Cover

CHAPTER IV: WILDLIFE HABITATS FOR MISSISSIPPI’S SGCN,

THREATS AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS^268

Estuarine Research Reserve and on the east end of Deer Island. The pannes are infrequently flooded and
are exposed for long periods. Some pannes are situated on sloping ground but receive sublateral flow
from high marsh zones, evidently a source of additional salts. During periods of exposure moisture is
evaporated and soluble salts build up to lethal levels for most plants in the upper soil horizons. The
community usually supports a few short halophytic plants including saltwort, glasswort, turtleweed,
seepweed, and saltgrass. Where salinity is extremely high the pannes become barren.

LOCATION, SIZE, CONDITION AND CONSERVATION STATUS
NGM

Approximately 400 acres of salt pannes exist within the coastal
estuary in Mississippi. Small patches of a few acres to several
dozen acres are mainly found in the Grand Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve and along the eastern end of Deer Island. The
patches are surrounded by estuarine marsh habitat.

Salt pannes are sparsely vegetated zones that appear to be in good
condition, but their historical character is unknown and therefore it
is not possible to make a comparison of their original condition. They may be less well vegetated than
in the past, and succulent species may be less common today than in the past. General subsidence of the
Grand Bay marshes will eventually change the hydrology of these areas likely allowing additional
flushing of salts. This would enable taller marsh herbs to invade the salt pannes.

Salt pannes are critically imperiled in the state because of extreme rarity. Other factors that may
contribute to further declines in this community are not well understood.

SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED ASSOCIATED WITH
SALT PANNES

GROUP SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME TIER
Birds Laterallus jamaicensis Black Rail 1
Charadrius wilsonia Wilson's Plover 1
Sterna nilotica Gull-Billed Tern 2
Ammodramus maritimus Seaside Sparrow 2
Ammodramus nelsoni Nelson's Sharp-Tailed Sparrow 2
Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron 2
Eudocimus albus White Ibis 2
Sterna antillarum Least Tern 2
Sterna maxima Royal Tern 2
Calidris alpina Dunlin 3
Calidris mauri Western Sandpiper 3
Egretta thula Snowy Egret 3

14.5 Salt PannesRange of Salt Pannes