A conceptual snapsot of a big coastal dune aquifer: Magilligan,Northern Ireland

The Magilligan sand spit dune field is situated on the eastern mouth of Lough Foyle in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is a large triangular-shaped site some 7 km by 4 km by 1.5 km wide (about 800 ha) and maintains areas, particularly in the eastern part, with slacks that regularly flood in winter. The size of the system acts as a buffer to external drivers due to the large volume of groundwater stored, the longer travel distances and lower hydraulic gradients. However, unlike many other coastal dune sites with humid dune slacks in the British Isles the sand is not wholly underlain by silt and clay, as raised beach sand and gravel deposits are in contact with the sand aquifer in some places. A preliminary water balance suggests that the majority of the discharge from the sand aquifer occurs via the underlying raised beach deposits and only a small amount discharges directly from the sand aquifer beneath the foredunes. Available water level monitoring is skewed towards the wetter end of the dune system; no significant short-term water level trends are apparent. The data also indicate that recharge regularly takes place within the sand aquifer interspersed by periods of groundwater level recession.     

Ecohydrological studies of dune slack vegetation at Kenfig dunes,South Wales,UK

Dune slacks are important coastal sand dune habitats and seasonal changes in water levels within dune aquifers control both their formation and the specific hydrological conditions which then govern the floristic composition of their characteristic plant communities. Kenfig Dunes National Nature Reserve is one of the largest dune sites in South Wales and Southern Britain. It supports an exceptional range of dune slack communities, including most of those recognised in the British National Vegetation Classification scheme. Detailed studies of the vegetation ecology and hydrology of dune slacks reveal the important influence of hydrological variables in controlling the composition of dune slack vegetation and also valuable information on water table profile and the key factors governing the annual hydrological budget of the dune system aquifer.     

Quantifying landscape-ecological succession in a coastal dune system using sequential aerial photography and GIS

Summary This contribution presents an attempt to measure the path of habitat and vegetation succession in a coastal dune system (Kenfig Burrows, South Wales) using remote sensing and GIS. The loss of slack habitats associated with the continuing stabilization of this dune system is a major cause for concern. These habitats support a range of plant species, including the rare fen orchid,Liparis loeselii, as well as other hydrophytes. A decrease in their areal extent implies a reduction in biodiversity. To quantify the overall rate and spatial dimension of these changes, a series of aerial photographs dating from 1962 to 1994 were digitized and analysed in an image processing system. The resultant maps. transferred to a vector-based GIS, were used to derive a transition matrix for the dune system over this period of time. The results indicate that there has been a marked reduction in the total area of bare sand (19.6% of the dune system in 1962, but only 1.5% in 1994) and a decline in both the areal extent and the number of dune slacks. Over the same period of time, there has been an increase inSalix repens dominated habitats, at the expense of pioneer species. Analysis of the habitat maps, together with hydrological data, within the GIS suggests that even the dry slacks have the potential for further greening and to support invasive species. In terms of habitat management however, there is still scope to restore many of the slacks to their original state. It is estimated that at least 24% of the area occupied by partially and moderately vegetated slacks could be rehabilitated.     

Factors affecting vegetation establishment and development in a sand dune chronosequence at Newborough Warren,North Wales

Newborough Warren is a large calcareous west coast UK dune system, which has experienced rapid vegetation spread in the last 70 years. Information from two high resolution chronosequences for dry and wet dune habitats, 0–145 years, was used to answer the following questions: Does climate influence colonisation of vegetation on bare sand? What are the timescales and sequences of successional change in the vegetation? Analysis of aerial photographs showed that stabilisation of the dune system since 1945 has occurred in three main phases. The onset of stabilisation predated myxomatosis by 10 years; while stabilisation virtually halted during the period 1964–1978. Periods of rapid stabilisation were coincident with higher values of Talbot’s Mobility index (M)?>?0.3. Successional development was apparent in both dry and wet habitats. Fixed dune grassland started to replace earlier successional communities at around 40 years, and could persist to 145 years. Linear succession in dune slacks was less apparent, but a separation between communities typically regarded as ‘younger’ and ‘older’ occurred at around 40 years. Species richness in dry dune habitats increased with age to a maximum on soils around 60 years old, then declined again. Species richness was unrelated to age or soil development in wet dune slacks. The influence of climate suggests that conservation managers can only operate within the constraints imposed by natural climatic conditions. Vegetation growth and soil development are closely linked and maintaining some open areas is key to preventing soil development and over-stabilisation.     

