Assessment of Beach Access Paths on Dune Vegetation: Diversity, Abundance, and Cover

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purvis, K.G.; Gramling, J.M., and Murren, C.J., 2015. Assessment of beach access paths on dune vegetation: Diversity, abundance, and cover. Coastal human populations are expanding and affecting plant communities, in particular dune systems. Coastal communities face risks from storm events, while coastal dune systems are heavily affected by human population and recreation pressures. Here, we evaluate the impacts of human disturbance (beach access paths) on vegetative cover and plant diversity in coastal dunes on the Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Transects were created in the foredune, middune, and backdune vegetation communities, and plots were placed 0, 1.5, 5, 10, and 20 m from a path to assess the impacts of three types of paths (public sand paths, private sand paths, and private wooden paths) at these distances on diversity, abundance, and measures of cover. Results indicate that beach access paths reduce biodiversity and density of beach dune vegetation. Sand paths contribute to greater redu...