Sandy Coastal Environments Research Articles

Accuracy assessment of global DEMs for the mapping of coastal flooding on a low-lying sandy environment: Cassino Beach, Brazil

Projected sea level rise in the 21st century, driven by climate change, threatens low-lying coastal areas with the risk of persistent flooding. Accurately estimating flooding extent and depth is crucial to implementing effective coastal management, with digital elevation models (DEMs) playing a pivotal role. Intrinsic inaccuracies of DEMs might lead to uncertainty in the flooding projections due to SLR scenarios, which are problematic for decision-makers. This work assessed the accuracy of five global digital elevation models for coastal flooding mapping on a low-lying sandy coastal environment in the south of Brazil (Cassino Beach). Five global DEMs were assessed, namely ALOS-AW3D30, ALOS-PALSAR, ASTER, SRTM, and TanDEM-X, and a high-resolution digital elevation model (created using local aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery) was used as a benchmark. A morphometric comparison was conducted between the five global DEMs and the high-resolution local DEMs. Several statistical metrics were calculated, including the root mean squared error, correlation coefficient, and bias.Additionally, flood depths and extent were computed for different scenarios of sea level rise, and comparisons between the different DEMs were quantified. Results show that among the DEMs evaluated, TanDEM-X DEM achieved the highest correlation with the UAV DEM elevation in the beach and dune region, presenting R² equal to 0.56 and RMSE equal to 0.88 m. On the other hand, the ALOS-AW3D30, ALOS-PALSAR, ASTER, and SRTM DEMs presented low correlation and RMSE values above 2.49 m. The analysis of coastal flooding extension and depths confirms that the TanDEM-X DEM exhibited the highest similarity with the UAV DEM across various sea level scenarios, and it was the only global DEM analyzed capable of capturing dune depressions and roads, which serve as primary pathways for flooding in the type of coastal region under consideration.

Detecting changes in seafloor elevation in sandy coastal environments using low-cost opensource tooling

Knowledge of sediment erosion and deposition can be useful for a variety of engineering, marine science, and environmental applications, but collecting detailed time-series measurements of the sediment–water interface can be challenging, particularly in coastal marine environments. We developed economical and open-source sediment level loggers to record sediment–water interface time-series data with accuracy up to 1 cm. The logger is composed of a programmable Circuit-Python (or Arduino) microcontroller and “breakout boards” that attach to a specially designed printed circuit board (PCB) and an array of evenly spaced photoresistors enclosed in a robust waterproof housing. These instruments were paired with temperature sensors in a study off the coast of Charleston, SC in the South Atlantic Bight where heat was used as a tracer to detect the flow of porewater in the permeable coastal sediments. This approach requires accurate knowledge of the depth of temperature sensors relative to the sediment–water interface. In this application, improved knowledge of the elevation of the sediment–water interface elevation data from the sediment level loggers reduced average root mean squared errors in modeling submarine groundwater discharge by as much as 25 %. The sediment level loggers can be easily installed, withstand long deployment times, and provide long-term recording abilities suitable for a range of environments.

Shallow Coastal Carbonate Sediment Mapping for Biomimetics MICP, Case Study of Indonesia Beachrock, Yogyakarta

The nomenclature for beachrock sedimentary has been in scientific discussions prior to the notable methodology of sustainable cementitious binding material based on microbially induced calcium carbonate (MICP). Typically, coastal erosion mitigation involves modifying surface conditions using materials like concrete, among other materials. This study aims to challenge the conventional practice by evaluating the feasibility of expeditiously constructing artificial beachrock utilizing natural components (e.g., microbes, sand, shells, coral fragments, seaweed, etc.) and propose it as an innovative coastal protection strategy. The primary focus of this research is to characterize the Java South coast, specifically Parangtritis Beach and Krakal-Sadranan Beach, where beachrock formations are present. Subsequent investigations were conducted to (i) identify occurrences of beachrock deposits in Krakal-Sadranan, Yogyakarta, and (ii) develop cementation method based on ureolytic bacteria derived from naturally formed beachrock as an alternative technique for stabilizing sandy coastal environments. The experiment employed bacteria isolated from the Yogyakarta coast (Pseudoalteromonas tetradonis). The outcomes revealed that the sample treated with a gradually injected cementation solution achieved an approximate strength of 10 MPa after a 14-day treatment.

COASTAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE FRENCH MEDITERRANEAN COASTS TO STORMS FLOODING AND EROSION PHENOMENA, AND MORPHODYNAMIC MODELING UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS

Storm events on sandy coastal environments already weakened by a sediment deficit can generate a strong erosion of the beach-dune system, accentuating the phenomena of marine flooding and damage to infrastructures. In order to assess this risk of coastal flooding under stormy conditions and taking into account climate change and the new IPCC projection (IPCC, 2021), modeling approaches nowadays provide a robust tool. In this study, a modeling chain is used to simulate present-day and future coastal hazards on the Mediterranean French coastline, taking into account the complex interaction of hydrodynamic and morphodynamic phenomena. In order to build a regional strategy for the evaluation of the coastal hazards under storm events, a methodology is proposed to evaluate the reality of a potential increase of coastal flooding following dune/beach erosion and to identify the concerned coastal regions for prioritizing regional coastal zone management actions.

A summary of reptile and anuran amphibian species from Brazilian sandy coastal plains: 31 years of sampling efforts of the "Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro".

Although currently there is already a set of studies regarding ecological aspects of some particular reptile and amphibian species living in Brazilian sandy coastal plains (including the so-called "restinga" and "campo nativo" habitats), there is comparatively few information on the species composition usually associated to these environments. During 31 years (1988-2019) of herpetological studies carried out in sandy coastal plains environments by our research team of the Laboratory of Vertebrate Ecology (Department of Ecology, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, in Rio de Janeiro Brazil) we have surveyed reptile and amphibian communities and performed different studies with similar methods in 70 sites from 10 different states along the Brazilian coast. Our surveys resulted in records of 87 species of reptile (five turtles, two crocodylians, six amphisbaenians, 36 lizards and 39 snakes) from 24 families, and 77 species of anuran amphibians from nine families. We have studied multiple natural history topics for anurans and reptiles which resulted in the publication of some specific ecological studies, especially regarding some species, encompassing population and community ecology, foraging and feeding habits, species activity, thermoregulation, reproduction, use of microhabitats, and parasitism by ecto and endoparasites. Our results along these three decades have also contributed for the description of four new lizard species (Ameivula nativo, Glaucomastix littoralis, G. abaetensis and G. itabaianensis). Our studies constitute an important contribution to the knowledge of the ecology of anuran amphibians and reptiles in these ecosystems, as well as to the conservation of sandy coastal plains environment. The checklist presented in this study, based on our records of sandy coastal plains herpetofauna, provides for many localities along the Brazilian coast, the needed knowledge on species occurrence, including the presence of endemic and/or endangered species, which can be of value for many conservation actions.

Eat on the beach: diet composition of an endemic miniature frog from sandy coastal environments of southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Diet is one of the most important dimensions of the ecological niche. Pseudopaludicola genus comprises 25 species of which four have their diet studied. In this study, we quantify the diet of the recently described Pseudopaludicola restinga, which is found in sandy coastal environments of southeastern Brazil. We obtained a sample of 137 individuals from Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba from which 97 were used in analyses of diet composition. We registered 136 prey items distributed in 10 prey categories. Only arthropods were consumed. Insects were the most common food items. Hymenoptera was the most important item in terms of prey frequency, number, and index of relative importance. The variety of prey categories suggests that P. restinga is an opportunistic predator. In comparison with dietary information available for other four Pseudopaludicola species, P. restinga has intermediate values of the number of prey items, niche breadth, and importance index. This study is the first to document aspects of the natural history of P. restinga and to compare it with data available for congeners. Data brought here provide a better understanding of life history aspects of P. restinga. These information hence could guide development of effective conservation strategies for this poorly known species.

Frog communities from five remnants of sandy coastal plains in Espírito Santo state, southeastern Brazil

Restingas are sandy coastal plains environments belonging to the atlantic forest biome. This ecosystem holds considerable amount of the anuran biodiversity of Brazil. However, there are still important remnants not yet sampled in its entirety (studies of anuran communities). In this study, we inventory and compared the richness and abundance of anuran species occurring in five restinga remnants along the southeastern coast of Espirito Santo state. We sampled amphibians at each site over a three-year period (2012, 2013 and 2014), during both rainy and dry seasons. We used Whittaker plots to analyze the observed pattern of species abundance. We recorded 3.376 anurans belonging to 32 frog species, two of these endemic of restinga ecosystem. This study fills an important geographic gap in terms of knowledge of frog communities’ richness and abundance along Brazilian coast.