Coastal dune stabilization in Wales and requirements for rejuvenation

Welsh coastal dune systems have become increasingly vegetated in recent decades. Several rare species of plants and invertebrates have declined dramatically in abundance, and in some areas lost entirely. Of the ten dune habitats and species recognized as being features of European importance within the Welsh Natura 2000 sites, nine are currently in Unfavourable condition on at least one site. The decline in active aeolian processes has also reduced the geomorphological interest of the sites, several of which were designated as Geological Conservation Review sites principally on the basis of their physical processes and landforms. The decline in bare sand area between the 1940-50s and 2009 has been quantified at twelve Welsh dune sites using aerial photography and GIS. The decline ranged from 41 % at Gronant Dunes and Talacre Warren to 97 % at Kenfig Burrows, with an average of 81 %. Morfa Dyffryn had the highest remaining percentage of bare sand in 2009 (20 %), with 30–40 % coverage of mobile dune and pioneer communities, while seven sites had < 5 % bare sand. Dune stabilization over the past 60 years has been favoured by a number of factors, including less windy conditions, higher temperatures and longer growing season, increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition, a reduction in grazing intensity, and dune management policies aimed at controlling mobile sand. Climate change projections suggest that, in the next 50 to 100 years, Wales and adjoining areas are likely to experience higher temperatures and higher rainfall, especially in winter, and a further slight reduction in wind speeds. Without intervention, dune and dune slack habitats are likely to be increasingly replaced by fixed dune grassland and scrub, resulting in the extinction of rare plants, invertebrates and other species which require open, mobile conditions. Several intervention options exist, ranging in scale and potential impact. Increased livestock grazing, re-introduction of rabbits, scrub clearance, turf stripping and the creation of shallow ‘scrapes’ can be beneficial but will not by themselves create self-sustaining mobile dunes. In order to have any chance of achieving any significant impact, larger-scale intervention measures, involving large-scale vegetation removal and sand-re-profiling, will be required. At least in the short-term, maintenance measures will be required to prevent vegetation re-growth, and the challenge will be to encourage the development of mobile dune features which will be naturally mobile in the medium to longer term.     

Implications of sea level rise for coastal dune habitat conservation in Wales,UK

The potential impact of future sea level rise and climate change on 15 Welsh coastal dune systems has been investigated. Historical Trend Analysis was undertaken using Ordnance Survey maps to quantify past shoreline change and to permit extrapolation of past trends to predict possible future shoreline positions by 2080–2100. Predictions were also made using the Bruun Rule relationship between sea level rise and shoreline response and an integrated method of assessment, Expert Geomorphological Assessment (EGA), which provides a ‘best estimate’ of future coastline change, taking into account such factors as geological constraints, the nature of past, present and future environmental forcing factors, and known coastal process–response relationships. The majority of the 15 systems investigated experienced a net increase in dune area over the last 100–120 years. Only one (Whiteford Burrows) experienced significant net area loss (>5 ha). EGA predictions suggest that several systems are likely to experience significant net loss of dune habitat over the next century, whilst continued net gain is likely to occur for systems where sediment supply rates remain high. Little net change is predicted in some systems. Considering the 15 dune systems together, it is considered unlikely that net dune habitat loss will exceed net gain over the next 100 years provided that there are no major disruptions to sediment supply and natural coastal processes.     

