Comparison of Pool Characteristics of Granite Outcrops at Clinton Nature Preserve, Douglas County, Georgia

Abstract

Southeastern granite outcrops are a distinctive habitat that support many unique plant species. These outcrops are popular for outdoor recreation which can degrade the habitat and threaten the various endemic flora. During the winter months, rainwater regularly collects in depression pits of granite outcrops. These seasonal pools can serve as habitat for a variety of organisms, including endemic plant species that are found nowhere else. In an effort to understand the species variation between granite outcrop pools, a range of characteristics are being measured. These include water and soil analyses, as well as physical descriptions. We hope these comparisons further our understanding of why endemic plant species such as Gratiola amphiantha and Diamorpha smallii are present in only some of the pools. G. amphiantha is rare, and its populations are extremely isolated. If a population becomes locally extinct, there is little chance of natural reintroduction. G. amphiantha is only present in a single pool at the outcrop and analyzing the differences between its pool and others may aid in our understanding of how to conserve this and other at-risk endemic species.