The
Dune Environment
The coastal
environment is a continually changing one. Coastal dune systems are
constantly influenced by wind, water and temperature conditions. Together
with tidal and wave action, sand is moved around, sometimes resulting
in significant erosion of the foredunes. Movement of dry, loose sand
is responsible for shaping the dunes.
As coastal environments are mobile and complex systems a range of
plant communities can be found in a narrow strip of coastal vegetation
typical of what remains along the coast around Perth. A range of plant
adaptations have evolved as a result of how dunes are constructed.
Picture:
A typical dune cross section showing the various zones from the
very mobile beach front to stable secondary dunes further inland.
Those plants that
form at the very front of a dune system are termed pioneer plants
as they have adapted to grow in strong winds, shifting sand and salty
conditions.
Once these plants have stablised, the sand foredune plants
can begin to establish, gradually building the height of the dune.
As time goes on, sheltered positions are created that enable different
plants to establish, climaxing in large trees in the secondary
dune phase.
Plants perform several functions in a coastal environment, with some
of the main ones being:
- Contribute
to the nutrient cycle and maintain moisture within the upper sand
profile.
- Anchor
the soil and act as a buffer against wind and water erosion.
- Trap
water, sand and salt acting as a protecting barrier to more inland
vegetation.
These
dune zones can be found in the local coastal areas in the Town of
Cambridge.
Cambridge Coastcare (Inc)
Copyright 2007. Disclaimer.