Management of basiphilous dune slack communities in relation to carbonate accumulation and hydrological conditions

In dune slacks in The Netherlands, a decline of rare mesotrophic basiphilous plant species and their plant communities has been observed in combination with an increase of more productive systems with common, taller acidophilous plant species. This has been attributed to both natural and anthropogenic changes. In a humid climate with a precipitation surplus, as in The Netherlands, the calcium carbonate content of a calcareous soil increases with depth. However, soils in coastal dune slacks, may have a higher carbonate content in the topsoil horizon than in the underlying layers. Carbonates which buffer the pH can prolong the presence of mesotrophic basiphilous plant communities which are of high conservation value. To explain the occurrence of calcareous surface horizons in dune slacks, hydrological and micromorphological analyses were carried out in three dune slacks. Two slacks are situated on the Wadden Sea islands in the northern part of The Netherlands; one on Schiermonnikoog and one on Texel. The third slack is situated in the dunes on the island of Goeree in the southwestern part of The Netherlands. In all three slacks, carbonate occurs as mollusc and gastropod fragments (silt- or sand-sized) and as micritic nodules in the topsoil layer, due to aeolian deposition and sedimentation by water.In situ carbonate accumulation (calcitans and calcareous crusts) due to CO₂ release in inundated and/or capillary rise of calcareous groundwater near, or at the soil surface. Accumulation of carbonate also occurs as a result of biological activity by algae in the topsoil of the Goeree site. In general, hydrological processes maintaining high levels of calcareous groundwater are a prerequisite for the maintenance of high carbonate levels in topsoils. Such levels are necessary for the conservation and management of basiphilous pioneer vegetation.     

Variation in groundwater composition and decalcification depth in a dune slack: effects on basiphilous vegetation

Basiphilous, open, species-rich vegetation types of young dune slacks have declined throughout Europe in recent years, and have largely been replaced by often acidophilous, tall marsh and scrub vegetation. This succession appears to be accelerated by a decrease in the discharge of calcareous groundwater from sandy ridges or small dune hummocks. The present study deals with spatial and temporal variation in the chemical composition of the groundwater in the upper metres of the soil of a degraded dune slack complex on the Dutch barrier island of Schiermonnikoog, with emphasis on (1) groundwater composition, (2) water level and (3) decalcification patterns. The main aim was to assess perspectives for restoring basiphilous vegetation types which had been abundant in this slack from 1954 to 1977. The depth of decalcification was related to former hydrological conditions along a transect of 200 m. Acidifying effects of rainfall were reflected in the chemical composition of the groundwater below small dune hummocks within the slack. Distinct precipitation water lenses, poor in dissolved ions, were formed under the dune hummocks during a wet period. This microtopography did not contribute to the discharge of calcareous groundwater to lowlying parts of the slack. Here, groundwater showed decreasing concentrations of the dissolved ions after a rain shower. Except for the peripheral sections of the slack—where upward seepage of groundwater (exfiltration)still occurs—infiltration conditions are now dominant in the slack. The consequences of the present hydrological conditions for restoration are briefly discussed.     

From overexploitation to sustainable use,an overview of 160 years of water extraction in the Amsterdam dunes,the Netherlands

Dune slacks are low-lying, nutrient-poor, species-rich, inter-dunal, seasonally flooded wetlands, are amongst the most threatened habitats in the Dutch coastal dunes. Since 1853 Waternet has been extracting groundwater from the coastal dunes southwest of Haarlem to produce its drinking water. Dune slacks largely disappeared due to the desiccation caused by this water abstraction, over more than a century biodiversity declined as a consequence. Increased societal concern pushed habitat restoration high on the political agenda by the end of the 1980s. It was agreed to do what is possible to restore original dune slacks without endangering the water supply. Far reaching interventions in the dune water system were foreseen to achieve this mutual goal. To allow reliable decision making, the entire hydrological history of the drinking water production in the Amsterdam Dunes since 1853 and its ecological consequences were evaluated over a 10-year study period. The main tool was a 3D groundwater model constructed using all information gathered to date and calibrated using the long-term monitoring data available and widely extended for the purpose, to which ecological modeling was added and calibrated with the available long-term and extended vegetational inventories. These scientific tools were used to assess proposed interventions to be decided upon, which aimed at finding a new balance between groundwater extraction and nature restoration. In 1996 and 2007 large-scale measures were taken, which include filling in of recovery canals, mowing, grazing and sod-cutting to support the native plant communities of wet dune slack habitats. Results of these measures in terms of the restoration of natural hydrological conditions are shown together with the first results for the recovery of wet slacks vegetation that resulted from the combined hydrological and ecological restoration measures that were taken since 1995.     