Diet of bromeliad-frog Phyllodytes luteolus (Anura, Hylidae) in Atlantic Forest environments: what have the frogs been eating outside sandy coastal plains?

Knowledge about the diet of anurans in different environments is essential to understanding important aspects of their trophic ecology. The bromeliad-frog Phyllodytes luteolus inhabits tank bromeliads in sandy coastal plains and lowland forests on the mainland, as well as a continental island in southeastern Brazil. In this work, we describe and analyze the diet of P. luteolus in three environments. We obtained the consumed prey items of 92 frogs (32 from sandy coastal plain, 32 from lowland forest and 28 from the island) via a stomach-flushing procedure. We found some variations in consumed prey composition and prey volume across populations, but ants represented the most important consumed prey in all environments. Only ants had a relative importance greater than 50%, which may suggest a specialized diet that transcends the sandy coastal plain environment.

Amphibians of the Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, a sandy coastal environment in southeastern Brazil

Abstract: We provide an inventory checklist of the amphibians from Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (PNRJ), a sandy coastal environment in southeastern Brazil. As a result of three years of surveys, from August 2013 to June 2016, a total of 36 amphibians species were recorded - one Gymnophiona (Typhlonectidae) and 35 species of five anuran families: Bufonidae (2 species), Craugastoridae (1), Hylidae (21), Leptodactylidae (8), and Microhylidae (3). One specie is reported for the first time for the restinga ecosystem (Chthonerpeton braestrupi) and 24 species were recorded for the first time to the PNRJ. This result reinforces the importance of long-term studies for accurate knowledge of the biodiversity. Considering that the biodiversity of the fragments of the sandy coastal environments in the state of Rio de Janeiro is poorly known, the present study provided a more detailed knowledge about different aspects of the biodiversity in the PNRJ, contributing to the preservation of this threatened ecosystem.

Interstitial Space and Trapped Sediment Drive Benthic Communities in Artificial Shell and Rock Reefs

Enhancing habitat complexity and thereby biodiversity is a main motivation for the creation of artificial reefs in the marine and coastal environment. Uncertainty remains, however, regarding which types of reef best deliver this aim, and how material properties impact faunal communities. The objective of this study was to assess the macrobenthic infauna in standardised reef-units made from different types of shell and rock and to quantify factors explaining community properties. 70x75x25cm reef-units were made from cockle, mussel and oyster shells and rocks. Replicate units were placed on an intertidal sand flat of Swansea Bay (Wales, UK). After five months the benthic fauna was washed out of the reef-units and identified to species level. The volume of reef material, interstitial space and trapped sediment in each unit was quantified. A total of 45 invertebrate species were recorded in artificial reef-units compared with 12 species in the reef-free surrounding sands; 37 species were exclusively found in reefs. There was no significant difference between the infauna communities in different reef types in terms of univariate or multivariate diversity descriptors, but multivariate dispersion was lower among rock than shell-reef replicates. Distance-based linear models (DistLM) showed that the volume of interstitial space per reef-unit was the factor best explaining community structure, followed by properties of the trapped sediment. Species richness was significantly correlated with the volume of interstitial space and trapped sediment. Species seemed to use the reef-units fleetingly as shelter during low water, more permanently for protection, or as hunting ground for prey. The study demonstrated that artificial reef-units made of loose shell material and rocks can significantly enhance infauna diversity in sandy coastal environments. The identity of the material seems less relevant as long as it maximises interstitial space and allows trapping of sediment. This provides practitioners with a degree of creative freedom when designing artificial reefs with the aim to enhance infauna diversity.

