Recovery of Danish coastal dune vegetation after a wildfire

The initial recovery of vegetation after a wildfire in a coastal dune area in NW Jutland, Denmark, was studied over a 5-yr period by means of permanent plots representing various dune communities along a topographical gradient. The impact of the fire varied with the position of the plots. Fens and south-facing dunes were little affected while dune heath plots were severely affected including loss of the O-horizon. Post-fire conditions included presence of remaining soil organic matter, a soil seed bank and surviving below-ground plant parts. The soil surface remained stable during the study period. The initial five years of recovery comprised of an initial three-year recruitment phase during which cover and number of species increased and the quantitative species composition changed markedly, followed by two years of a declining rate of change. 38 species of vascular plants were recorded, 35 are regular components in dune, dune heath and heath fen and were recruited from the seed bank, from locally dispersed seeds and/or by sprouting from surviving vegetative parts. The remaining three species were ‘aliens’, dispersed from sources outside the area. Crustose lichens had an important role in the initial recovery by stabilizing the surface and probably inhibiting seed germination, whereas mosses mostly had a subordinate role. The seral position of the plots, as well as the expected time needed for full recovery of pre-fire vegetation, vary with topography and initial soil conditions. Five years after the fire the fen and the south-facing dune probably need less than a decade for full recovery. The remaining plots are judged to be relatively early seral; their full recovery into mature dry or moist dune heath vegetation and O-horizon is expected to need several centuries.     

Floristic composition and vegetation ecology of the Malindi bay coastal dune field, Kenya

A short outline is given of the floristic composition, structure and distribution of coastal dune vegetation found at Malindi Bay, Kenya. The area was studied by air photo interpretation and field sampling to determine the relationship of plants to aeolian features. TWINSPAN classification was used to distinguish geomorphological units on the basis of their species composition. In this paper, an inventory and first quantitative analysis of vegetation distribution is presented. We identified 174 plant species from 62 families in the sand dunes and several plant communities are distinguished based on the species content and the connection with morphological units.Papilionaceae with 18 species andPoaceae with 17 species were the most represented families. A distinct zonal distribution of the plant communities was found. The most important plant species are the pioneer vegetation consisting ofHalopyrum mucronatum, Ipomoea pescaprae andScaevola plumieri. The woody shrub species which have colonized the established primary dunes and hummock dunes areCordia somaliensis, Pluchea discoridis, Tephrosia purpurea (dunensis). Succulent herbs were identified in the dune slacks and salt marsh that are moist and damp environments.     

Sustainability of sand dune restoration along the coast of the Tyrrhenian sea

This study reports the results of restoration management on sand dune environments along the coastal belt of the Castelporziano nature reserve (Rome, Italy) and the subsequent monitoring phases to test the sustainability of the ‘soft techniques’ applied. In the area concerned, over a length of ca. 3 km, 40 dunes were built up along with three belts located at <40 m, 40–70 m, and >70 m, respectively, from the shoreline. On each of 38 dunes 20 individuals ofAmmophila littoralis were planted; this species is one of the local autochthonous species considered particularly suitable for stabilizing sand dunes. After one year, two years and five years, respectively the changes in height and surface of each dune, the survival rates ofA. littoralis, and its changes in cover, the appearance of new shoots and the establishment of new species were observed. A progressive increase in species number, which five years after the restoration amounted to about 60% of those characterizing the natural dunes, was reported indicating a progressive trend towards populations similar to natural ones. In the colonization of new species there is a prevalence of theSporobolus-Elymetum farcti and theSalsolo Kali-Cakiletum maritimae association, while the species established successively refer to theEchinophoro spinosae-Ammophiletum arundinaceae association and theCrucianellion maritimae alliance as occurring in natural successions. This succession runs parallel to the natural dune colonization processes. In particular, the data regarding survival, cover and number of vegetative shoots indicate that the dune belt between 40 and 70 m from the sea is the one most suitable for restoration. Some changes in dune morphology was observed: the height of the artificial dunes tended to decrease considerably in the five years of observation, whereas a progressive increase in their surface area was observed. During the study period.A littoralis favoured the establishment of new species, but as yet exercises no action on increasing dune height.     