Nutrient deficiency in dune slack pioneer vegetation: a review

A review of results of fertilization experiments in wet dune slacks is presented. In most cases the above-ground biomass appeared to be limited by nitrogen availability. Primary phosphorus limitation was assessed only once in a dune slack where sod cutting had been applied very recently. In most other case studies phosphorus limits biomass production after nitrogen deficiency was lifted. Potassium availability is of minor importance for biomass production in this type of ecosystem. Singular nitrogen additions led to increased dominance ofCarex andJuncus species as well as perennial grasses, such asAgrostis stolonifera andCalamagrostis epigejos. A combined addition of nitrogen and phosphorus led to total dominance of grasses, while the characteristic basiphilous pioneer species (including mosses) decreased or even disappeared. Certain mechanisms are considered which may maintain nutrient availability in slacks with basiphilous pioneer vegetation at a low level, despite of the accumulation of nutrients in the developing organic soil layer. Some implications for management and further research are discussed.     

Predicted effects of climate change,vegetation and tree cover on dune slack habitats at Ainsdale on the Sefton Coast,UK

Dune slack habitats are highly dependent on the availability of water to support flora and fauna. Typically this is provided by shallow groundwater. This paper describes the seasonal and long term variation in groundwater levels in part of the Sefton coastline between 1972 and 2007. The effects of climate change, vegetation management and coastline realignment on groundwater levels are modelled. The observed annual water table levels rise and fall with an amplitude of 1.5 m, but longer term variations and trends are apparent. A stochastic water balance model was used to describe the changes in water table levels in slack floors in the open dunes and also in areas afforested with pine trees. It was found that the pine trees evaporated 214 mm/year more than open dunes vegetation, resulting in the water table being 0.5–1.0 m lower under the trees than under the open dunes. The effects of climate change on the ground water was simulated using predictions of future climate conditions based on the UKCIP02 medium high emissions scenario. The increase in temperature and change in rainfall patterns will result in a decrease in mean ground water levels by 1.0–1.5 mm in the next 90 years. Typical patterns consist of sequences of 5–10 years of low water table levels interspersed by infrequent sequences consisting of 2–5 years of relatively high or “normal” levels. These results indicate that that flora and fauna that cannot survive a 5–10 year period of water table levels >2.5 m below ground level are unlikely to survive or persist in many slack areas and a change in the ecology of these slack may become inevitable. Other effects of climate change include sea level rise which will result in a gradual rise in water table levels. Coastal erosion will increase the water table gradient to the sea and result in a slight lowering of the ground water levels. Conversely coastal accretion will reverse this process. The spatial distribution of coastal erosion and accretion along the Sefton coastline and its likely impacts on groundwater levels are discussed. The modelling work described in this paper has identified the factors which have the largest effect on groundwater levels in temperate coastal dune systems.     

Window of opportunity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Liparis loeselii</Emphasis> populations during vegetation succession on the Wadden Sea islands

The present study aims at assessing the life span of populations of the orchid L. loeselii during successional in dune slacks on the Wadden Sea islands. An inventory of Liparis loeselii populations was carried out on 6 islands, while the population structure was assessed in more detail on the island of Texel. The occurrence of the orchid was related to soil factors and hydrological conditions. Groundwater levels were measured in a dune area with natural dune slack formation. The groundwater composition was analyses and the freshwater lenses were modelled. Various scenarios were investigated, including sea level rise and sand nourishment. The window of opportunity for L. loeselii to colonize a new slack is relatively narrow. Under favorable management, the population can survive c. 20 years. Soil pH was positively correlated with the occurrence of L. loeselii populations, while a high organic matter content was negatively correlated. Sites with large populations of L. loeselii, were situated in young dune slacks, that functioned as flow-through lakes and has top soilsinfluenced by anoxic calcareous groundwater. Modelling showed that the freshwater lens would decrease due to sea level rise, while artificial sand nourishment could counteract this effect. The populations of the Hors area on Texel, the Netherlands, can survive for several decades due to continuous formation of new slacks. Discharge of calcareous groundwater is essential to keep the pH on a high level. The hydrological systems that supply dune slack with groundwater are relatively small and are vulnerable for changes in sea level rise.     

