DISJUNCT ATLANTIC COASTAL-PLAIN SPECIES IN NOVA-SCOTIA - DISTRIBUTION, HABITAT AND CONSERVATION PRIORITIES

Nova Scotia supports some of the rarest Atlantic coastal plain plant s pecies in Canada. Concentrations of these species are found in two reg ions; the Tusket and the Medway River system. Much is known about the distribution and habitat of coastal plain plants in the Tusket system, so our objective was to document the distribution, abundance and habi tat of three species from along lakeshores in the Medway system. Lachn anthes caroliana is restricted to one lake, while large populations of Lophiola aurea and Scirpus longii were found in several locations. Si tes that supported either of these three species were prioritized for protection based on the population sizes of these species and the stat us and number of other rare plants. All three species typically co-occ urred with other rare plants, isoetids, carnivorous species, and Cladi um mariscoides. The species were most abundant on windward cobble and peat shorelines similar to the infertile lakeshores which support size able coastal plain populations in the Tusket system. Similarities in t he habitat of both the Medway and the Tusket regions suggest that cons erving these species will require the preservation of their habitat.