UAVS TO ASSESS THE EVOLUTION OF EMBRYO DUNES

Abstract. The balance of a coastal environment is particularly complex: the continuous formation of dunes, their destruction as a result of violent storms, the growth of vegetation and the consequent growth of the dunes themselves are phenomena that significantly affect this balance. This work presents an approach to the long-term monitoring of a complex dune system by means of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Four different surveys were carried out between November 2015 and November 2016. Aerial photogrammetric data were acquired during flights by a DJI Phantom 2 and a DJI Phantom 3 with cameras in a nadiral arrangement. GNSS receivers in Network Real Time Kinematic (NRTK) mode were used to frame models in the European Terrestrial Reference System. Processing of the captured images consisted in reconstruction of a three-dimensional model using the principles of Structure from Motion (SfM). Particular care was necessary due to the vegetation: filtering of the dense cloud, mainly based on slope detection, was performed to minimize this issue. Final products of the SfM approach were represented by Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of the sandy coastal environment. Each model was validated by comparison through specially surveyed points. Other analyses were also performed, such as cross sections and computing elevation variations over time. The use of digital photogrammetry by UAVs is particularly reliable: fast acquisition of the images, reconstruction of high-density point clouds, high resolution of final elevation models, as well as flexibility, low cost and accuracy comparable with other available techniques.

Allagoptera arenaria (Arecaceae): Leaf anatomy of a palm from the Brazilian shore

Allagoptera arenaria (Arecaceae), commonly known as “guriri,” is a palm that occurs only along the sandy coastal environments of Brazil. This work carries out a thorough analysis of A. arenaria leaf anatomy, including histochemistry and micromorphology, with special emphasis on leaf epicuticular waxes. Several common features of palms were identified, as well as characters not yet reported for the family or the species. Allagoptera arenaria pinnae possess a one-layered epidermis, hypodermis with two adaxial layers and one abaxial layer, homogeneous mesophyll composed of palisade cells, three different types of collateral veins, a prominent adaxial midrib, and silica inclusions. Although both margins of A. arenaria pinnae have a similar appearance, the shape of the leaf margins can vary. Scales or ramenta were found on the abaxial surface of the midrib on the median and basal portions of the pinnae. Histochemical analysis revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, lignin, and neutral and acidic lipids. The most distinctive character of A. arenaria pinnae is the presence of a thick layer of epicuticular waxes covering both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces. These results suggest the potential for exploiting A. arenaria as an alternative source of industrial waxes.

Melastomataceae em formações costeiras de restingas no Pará, Brasil

Restingas são ambientes constituídos de um complexo de comunidades de plantas ocorrendo sobre planícies arenosas costeiras quaternárias de influência marinha. A Amazônia brasileira é o segundo bioma de maior riqueza de Melastomataceae no país, o qual está representado por 47 gêneros e 487 espécies. O presente trabalho objetivou conhecer a diversidade de Melastomataceae nas diferentes formações vegetacionais que compõem a paisagem das restingas no Pará. Foi realizado levantamento de coleções herborizadas nos herbários IAN (Herbário da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisas Agropecuárias) e MG (Herbário do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi), e coletas nos municípios de Bragança, Maracanã e Marapanim. Apresenta-se o tratamento taxonômico com descrições, ilustrações, dados de distribuição geográfica, chave de identificação para as espécies e comentários sobre particularidades morfológicas. A família está representada por 10 espécies nas restingas do Pará, a conhecer: Acisanthera bivalvis, A. crassipes, Comolia villosa, Miconia alata, Mouriri brachyantera, M. guianensis, Nepsera aquatica, Pterolepis trichotoma, Rhynchanthera serrulata e Tibouchina aspera. Tais espécies ocorrem pricipalmente em Brejos Herbáceos, Campos entre Dunas, Dunas, Campos Arbustivos Abertos e Matas de Restinga. Miconia alata representa um novo registro para o ambiente de restinga no Pará. As restingas dos municípios de Maracanã e Marapanim concentram 80% das espécies estudadas. Através deste trabalho foi possível reconhecer que nenhuma delas pode ser caracterizada como exclusiva, pois todas são encontradas em outros ecossistemas ou formações vegetacionais do país.