The role of European marram grass in dune stabilization and succession near Cape Agulhas, South Africa

The coastline near the southern tip of Africa is characterized by large mobile dunes that are driven along wide beaches by strong winds throughout the year. This results in the blockage of the river mouths causing severe flooding of the low-lying farmland of the Agulhas Plain during the rainy winter season. Large parts of the driftsands were stabilized with the European dune pioneer species Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), which has proved highly invasive along the North American west coast. In order to establish the potential invasiveness ofA. arenaria in South African coastal dune systems and its role in the succession of a large stabilization area, studies were carried out on De Mond Nature Reverve. Using aerial photos, maps and planting records, the vegetation of sites of various ages were sampled. By means of this chronosequence of stands, there is clear evidence that succession takes place at De Mond. Four communities are distinguished, varying from recent plantings ofA. arenaria to mature dune thicket or dune fynbos (heath) vegetation. These relate to four different stages of succession,A. arenaria occurring in reduced abundance in the older communities. After 50 years, formerA. arenaria areas are usually covered by dense dune scrub and in some places even in asteraceous dune fynbos. Succession is most rapid in sheltered, moist dune slacks, butA. arenaria remains vigorous in conditions favourable for its growht, i.e. on exposed, steep dune slopes with strong sand movement.A. arenaria does not appear to spread unaidedly at De Mond and has been successfully used for temporary dune stabilization.     

Merthyr Mawr: a case study for the assessment of nitrate at humid dunes in England and Wales

Humid dunes in the UK are at risk from nutrient pressures from multiple sources. The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) requires assessment and identification of these pressures with appropriate measures defined to mitigate against further damage. We discuss the application of nitrate threshold values for the WFD classification, illustrating this with a case study at Merthyr Mawr, South Wales, where ephemeral groundwater discharge from a spring (‘Burrows Well’) sourced within the Carboniferous Limestone, creates a large dune slack. Ecological surveys suggest that the vegetation in this slack was in unfavourable condition, due to high levels of nitrate. Applying the source-pathway-receptor model an investigation was undertaken to improve the conceptual model and assess the significance of damage from groundwater derived nutrients. Results show groundwater nitrate concentrations?~?10 mg/l as NO₃-N feeding the main slack waters. The vegetation survey data shows clear evidence of ecological damage, and the hydrogeological data traces the source of this back to the Carboniferous Limestone aquifer and not the overlying blown sands. Discharging groundwater is the source of the enrichment. Isotopic analysis suggests that the N is derived from inorganic fertilizer and/or atmospheric N. During the first cycle WFD characterisation the unfavourable status of the dunes due to chemical groundwater pressure resulted in a failure of the surrounding groundwater body, which was designated as poor status. The site has been re assessed for the 2nd Cycle WFD characterisation where recently developed nitrate ‘threshold’ values have been applied to assess the significance of damage for groundwater derived nutrients. The surrounding Carboniferous Limestone catchment is complex and could not be sufficiently constrained, thus land management changes could not be targeted. The paucity of historical or repeat vegetation surveys limits our ability to measure change within the dune vegetation and causes difficulties in understanding the impact of multiple pressures.     

Patterns of development and succession of vegetated hummocks in slacks of the Alexandria coastal dune field, South Africa

Dune hummocks (small aeolian dunes formed by sand deposition in and around pioneer plants) are the smallest vegetated dune unit; they occur along the entire South African coastline but are poorly studied. Structural properties and distribution of the two main hummock-forming plants:Arctotheca populifolia (a pioneer species with fast growth rate and rapid turnover) andGazania rigens (a later colonizer with slower growth) were investigated. A marked vegetation succession exists across the floor of the slack as a result of the migration of transverse dune ridges across the slack.Arctotheca hummocks were initiated on the newly exposed eastern margin of the slack, and were replaced about midway across the width of the slack byGazania hummocks. Hummocks increased in size with distance from the eastern side of the slack.Gazania hummocks attain a greater vegetation height, support a greater vegetation complexity and mass, and attain a larger maximum size thanArctotheca hummocks. Succession, defined as both the replacement of plant species as well as site modification within the plants over time, was evident. Since the growth form and dynamics determine (1) the ability of plants to trap wind-borne soil and detritus, (2) the shape of the hummocks, and (3) the habitat complexity available to spiders and insects, the ecology of the hummocks is probably determined largely by the vegetation characteristics of the hummock-forming plants.     

