Abstract
Sand dune species were analyzed across two areas included in the “Roman Coastal State Nature Reserve” (Italy): Ostia (O) and Marina di Palidoro (P). Significant variations in species distribution, dry mass and size over the gradient from the water-edge toward the inland between O and P were observed. Species colonize O, on an average, at 79 m from the water-edge extended along the gradient toward the inland over a length of 26 m. PD is 40.8 ± 9.9 plants.m-2. Ononis variegata and Elymus farctus have the highest PD (15.4 ± 1.3 plants.m-2), followed by Silene colorata and Sporobulus pungens (4.3 ± 3.9 plants.m-2), by Cakile maritima, Echinophora spinosa, Eryngium maritimum, Ammophila arenaria, Anthemis maritima, Cyperus capitatus, Medicago marina and Calystegia soldanella (.m-2), with C. soldanella having the lowest PD (0.02 plants.m-2). On an average, in P, the species colonize the dune at 17 m from the water-edge for a length of 46 m toward the inland, PD is on an average 21.5 ± 16.1 plants.m-2. S. pungens, E. farctus and O. variegata have the highest PD (6.0 ± <span style="fon
Highlights
Some critical factors affect the survival and distribution of coastal sand dune species which grow on a physiologically dried substrate characterised by a low mineral content [1,2,3,4]
The presence of the most important autoctonous sand dune species can provide information for restoring the perturbed dune areas when preparing management strategies considering that the maintenance of coastal areas depends on the maintenance of native species
The third community which contributed to dune consolidation was characterized by A. arenaria, E. spinosa, O. variegata, E. maritimum and M. marina and the inner community by Cr. maritima and P. maritimum, followed by the Mediterranean maquis [9,35]
Summary
Some critical factors affect the survival and distribution of coastal sand dune species which grow on a physiologically dried substrate characterised by a low mineral content [1,2,3,4]. A factor which contributes to select dune species is the climatic effect on sand movements [5,6] such as wind-speed entrainment thresholds for sand particles and salt burial [7,8]. Morphological and physiological plant adaptations are important especially on fore-dunes [10,11,12] where few species are capable of withstanding the stress factors imposed by limited environmental resources and recurrent disturbance. On older dunes, where salt spray, nutrient and water are no longer exclusive limiting factors, competition for space and light may affect species richness [13,14,15]. Plant species presence is related to organic matter which varies from water-edge toward the inland [11,13]
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