This and a few other remnant cat-faced pine snags can be found at the west end of the boardwalk in the Boy Scout Trail area at the Big Branch Marsh NWR near LaCombe, Louisiana. The USFWS folks there have a nicely done set of interpretative signs explaining the situation.
Pine snag with cat-face
Apparently either the land surface has subsided here, or the sea level has risen, or some combination of both has occurred. I would suspect that someone has studied the situation as there should be lots of evidence still present. I also suspect that the underlying soils are mostly mineral (i.e., not primarily organic) based on the remnant slash (?) pines previously utilized to gather naval stores, but that could be easily confirmed or refuted by some simple soil auger samples.
Brackish marsh habitat
However, on the off chance that the area has not been studied, the general area would make a great learning laboratory to study and demonstrate the effects of these recent changes.
With all of the emphasis on climate change these days, one should not have too difficult of a time proposing a very interesting study for this site and these circumstances.
Good luck.
.
Cat-faced Pine
This and a few other remnant cat-faced pine snags can be found at the west end of the boardwalk in the Boy Scout Trail area at the Big Branch Marsh NWR near LaCombe, Louisiana. The USFWS folks there have a nicely done set of interpretative signs explaining the situation.
Pine snag with cat-face
Apparently either the land surface has subsided here, or the sea level has risen, or some combination of both has occurred. I would suspect that someone has studied the situation as there should be lots of evidence still present. I also suspect that the underlying soils are mostly mineral (i.e., not primarily organic) based on the remnant slash (?) pines previously utilized to gather naval stores, but that could be easily confirmed or refuted by some simple soil auger samples.
Brackish marsh habitat
However, on the off chance that the area has not been studied, the general area would make a great learning laboratory to study and demonstrate the effects of these recent changes.
With all of the emphasis on climate change these days, one should not have too difficult of a time proposing a very interesting study for this site and these circumstances.
Good luck.