A multi-scale hybrid long-term morphodynamic model for wave-dominated coasts

Process-based modules based on conservative equations to solve the transport of waves, currents and sub-aqueous sediment, and behavior-oriented modules based on empirical descriptions of cliff erosion, bed-load and terrestrial aeolian sand transport are coupled with up-scaling measures and stability-maintaining approaches in a parallel code to simulate decadal-to millennial-scale morphological evolution of wave-dominated coasts. An application to the southern Baltic Sea for a hindcast of Holocene morphogenesis of the Darss–Zingst peninsula demonstrates the robustness of the model. The model is then used to investigate the morphogenesis and evolution of spits in an idealized fetch-limited sandy coastal environment. Evolution of the spit system can be categorized into three periods according to the simulation results. In the early period all initial coastline perturbations are amplified due to the high-angle wave effects. Size competition between adjacent spits starts afterwards. Interaction between adjacent spits dominates the middle period. Smaller spits tend to retrogress due to unbalanced sediment budget and this sediment loss feeds further growth of their larger neighbors. The retrograded spits are either smoothed or evolve into barrier-lagoons, and relatively stable large-scale spits originating from larger spits are developed in the late period. Low-frequency storms impinging from a regular high angle onto the coastline facilitate the development of spits in the early period, but become a hindering factor afterwards. Terrestrial aeolian transport not only plays a key role in stabilizing the spits, but is also revealed as an important factor for long-term coastline erosion.

Mixed reproduction systems in Opuntia monacantha (Cactaceae) in Southern Brazil

The Cactaceae have morphological and physiological adaptations associated with their life histories that are reflected in different modes of reproduction and multiplication. The reproductive phenology, preferential reproductive mode, and the sexual and asexual multiplication of Opuntia monacantha were investigated between 2003 and 2006 in two restinga (sandy coastal) environment in Southern Brazil to determine the adaptive values of its reproduction modes. Flowering was annual and occurred continuous for approximately 100 days between the months of September and January, with a few flowers opening per day per individual (but many in the whole population). Facultative xenogamy was identified as the preferential sexual system, with the highest levels of fruit and seed formation following natural pollination. The seeds are recalcitrant and have high germinative capacities under laboratory conditions. Seedling recruitment and establishment in the field was extremely reduced. The skins of the fruits and the cladodes have high capacities for regeneration and clonal multiplication because of their areolas.

Leaf anatomy and morphology of Eugenia rotundifolia Casar., Myrtaceae, applied to the authentication of the "abajurú" commercially sold

Eugenia rotundifolia Casar., Myrtaceae, occurs in the sandy coastal environments of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo States. To the best of our knowledge, E. rotundifolia was not included in ethnobotanical and nor in pharmacological research, but its leaves are sold in a public market of Rio de Janeiro City as "abajurú", the common name for Chrysobalanus icaco L., Chrysobalanaceae. C. icaco, in contrast, has been studied and its medicinal effects reported. Since E. rotundifolia is often sold in the public market as "abajurú," this paper describes and compares the leaf anatomy and morphology of E. rotundifolia with C. icaco, previously described in the literature, in order to provide tools for the authentication of commercialized "abajurú." Phyllotaxy; texture; color; margin; midrib prominence; stomata type; type and shape of midrib and petiole vascular bundle; the presence of marginal vein, secretory cavities, which are seen as translucent dots, and overlying cells only in E. rotundifolia; and the presence of trichomes, periclinal divisions in adaxial face epidermis, hypodermis and vascular bundle extensions only in C. icaco were found to be the most distinguishable diagnostic characters.

砂質干潟におけるｆｌｕｉｄ ｍｕｄ堆積物の時空分布：東京湾小櫃川河口盤州干潟

Fluid mud is hig-concentrated near bed suspension, and form relatively thick muddy deposits with rapid sedimentation rate even in coastal and shallow-marine environments that are influenced by wave and/or tidal currents. However, the development of fluid-mud deposits in sandy coastal and shallow-marine environments have not yet clearly been understood, compared with that in muddy coastal and shallow-marine environments. This study investigated lithofacies and distribution patterns of possible fluid-mud deposits in the Banzu sandy flat, Tokyo Bay, central Japan. About 1-m-thick subsurface sandy deposits in the Banzu sandy flat locally contain muddy deposits of 0.5-7 cm thick, and these muddy deposits are interpreted to be fluid-mud deposits on the basis of their distinctive lithofacies and clay fabric. Furthermore, wood and plant fragments and freshwater diatoms in the muddy deposits suggest that these deposits formed from flood-discharge-induced suspensions from an adjacent river called the Obitsu River. Random occurrence and lenticular geometry of the muddy deposits within about 1-m-thick subsurface sandy deposits are also interpreted to indicate that the muddy deposits formed by episodic depositional processes and were preserved as drapes over topographic lows of sandy bars. Furthermore, the maximum thickness of the muddy deposits is documented in a location about 920 m north from the main channel of the Obitsu River. This spatial variation in thickness of the muddy deposits is interpreted that fluid mud, which had once formed at the river mouth during flood discharges, was subsequently transported along the coast. Thus, these spatial and temporal distribution patterns of the muddy deposits are interpreted to be one of the distinctive features of possible fluid-mud deposits, and can be used for the identification of fluid-mud deposits in ancient sandy coastal and shallow-marine successions in conjunction with distinctive features of lithofacies and clay fabric.

