Background
Coastal sandplain grasslands, also referred to as maritime grasslands, New England sandplain grasslands, or terrestrial medium tall graminoid vegetation, are low-lying habitats that are dominated by grasses, and occur throughout much of coastal New England. This habitat has been shaped over time by a unique glacial history, maritime climate, and periodic disturbances such as fire and salt spray ^7,13. Soils in this habitat are comprised of sandy loam, typically nutrient poor and well-drained ¹³. Common grasses include little blue stem, hairgrass, Pennsylvania sedge, and poverty grass ^5,11. Sandplain grasslands host a number of uncommon plants and animals, such as bushy rockrose and short-eared owls ^2,6.

Sandplain grassland habitat increased in extent with the clearing of pitch pine-oak forests during European settlement, which began in the early 1600s, and by 1850, nearly half of coastal Massachusetts sandplain habitat was converted to agriculture ^6,9. Soil alterations from farming stimulate growth of non-native shrubs and threaten the re-establishment of native plant species ^4,10. Sandplain grasslands border heathland and shrubland habitats, which are found further inland and at higher elevations, but are often intermixed with grasslands ¹¹.

Pre-colonial sandplain grasslands were naturally maintained through salt, wind, and fire exposure ^7,13; today, they are further maintained by prescribed burns and mowing ¹², although these activities may be decreasing ⁴. Fires were historically prevalent in coastal New England sandplains, and were known to be used by Native Americans, which likely contributed to the maintenance and expansion of coastal grasslands ⁹. Coastal sandplain grasslands are currently listed as “Critically Imperiled” by the state of Massachusetts ¹¹. Additionally, Massachusetts has identified 71 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) that occur in grassland habitats ⁸.

Climate Impacts
Rising sea levels will likely impact coastal plain grasslands. Salt water intrusion and increasing storm surge may inundate coastal grasslands and disrupt native vegetation. On the other hand, this habitat has the ability to adapt by migrating inland, as long as it can continue to be maintained by salt spray, wind, and fire exposure, and is not outpaced by the rate of sea level rise ^1,7,13. The importance of fire in these ecosystems may have declined as a result of wetter climate conditions due to increasing precipitation ¹². Future changes in precipitation will effect the relative survival of native and non-native grasses, which will create both challenges and opportunities for adaptive management ³. Additional stressors such as development, agricultural runoff, and invasive species will also compound the effects of warming temperatures, increasing precipitation, and rising sea level.