The sands of Forvie (Scotland): A case study in geomorphology and conservational management

The Sands of Forvie, National Nature Reserve, Scotland is a complex coastal sand dune system which is associated with the dynamic estuary of the River Ythan. The dune system has developed over more than 5000 years. The south partis a peninsula of dunes, sandhills, sand arcs, erosion and deflation surfaces. The north part is superimposed on a rock plateau with a cliff coastline. This plateau is covered in glacial deposits and is essentially an upland heath landscape. Some of the best examples of large active parabolic dunes in Britain are found in North Forvie. The sequence of geomorphic development is described. As a nature reserve with a rich ecology it has been managed for conservational purposes since 1960s. As such it is an excellent case study of how conservational management has changed to become more flexible and more aware of the importance of dynamic processes.     

The sands of Forvie (Scotland): A case study in geomorphology and conservational management

The Sands of Forvie, National Nature Reserve, Scotland is a complex coastal sand dune system which is associated with the dynamic estuary of the River Ythan. The dune system has developed over more than 5000 years. The south part is a peninsula of dunes, sand hills, sand arcs, erosion and deflation surfaces. The north part is superimposed on a rock plateau with a cliff coastline. This plateau is covered in glacial deposits and is essentially an upland heath landscape. Some of the best examples of large active parabolic dunes in Britain are found in North Forvie. The sequence of geomorphic development is described. As a nature reserve with a rich ecology it has been managed for conservational purposes since 1960s. As such it is an excellent case study of how conservational management has changed to become more flexible and more aware of the importance of dynamic processes.     

Coastal dune development and sand drifting management along an artificial shoreline: the case of Dunkirk harbour,northern France

Harbour development along the low-lying coastline of northern France necessitated the construction of a seaport protruding into the sea. The extension of the port of Dunkirk resulted in the creation of an artificial shoreline consisting of a sea dike fronted by a beach, connected to a jetty protecting the seaport access. This study illustrates how harbour infrastructure can give rise to new kinds of aeolian landforms: e.g. the spontaneous initiation of aeolian dunes on a seaport dike resulting in specific dune types. However, this coastal dune development induced unexpected sand invasion of harbour infrastructure. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of various types of windbreaks on a dike as a means of limiting sand drift and solving sand invasion problems. Seven experimental fences installed in the eastern part of the dike were monitored over an 11 month period. The experimental fences tested in this study demonstrated their effectiveness on an asphalt coated dike. Over the whole survey period, the most efficient fences were those installed close to a sand source, at the beach-dike limit. These experiments will aid the Port of Dunkirk in building a management plan for its shoreline, which is being designed in order to preserve the diversity of landscapes, and to control sand invasion which necessitates costly sand removal operations.     

Assessment of coastal erosion susceptibility at the national scale: The Italian case

To improve the present national and local sustainable planning capability for the coastal zone a GI application for the Italian Coastal Susceptibility Assessment was planned within an institutional agreement between ENEA and the Land Defence Service of the Italian Ministry of Environment. Taking into account previous European actions a suitable methodology to assess, in a quantitative way, the susceptibility of beaches to be eroded has been set up. The methodology balances the coastline trend as evaluated for a defined time period with the present coastal areas morphology and land use, this in order to derive a value that expresses the evolutionary process in terms of probability of the loss of goods within the ‘Homogeneous Coastal Tracts’. The trend in the movement of the sea-land line has been used asgeo-indicator of a complex dynamic balance that refers both to marine and inland systems, and a vector GI application was built and locally applied in southern Italian coastal areas. The present shoreline position and some other information describing the intrinsic beach morphologies, and having significance for the coastal erosion hazard assessment, have been derived from the national 1∶10.000 ortho-images of the National Cartographic Reference System provided by the Italian Ministry of Environment. The illustrated GI application— CoSTAT—keeps the nominal scale of all data collected or produced. In this analysis the coastal dune presence is analysed as factor limiting coastal erosion susceptibility. Applying a matrix calculation a quantitative evaluation of erosion susceptibility degree was achieved and plans were made to develop new information for a suitable use of Italian coastal areas. The work describes the methodology, the conceptual frame-work and the results of a local application.     

