Forgotten Landscapes: Using Original Land Surveys to Understand the Historic Distribution of Cane Brakes in Wayne County, MS

<p>This study investigates the historical presence and ecological significance of <em>Arundinaria gigantea (</em>giant cane<em>) </em>in 1810, Wayne County, Mississippi, using original survey documents. These records provide rare quantitative insights into the distribution of cane brakes, revealing that<em> A. gigantea </em>possibly represented up to 44% of the surveyed landscape, likely second only to<em> Pinus palustris</em> (longleaf pine).</p> <p>This research involved digitizing historical surveyors' notes, transcribing them into a structured format, and extracting spatial data for GIS analysis. The methodology developed for this research can be used to ensure the preservation and usability of these historical documents for future research. Results highlight <em>Arundinaria gigantea’s</em> role as a dominant understory species, thriving in various landforms such as swamps, riverbanks, and upland forests.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Mackness, Chad

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Carl A. Reese
• Dr. Kayla Stan
• Dr. Clay Tucker

• Arundinaria gigangtea
• River Cane
• cane brakes
• Public Land Surveys
• Switch Cane
• Geographic Information Sciences
• Geography
• Physical and Environmental Geography

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1128

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2211