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allows H. bonariensis to expand into areas of extreme salinity by increasing the root and shoot
biomass in ramets with access to fresh water (Evans 1992). The increased biomass facilitates
transport, as well as storage, of water to the expanding ramets (Evans 1992). The increased
biomass in favorable areas can be contributed to decreased spacing between nodes of the shoot
and increased lateral branching (Cain 1996).
Materials and Methods

Study site: Samples were gathered from Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, North
Carolina, USA. The study site is located approximately 35 km southeast of Wilmington, North
Carolina (33°58’08’’N, 77°55’25’’W) in the Cape Fear region. The site is a single unbroken
barrier island that extends 11 km southward, until it merges with Smith Island complex. This
particular site was chosen due to ease of access and personal knowledge of the site from prior
research.

Two 200 m long transects, approximately 1.5 km apart, were established perpendicular to
the shore and extending from the foredune to shrub zones. To examine the span of ramets,
starting at the foredune, the genet (plant) attached to the first noticeable leaf was excavated.
Shovels, small garden excavators, small shovels and hands were utilized in extraction of
Hydrocotyle bonariensis from the sand substrate. Any breaks on the genet were tied off
immediately at both ends with small, black Goody™ elastic hair ties. Each genet was excavated
in totality. Samples were placed into extra-large resealable plastic bags labelled with
microhabitats spanned. Genets spanning microhabitats were marked with a Sharpie™ where
each new microhabitat growth occurred.

Bags of whole labelled genets were placed on ice in a cooler immediately upon labeling.
Samples were collected from foredune, swale, and shellhash in transect 1 on May 23, 2017.

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