Variation in populations of the coastal dune building grassLeymus arenarius in Iceland revealed by endospermal prolamins

Variation in the endospermal protein patterns of seeds amongst and between inland and coastal populations of the dune building grassLeymus arenarius was examined in Iceland. Seeds were collected from six coastal populations and five inland populations in Iceland. Endospermal proteins (prolamins) of seeds were extracted with Tris-buffered 2-propanol (50%) and β-mercaptoethanol (0.5% v/v). We used 8% and 12% sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to separate the prolamin protein bands, which were stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R. Coastal populations were differentiated from inland populations on the basis of high frequency of high molar weight (HMW) (110–150 kg mol⁻¹) prolamins. Coastal populations had significantly higher proportions of their seed with more than two HMW prolamins, than those of inland populations. Subtle differences were found among the HMW prolamins of coastal and inland populations indicating limited intrapopulation variation. The dynamic environment of sand dunes probably influences the genetic composition of these populations. The results suggest that seeds of the inland and coastal populations should be treated separately in sand dune reclamation and restoration works     

Ecological effects of cultivation on the machair sand dune systems of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland

The machair sand dune systems of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland are a unique habitat, which is rare within both a global and European context. Unusually, the machair habitat also represents an agricultural resource that is very important to the Hebridean people, having been subject to both grazing and cultivation throughout the historical period. Following designation as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) in 1988, the machairs of South Uist have been studied with the aim of understanding the links between agricultural practice and their plant community and ecosystem dynamics. This research focused primarily on the effects of cultivation practices and their role in maintaining plant species richness and community and ecosystem stability. Within two carefully selected areas, the successional plant communities of machair at different stages of recovery following ploughing and cultivation of cereals and potato patches or ‘lazy beds’ were identified at both a macro- and micro-level. Investigations of the vegetation recovery processes on turves taken from newly ploughed land indicated that the initial stages of recolonization are characterized primarily by rapid vegetative reproduction and growth, although re-vegetation by seeds is also an important factor. The implications of these findings for the long-term management of machair plant communities are discussed and in particular the need to maintain old cultivation practices such as shallow ploughing. The need for more detailed research into both seed banks and seed rain and into processes of vegetative reproduction is stressed. Nomenclature: Clapham et al. (1981) and Stace (1991, 1997) for vascular plants; Hubbard (1984) for grasses; Pankhurst & Mullin (1991) for the regional flora; Dobson (1992) for lichens; Watson (1981) for mosses and liverworts.     

Ecological effects of cultivation on the machair sand dune systems of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland

The machair sand dune systems of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland are a unique habitat, which is rare within both a global and European context. Unusually, the machair habitat also represents an agricultural resource that is very important to the Hebridean people, having been subject to both grazing and cultivation throughout the historical period. Following designation as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) in 1988, the machairs of South Uist have been studied with the aim of understanding the links between agricultural practice and their plant community and ecosystem dynamics. This research focused primarily on the effects of cultivation practices and their role in maintaining plant species richness and community and ecosystem stability. Within two carefully selected areas, the successional plant communities of machair at different stages of recovery following ploughing and cultivation of cereals and potato patches or ‘lazy beds’ were identified at both a macro- and micro-level. Investigations of the vegetation recovery processes on turves taken from newly ploughed land indicated that the initial stages of recolonization are characterized primarily by rapid vegetative reproduction and growth, although re-vegetation by seeds is also an important factor. The implications of these findings for the long-term management of machair plant communities are discussed and in particular the need to maintain old cultivation practices such as shallow ploughing. The need for more detailed research into both seed banks and seed rain and into processes of vegetative reproduction is stressed.     