Raising groundwater differentially affects mineralization and plant species abundance in dune slacks.

The experience with restoring high water levels (i.e., rewetting) within restoration ecology is limited, and information on changes in soil nutrient supply is scarce. A reduction in nutrient supply is needed to restore the desired oligotrophic vegetation. We determined the effects of restoration of high water levels on decomposition and net carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) mineralization rates in wet dune slacks and its consequences for the relative abundance of eutrophic vs. oligotrophic species in the vegetation. This was done by analyzing these variables for valleys that experienced a large groundwater rise vs. valleys that had a small groundwater rise but the same current water level. In addition, the influences of underlying factors (waterlogging, vegetation dieback, and soil dynamics prior to groundwater rise) were separated in a transplantation experiment. Short-term effects of large groundwater rise were a massive dieback of vegetation, increased thickness of the fermentation layer, increased microbial decomposition activity, increased C mineralization, and decreased net N mineralization. Net P mineralization was not affected. The relative abundance of oligotrophic vs. eutrophic species was greater at large groundwater rise. Changes in decomposition and mineralization by large groundwater rise were, however, not caused by the vegetation dieback, but due to previous soil conditions. Soils experiencing waterlogged conditions for 3-4 years or more prior to large groundwater rise had lower C and higher net N mineralization rates at waterlogged conditions than soils that had experienced aerobic conditions, presumably due to differences in labile soil C contents. Contrary to expectations induced by previously determined nutrient pulses and measured vegetation dieback, large groundwater rise resulted in lower soil nutrient supply rates and more oligotrophic vegetation. If these trends continue on the longer term, restoration of high water levels may be effective in restoration ecology to establish oligotrophic, wet vegetation in dune slacks.     

Modelling small groundwater systems: experiences from the Braunton Burrows and Ainsdale coastal dune systems,UK

Coastal dunes are delicate systems that are under threat from a variety of human and natural influences. Groundwater modelling can provide a better understanding of how these systems operate and can be a useful tool towards the effective management of a coastal dune system, e.g. by identifying strategically important locations for flora and fauna and guiding the planning of management operations through predicting impacts from climatic change, sea level rise and land use management. Most dune systems are small, typically of the size 10–100 km², compared with inland groundwater systems. Applying conventional groundwater modelling approaches to these small systems presents a number of challenges due to the local scale of the system and the fact that the system boundaries (sea, drains, ponds etc.) are close to the main body of the aquifer. In this paper, two case studies will be presented using different modelling approaches to understand the groundwater balance in two dune systems in the UK. The studies demonstrate that, although conventional hydraulic models can describe the general system behaviour, a fuller understanding of the recharge mechanisms and system boundaries is needed to represent adequately system dynamics of small groundwater systems.     

A novelty coastal susceptibility assessment method: application to Valdelagrana area (SW Spain)

The main aim of this paper is to present a new methodology to determine coastal susceptibility to erosion and flooding processes by means of an index-based method. The proposed indices take into account physical parameters, such as dune and beach geomorphologic characteristics, shoreline evolution, local significant wave height and relative run-up. The coastal susceptibility has been estimated by elaboration of spatial input data into a GIS environment. The method has been tested in Valdelagrana area, a sandy spit located in SW Spain. The spit includes several morpho-sedimentary environments: sandy beach, discontinuous embryo dunes and foredunes, mud flats and wide areas of vegetated salt marshes. The Northernmost sector is densely urbanized whilst the rest is part of a natural protected area belonging to the Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park. The results obtained showed how the Southern part of the spit presented a high susceptibility due to an elevated erosion rate and the presence of low and discontinuous dune ridges.     

