May to July 2018 ground control points GPS coordinates of tidal marsh and tidal forest plant species to be used as ground control points in habitat mapping.

We collected field data from sites distributed in habitats along the salinity axis of the Altamaha River estuary and the Duplin River to be used as ground control points (GCP) and ground reference data for habitat mapping. GCPs for tidal marsh (salt, brackish, tidal fresh) and tidal fresh forest vegetation species were acquired. A real time kinematic (RTK) GPS survey of GPS coordinates and ground elevations for tidal marsh vegetation was carried out in May of June of 2018. A handheld GPS was used to collect GPS coordinates for tidal forest plant species in July of 2018. A total of 101 GCPs were collected in tidal habitats, with 26 in salt, 28 in brackish and 29 in tidal fresh marsh, and another 18 in tidal fresh forest. These observations will be used to create habitat maps from aerial photographs of the Altamaha River estuary, GA taken following Hurricane Irma to better understand how the storm surge affected tidal vegetation and to examine any shifts in vegetation type.