Grazing as a measure against grass encroachment in Dutch dry dune grassland: effects on vegetation and soil

A grazing experiment was started in 1984 and 1989 respectively, in two parts of a dune grassland in the nature reserve ‘Zwanenwater’, North Holland; a third part with similar geology and topography was used as a control area and not grazed. An evaluation of the effects of grazing on vegetation patterns, species composition, vegetation structure and humus form was made with the help of vegetation maps from 1986 and 1992 as well as field surveys. Dense tall-grass communities dominated byAmmophila arenaria increased over the period 1986–1992 in the grazed areas, and especially in the non-grazed area (increase in area to 20%, 22% and 50%, respectively). Open communities decreased in the grazed areas, but are still prevalent, while in the ungrazed area they virtually disappeared, with the result that the present percentage areas are 53%, 38% and 17%. Field survey data were classified by TWINSPAN producing four vegetation types. These occur more or less equally in grazed and ungrazed areas, albeit with different percentage areas: (1) open vegetation dominated byCorynephorus canescens; (2) open vegetation characteized, byKoeleria macrantha; (3) heathland dominated byEmpetrum nigrum; and (4) tall-grass communities dominated byAmmophila arenaria. Within a vegetation type, species composition was only marginally affected by grazing regime. Within the open communities the number of species, vegetation height, vegetation cover and soil organic horizons were not affected by grazing. In the tall-grass communities the number of species was significantly larger and the height of the vegetation significantly lower in the area grazed since 1984. In the heathland community the number of species and cover of the moss layer were significantly higher in the 1984 area and ectorganic and endorganic horizons significantly thicker in the ungrazed area. It is suggested that these effects are the result of an increased availability of light, but possibly also of a decreased stock of organic matter and nutrients, due to a decreased input of litter and accelerated rates of decomposition.     

Grazing as a measure against grass encroachment in Dutch dry dune grassland: effects on vegetation and soil

A grazing experiment was started in 1984 and 1989 respectively, in two parts of a dune grassland in the nature reserve ‘Zwanenwater’, North Holland; a third part with similar geology and topography was used as a control area and not grazed. An evaluation of the effects of grazing on vegetation patterns, species composition, vegetation structure and humus form was made with the help of vegetation maps from 1986 and 1992 as well as field surveys. Dense tall-grass communities dominated byAmmophila arenaria increased over the period 1986–1992 in the grazed areas, and especially in the non-grazed area (increase in area to 20 %, 22 % and 50 %, respectively). Open communities decreased in the grazed areas, but are still prevalent, while in the ungrazed area they virtually disappeared, with the result that the present percentage areas are 53 %, 38 % and 17 %. Field survey data were classified by TWINSPAN producing four vegetation types. These occur more or less equally in grazed and ungrazed areas, albeit with different percentage areas: (1) open vegetation dominated byCorynephorus canescens; (2) open vegetation characterized byKoeleria macrantha; (3) heathland dominated byEmpetrum nigrum; and (4) tall-grass communities dominated byAmmophila arenaria. Within a vegetation type, species composition was only marginally affected by grazing regime. Within the open communities the number of species, vegetation height, vegetation cover and soil organic horizons were not affected by grazing. In the tall-grass communities the number of species was significantly larger and the height of the vegetation significantly lower in the area grazed since 1984. In the heathland community the number of species and cover of the moss layer were significantly higher in the 1984 area and ectorganic and endorganic horizons significantly thicker in the ungrazed area. It is suggested that these effects are the result of an increased availability of light, but possibly also of a decreased stock of organic matter and nutrients, due to a decreased input of litter and accelerated rates of decomposition. Nomenclature: Van der Meijden et al. (1992) for phanerogams; Corley et al. (1981) for mosses; Grolle (1983) for hepatics.     

