In order to develop an ecologically based maritime forest restoration plan, relationships between current community composition and the soil seed bank were investigated in an abandoned agricultural field on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. An adjacent maritime forest, which was quantified in a previous study, served as the target system.  Relationships were examined in 2004 and again in 2009 to provide a five-year comparison. Our primary objective was to compare previous, current, and potential successional trajectories of an abandoned agricultural field (36 ha) and relate them to the adjacent forest. Seed bank composition and densities were quantified to determine if the seed bank can contribute to natural restoration. Community structure and composition within the abandoned field were quantified using 40 circular plots, 3 m in diameter. Fieldwork was conducted at Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve, a site owned and managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Restoration’s Natural Heritage Division, which is undergoing restoration to provide migratory songbird habitat and preserve rare species and ecological communities.   

Results/Conclusions

In 2004, the field was divided into two habitats: early-successional forest and grassland. In 2009, the field was divided into three habitats: those previously mentioned, and also, a transitional shrubland. Planting of Morella cerifera in the projected maritime shrub section occurred shortly after completion of the initial stage of this study.  Liquidambar styraciflua was the dominant woody species in both habitats in 2004, but was not representative of the traditional maritime forest seral stage dominated by Pinus taeda. While L. styraciflua remained the dominant woody species in 2009 in the early-successional forest, it was not the dominant woody species in the transitional habitat. The transitional site contained significantly more P. taeda than previously observed. In 2004, seed bank composition was largely distinct from the aboveground community, and did not appear to contain seeds useful for restoration. However, in 2009, the seed bank in the transitional site contained significantly more woody species than was previously found in the same location. A five-year comparison of this site showed that the seed bank remained dominated by early-successional woody species; however, the appearance of several bird-dispersed woody species in the seed bank indicated that the site may be developing a successional trajectory.