REFERENCE 1 | THE COASTAL PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEM

F.E. Smeins, D.D. Diamond, and C.W. Hanselka

The authoritative scientific paper on the Coastal Prairie ecosystem of Texas and Louisiana. Topics include basic geology, characteristic flora and fauna, distribution, and causes of endangerment. A must read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the prairie.
Coastal Praire Ecosystem - F.E. Smeins, D.D. Diamond, and C.W. Hanselka

REFERENCE 2 | COASTAL PRAIRIE RESTORATION INFORMATION SYSTEM
Developed by Larry Allain, U.S. Geological Survey

This database allows users to query and view data about Louisiana coastal prairie species. Less than 0.1% of Louisiana’s coastal prairie vegetation remains in a relatively undisturbed condition. Encompassing as much as 1 million hectares of land, coastal prairie is a hybrid of coastal wetlands and tall grass prairie. Over 550 plant species have been identified in Louisiana’s coastal prairies to date. Efforts to conserve and restore this endangered ecosystem are limited by the ability of workers to identify and access knowledge about this diverse group of plants. In this database, a variety of data are provided for each of 650 coastal prairie species in Louisiana. The database was developed at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center by Larry Allain, with software development by Myra Silva. Additional funding was provided by the biology department of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), the ULL Center for Environmental and Ecological Technology, and the National Science Foundation.