Assessing conservation status on coastal dunes: A multiscale approach

Coastal dune systems are particularly fragile and threatened environments, which, however, provide fundamental ecosystem services to nearby urban areas acting for example as protective buffers against erosion. Correctly assessing their conservation status is a priority in order to manage them adequately and to plan urban development in coastal regions. In this paper we propose a practical multiscale method for the assessment of the conservation status of sandy coastal environment. The proposed method is articulated in two stages, one focusing on the landscape and the other on the plant community level. In the first phase mosaic structure and composition of the coastal landscape are analyzed using a series of indicators: natural coastal surface, richness of land cover typologies, landscape diversity and eveness, number and average size of habitat patches, and mean shape index. At a detailed scale, floristic, vegetational and structural aspects of the dune plant communities are analyzed along the main environmental gradient by measuring: spatial connectivity and richness of boundaries, species diversity, eveness and chorological index. In this work we apply and test the method in an experimental area on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy (Latium region), comparing the conservation status of two study sites.

Alteration of bottom roughness by benthic organisms in a sandy coastal environment

This work deals with the potential influence of benthic communities on the sediment dynamics of the coastal zone, and specifically with the modifications to bottom roughness caused by communities and their effects on wave propagation across the coastal profile. Time-series of video observations of the sea bottom on the Ebro delta coast were analysed in order to estimate the bottom roughness associated with physical and biological morphological components and the sediment reworking rates caused by epifaunal organisms. Biological roughness was mainly caused by ophiuroids and tanatocenosis of bivalve and gastropod shells, which changed their abundance during the study period. The total biological roughness ( K bio) ranged between 0.27 and 0.81 cm and represented a significant part (<20%) of the total form drag roughness. Flattening of ripples caused by bioturbation was observed under low-energy conditions. Surface sediment perturbation and bioturbation rates were also estimated. Based on these observations a wave propagation model was applied in order to carry out a sensitivity analysis of the significance of biological roughness on wave dissipation in the study area under different wave conditions.

Ecosystem classification for EU habitat distribution assessment in sandy coastal environments: An application in central Italy

Many recent developments in coastal science have gone against the demands of European Union legislation. Coastal dune systems which cover small areas of the earth can host a high level of biodiversity. However, human pressure on coastal zones around the world has increased dramatically in the last 50 years. In addition to direct habitat loss, the rapid extinction of many species that are unique to these systems can be attributed to landscape deterioration through the lack of appropriate management. In this paper, we propose to use of an ecosystem classification technique that integrates potential natural vegetation distribution as a reference framework for coastal dune EU Habitats (92/43) distribution analysis and assessment. As an example, the present study analyses the EU Habitats distribution within a hierarchical ecosystem classification of the coastal dune systems of central Italy. In total, 24 land elements belonging to 8 land units, 5 land facets, 2 land systems and 2 land regions were identified for the coastal dunes of central Italy, based on diagnostic land attributes. In central Italy, coastal dune environments including all the beach area, mobile dunes and all the fixed-dune land elements contain or could potentially hold at least one EU habitat of interest. Almost all dune slack transitions present the potentiality for the spontaneous development of EU woodlands of interest. The precise information concerning these ecosystems distribution and ecological relationships that this method produces, makes it very effective in Natura 2000 European network assessment. This hierarchical ecosystem classification method facilitates the identification of areas to be surveyed and eventually bound, under the implementation of EU Habitat directive (92/43) including areas with highly disturbed coastal dune ecosystems.