems.html Importance of Biodiversity, (n.d), retrieved November 15, 2010, from: http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/2.About%20Biodiversity/importance.html Lamont, Eric, Grandifolia Sandhills; one of Long Island’s greatest wonder, Newsletter, (vol. 8. No. 3), 1998, retrieved November 14, 2010 from: http://libotanical.org/newsletters/0803.pdf Lamont, Laura, Maritime Beech Forest, Newsletter, (vol. 4 no. 5) 1994 Retrieved November 12, 2010 from: http://www.libotanical.org/newsletters/0405.pdf Long Island Geography, (n.d.) retrieved November 15, 2010 From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Long_Island "Long Island." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Retrieved November 14, 2010, from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/347278/Long-Island Scientific Definition of Biodiversity, (n.d), retrieved November 14, 2010, from: http://biodiversity.ca.gov/Biodiversity/biodiv_def2.html The ABCs of how Nature save the Nation, (n.d.) retrieved November 13, 2010 from: https://www.soils.org/files/science-policy/ecosystems.pdf Read More