The interactions of the physical and biotic components on a reclaimed coastal foredune

Abstract

Foredunes are generally shore-parallel, convex, vegetated ridges separated by concave swales, formed by aeolian deposition within vegetation. Coastal foredunes consist of two or three distinct geomorpho-floristic zones. The floristic gradient resulting from a regression analysis was correlated with the amount and frequency of sand movement occurring on the site. The gradient represents the transition from the more mobile parts of the dunes to the more stable ones. The latter can be interpreted as a progressive stabilization during which sand movement decreases. The amount of rodents captured was correlated to aerial vegetation cover and indirectly to sand movement. The occurrence of rodents and the number of arthropod organisms were found to be related.