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Ecosystems at the Kennedy Space Center
Most of KSC is on northern Merritt Island, a barrier island complex with the adjacent Cape Canaveral. KSC occurs within a biogeographical transition zone, having faunal and floral assemblages derived from both temperate Carolinian and tropical/subtropical Caribbean biotic provinces. KSC occurs within a zone of moderate amphibian diversity, high reptilian diversity, low breeding land bird diversity, and low mammalian diversity within the continental U.S.. The diversity of wildlife on KSC is attributable to the variety of upland and wetland habitats, proximity to the coast, and migratory birds.
Topography on KSC is marked by a series of swales and ridges, (which represent relict dunes) ranging in height from sea level to 3 m. A narrow strip of dune and coastal strand occurs adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Surficial deposits are of Pleistocene and recent ages and consist primarily of sand and sandy coquina. Well drained habitats comprise about 2% of all KSC lands. Detailed vegetation maps show scrub and pine flatwoods as the dominant upland communities. Fresh and salt marshes occur adjacent to the estuary and in low areas interspersed in scrub and pine flatwoods. Forests occur on higher areas among marshes and lower areas among scrub and pine flatwoods.
The KSC vegetation communities are broken out as
Community
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Type
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Acreage (approx)
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Scrub & Pine Flatwoods
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Upland
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26,000
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Freshwater Marsh
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Wetland
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19,500
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Impoundments
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Wetland
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10,500
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Broadleaved Woodlands
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Mixed
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10,300
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Salt Marsh
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Wetland
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7,500
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Ruderal
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Mixed
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5,700
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Miscellaneous Disturbed
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Mixed
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4,500
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Spoil and Islands
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Mixed
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2,700
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Lagoon
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N/A
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53,000
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Environmental monitoring objectives on KSC, as administered by the NASA Biomedical Operations and Research Office at KSC, include operation and construction monitoring, long-term ambient monitoring, and ecological research.
Environmental management and permitting are the responsibility of the Environmental Management Office within the NASA Engineering Development Directorate. One of eight overall goals of KSC is to enhance and protect KSC's unique environment (KSC Strategic Plan 1991). The KSC Strategic Plan identifies the need to apply new and existing techniques, processes, and materials to preserve the environment. Initiatives related to wildlife include minimizing effects attributed to new facilities, enhancing workforce awareness, minimizing environmental risks, and enhancing prediction and analysis capability to enhance environmental management.
Last Modified: Mon June 14, 1999
CSR/TSGC Team Web
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