The formation of protective dune ridge along the Southeast Baltic Sea coast: historical and social aspects

This paper is based on literature-based studies, as well as material collected by the author over more than 30 years on the shores of the Southeast Baltic Sea. In order to protect roads running along the shoreline from East Prussia to Königsberg, local shore reinforcement works commenced in the fifteenth century, although some individual attempts had been made before. In 1684, M. Ch. Hartknoch theoretically substantiated the necessity for, and methods of, shore reinforcement. The state of the shores deteriorated considerably during the Seven Years War (1756–1763), when woodlands growing along the shores were completely destroyed; hence, nearly 100 km length of the coast of the Kur?i? Nerija (Curonian) sand spit was left without any vegetation. Aeolian sand buried as many as fourteen settlements. This situation forced the authorities to organise maintenance of the coast and the dunes at the governmental level, and to start the formation of an uninterrupted dune ridge. The second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century are notable for the extensive construction of new ports. Along the shores running from the Sambian Peninsula to the Gulf of Riga, eight port engineering structures had been constructed with the intervals of approximately 26 km between the ports of Klaip?da and Liepaja, and every 13 km between Palanga and Pape. Shore management measures were being implemented simultaneously, thus ensuring the functioning of the above-mentioned coastal protection structures and the reduction of impacts upon the shores. In the second half of the twentieth century, ports were dredged and developed significantly. Their entrance channels reduced the long-shore sediment transport. Moreover, total sand reserves in the shore zone also diminished. The processes of erosion of the beaches and the dune ridge made it necessary to actively reinforce the shore. A number of countries passed legal acts governing the protection and use of the shore zone. At the turn of the twenty-first century, the incompatibility of such priorities in human activities as sea transport and recreation with nature protection has become evident. The conflict of interests in the Kur?i? Nerija National Park, the port of Klaip?da, and the resort of Palanga serve as good examples of such incompatibility. The conclusion that can be drawn that in twenty-first century is that the priorities in general coastal management should be as follows: harmonisation of interests among the states and individual fields of activities, as well as measures aimed at neutralisation of negative natural trends (higher frequency of storms, global rise of water level, etc.). The protective beach dune ridge will further play the role of efficient means for reducing shore erosion.     

Linking marine resources to ecotonal shifts of water uptake by terrestrial dune vegetation

As evidence mounts that sea levels are rising, it becomes increasingly important to understand the role of ocean water within terrestrial ecosystem dynamics. Coastal sand dunes are ecosystems that occur on the interface of land and sea. They are classic ecotones characterized by zonal distribution of vegetation in response to strong gradients of environmental factors from the ocean to the inland. Despite the proximity of the dune ecosystem to the ocean, it is generally assumed that all vegetation utilizes only freshwater and that water sources do not change across the ecotone. Evidence of ocean water uptake by vegetation would redefine the traditional interpretation of plant-water relations in the dune ecosystem and offer new ideas for assessing maritime influences on function and spatial distribution of plants across the dune. The purpose of this study was to identify sources of water (ocean, ground, and rain) taken up by vegetation using isotopic analysis of stem water and to evaluate water uptake patterns at the community level based on the distribution and assemblage of species. Three coastal dune systems located in southern Florida, USA, and the Bahamian bank/platform system were investigated. Plant distributions across the dune were zonal for 61-94% of the 18 most abundant species at each site. Species with their highest frequency on the fore dune (nearest the ocean) indicate ocean water uptake as evidenced by delta 18O values of stem water. In contrast, species most frequent in the back dune show no evidence of ocean water uptake. Analysis of species not grouped by frequency, but instead sampled along a transect from the ocean toward the inland, indicates that individuals from the vegetation assemblage closest to the ocean had a mixed water-harvesting strategy characterized by plants that may utilize ocean, ground-, and/or rainwater. In contrast, the inland vegetation relies mostly on rainwater. Our results show evidence supporting ocean water use by dune vegetation and demonstrate an exciting relationship between seawater and ecotonal shifts in plant function of a terrestrial ecosystem.