An evaluation of environmental factors affecting species distributions

Many different models can be built to explain the distributions of species. Often there is no single model that is clearly better than the alternatives, and this leads to uncertainty over which environmental factors are limiting species’ distributions. We investigated the support for different environmental factors by determining the drop in model performance when selected predictors were excluded from the model building process. We used a paired t-test over 37 plant species so that an environmental factor was only deemed significant if it consistently improved the results for multiple species. Geology and winter minimum temperatures were found to be the environmental factors with the most support, with a significant drop in model performance when either of these factors was excluded. However, there was less support for summer maximum temperature, as other environmental factors could combine to produce similar model performance. Our method of evaluating environmental factors using multiple species will not be capable of detecting predictors that are only important for one or two species, but it is difficult to distinguish these from spurious correlations. The strength of the method is that it increases inference for factors that consistently affect the distributions of many species. We discourage the assessment of models against predefined benchmarks, such as an area under the curve (AUC) of more than 0.7, as many alternative models for the same species produce similar results. Therefore, the benchmarks do not provide any indication of how the performance of the selected model compares to alternative models, and they provide weak inference to accept any selected model.     

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.     

Modelling species distributions with penalised logistic regressions: A comparison with maximum entropy models

An important aspect of species distribution modelling is the choice of the modelling method because a suboptimal method may have poor predictive performance. Previous comparisons have found that novel methods, such as Maxent models, outperform well-established modelling methods, such as the standard logistic regression. These comparisons used training samples with small numbers of occurrences per estimated model parameter, and this limited sample size may have caused poorer predictive performance due to overfitting. Our hypothesis is that Maxent models would outperform a standard logistic regression because Maxent models avoid overfitting by using regularisation techniques and a standard logistic regression does not. Regularisation can be applied to logistic regression models using penalised maximum likelihood estimation. This estimation procedure shrinks the regression coefficients towards zero, causing biased predictions if applied to the training sample but improving the accuracy of new predictions. We used Maxent and logistic regression (standard and penalised) to analyse presence/pseudo-absence data for 13 tree species and evaluated the predictive performance (discrimination) using presence-absence data. The penalised logistic regression outperformed standard logistic regression and equalled the performance of Maxent. The penalised logistic regression may be considered one of the best methods to develop species distribution models trained with presence/pseudo-absence data, as it is comparable to Maxent. Our results encourage further use of the penalised logistic regression for species distribution modelling, especially in those cases in which a complex model must be fitted to a sample with a limited size.     

Early development of vegetation in restored dune plant microhabitats on a nourished beach at Ocean City, New Jersey

Topography and vegetation of restored dunes on a developed barrier island were examined after a large-scale beach nourishment project. Restoration began in 1993 using sand-trapping fences andAmmophila breviligulata Fern. plantings. Subsequent growth of dunes was favored by installing new fences and suspending beach raking to accommodate nesting birds. Plant species richness, percent cover of vegetation, and height ofA. breviligulata were sampled in 1999 on seven shore perpendicular transects in six dune microhabitats (backdune, primary crest, mid-foredune, swale, seaward-most fenced ridge, incipient dune on the backbeach). A total of 26 plant taxa were found at all seven sites. Richness and percent cover were greatest in the backdune and crest, especially in locations that predated the 1992 nourishment. Richness was greater where fences enhanced stabilization. Fences initially compensate for time and space and allow vegetation to develop rapidly, but maintenance nourishment is required to protect against wave erosion and ensure long-term viability of habitat. An expanded environmental gradient is an option, where beach nourishment provides space for a species-rich crest and backdune to develop, while the incipient dune remains dynamic. Options where space is restricted include a dynamic, full-sized seaward section of a naturally functioning dune (truncated gradient) or a spatially restricted sampler of a wider natural dune (compressed gradient) maintained using fences. Expanded and truncated gradients may become self-sustaining and provide examples of natural cycles of change. Compressed gradients provide greater species richness and flood protection for the available space, but habitats are vulnerable to erosion, and resident views may be impaired.     

Rehabilitation of metropolitan beaches by local administrations in Catalonia: new trends in sustainable coastal management

The planning and management of coastal sites in Catalonia has been mainly concerned with rendering beaches functional for mass frequentation. This has caused serious problems for the beaches, including the alteration of dune formation processes and the destruction of beach vegetation and habitats. Municipal capacity to plan and manage beaches is theoretically very limited and relegated to the design of plans related to the maintenance of facilities for beach users. Nonetheless, a singular experience, led by a local council in the metropolitan area of Barcelona demonstrates the crucial role that a local administration can play in achieving a balance between habitat preservation and social use based on sustainable coastal management objectives, in spite of a restrictive legislation.     

Estimating the vulnerability of fifteen tree species under changing climate in Northwest North America

In the Pacific northwestern (PNW) region of North America, climatic conditions have significantly warmed since a predominantly cool phase of the Pacific North American circulation patterns between 1950 and 1975. What are the implications of this shift in climate for the vulnerability of native tree species? To address this question, we combined mechanistic and statistical models to assess where a variety of native tree species might be more vulnerable within their recorded ranges and where they might potentially migrate. For long-lived species that are well adapted to compete, seasonal differences in photosynthesis and water use offer insights helpful in predicting their distributions. To evaluate the general response of conifers to climatic variation across the region, we previously applied a process-based model (3-PG), to simulate the growth and maximum leaf area index that Douglas-fir could attain within recognized forested areas. We then constructed automated decision tree models to define and map the ecological distributions of 15 tree species based on differences in how photosynthesis was constrained by drought, daytime temperatures, high evaporative demand, and the frequency of frost. For the baseline climate period (1950-1975), the decision tree models predicted presence and absence of each species at ∼23,000 observations with an average accuracy of 81%, with an average kappa statistic of 0.74. In this paper the same models were run annually for the period between 1976 and 2006 for each species, and the areas defined as remaining suitable or becoming vulnerable to disturbance were identified based on whether more or less than half of the years fell within the originally defined limits. Based on these criteria, 70% of the species recorded ranges remained suitable, with 30% deemed vulnerable. Results varied notably by species with western red cedar and western hemlock remaining highly adapted, with potential for range expansion in area of up to 50% relative to the baseline period. In contrast, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, grand, and noble fir were classified as vulnerable with potential net contractions in their ranges. The analysis was extended through the rest of the 21st century using climatic projections from the Canadian global circulation model with a high fossil fuel emission scenario (A2) and compared to other previously published species range predictions.     

Choice of threshold alters projections of species range shifts under climate change

One of the least explored sources of algorithmic uncertainty in bioclimatic envelope models (BEM) is the selection of thresholds to transform modelled probabilities of occurrence (or indices of suitability) into binary predictions of species presence and absence. We investigate the impacts of such thresholds in the specific context of climate change. BEM for European tree species were fitted combining 9 climatic models and emissions scenarios, 7 modelling techniques, and 14 threshold-setting techniques. We quantified sources of uncertainty in projections of turnover, and found that the choice of the modelling technique explained most of the variability (39%), while threshold choice explained 25% of the variability in the results, and their interaction an additional 19%. Choice of future climates explained 9% of total variability among projections. Estimated species range shifts obtained by applying different thresholds and models were grouped by IUCN-based categories of threat. Thresholds had a large impact on the inferred risks of extinction, producing 1.7- to 9.9-fold differences in the proportions of species projected to become threatened by climate change. Results demonstrate that threshold selection has large - albeit often unappreciated - consequences for estimating species range shifts under climate change.     

The search for indigenous dune stabilizers: Germination requirements of selected South African species

The coastline of South Africa is characterized by extensive dune fields which are threatened by development, and thus the demand of stabilization of drift sand will increase. The non-invasive alien grass speciesAmmophila arenaria is at present the dominant sand stabilizer. Due to its foreign origin and invasiveness in North America its use was criticized and indigenous sand-binding species would be preferred. The germination requirements of the nativeArctotheca populifolia, Ipomoea pes-caprae. Myrica cordifolia andScaevola plumieri were investigated. The results showed that for all four species the total germination time and germination phase could be shortened and germination success (number of germinated seeds) improved. The different scarification and stratification treatments broke the dormancy ofI. pes-caprae, M. cordifolia andS. plumieri, whereas the seeds ofA. populifolia were not dormant. Seeds ofI. pes-caprae andM. cordifolia had induced an innate dormancy, respectively, whereas the type of dormancy in seeds ofS. plumieri dormancy processes remained unknown.