Hydrogeology of a restored coastal dune system in northeastern Scotland

This paper reports the results of 12 years of hydrological monitoring at the St. Fergus dune system in northeastern Scotland. The site is adjacent to the UK’s largest gas terminal and the dunes are crossed in five places by North Sea gas pipelines which were constructed between 1976 and 1990. These are buried beneath the dune system which was restored after pipeline installation. The dunes include a substantial freshwater wetland which is seasonally flooded and provides an important habitat for waterfowl. The hydrogeology of the site is characterized and the hydrogeological processes that sustain this wetland feature are considered including recent climatic fluctuations. Nomenclature: Names of vascular plants follow Clapham et al. (1962).     

Dynamic coastal dune spit: the impact of morphological change on dune slacks at Whiteford Burrows, South Wales, UK

Whiteford Burrows is a coastal dune spit wetland in South Wales that is susceptible to morphological change. The height of the ridge of groundwater within the sand aquifer is essentially proportional to the width of the spit. The water table elevation impacts both the frequency and duration of slack flooding events and, therefore, slack ecology. A severe late winter storm event on 17 March 1995 caused extensive erosion of the foreshore, reducing the effective width of the dune system by 4 % and the water table elevation by up to 1 m. This observed relationship allows water level elevations in the dune system to be hindcast using historical maps and air photos which record past change in dune morphology. These historical data indicate that the dunes were relatively broad in the nineteenth century and the slacks were humid and liable to regular winter flooding. The system slowly dried out towards the 1940s as the spit thinned, when subsequent widening allowed the water table to rise and once again flood slack floors in winter. Despite these changes, the alkalinity of the Whiteford Burrows dune system has inhibited organic matter accumulation and maintained conditions needed for the persistence of a diverse basiphilous vegetation assemblage in many of the slacks.     

The importance of coastal sand dunes for terrestrial invertebrates in Wales and the UK,with particular reference to aculeate Hymenoptera (bees,wasps &; ants)

Although most UK sand dune systems are now fossilized, with little mobility and reducing amounts of bare sand, they support important populations and assemblages of terrestrial invertebrates. Offering open conditions, warm substrates and a range of habitats and habitat structures, they have become increasingly significant as other coastal habitats have been lost. In Wales, 680 Red Data Book and Nationally Scarce species have been recorded from dunes. 109 species in the UK are restricted to dunes, and in Wales there are an additional 145 species confined to dunes and 208 species strongly associated with dunes. Of these, 172 species are dependent upon bare and sparsely-vegetated sand, in grey dunes and early-successional dune grassland, at some stage of their life cycle, rising to 292 species if those associated with the strandline, foredunes, yellow dunes and pioneer dune slacks are included, equating to 63% of the 462 dune species. Bees and wasps are particularly well represented, with 278 species (68% of the Welsh fauna) recorded on Welsh dunes, including 17 obligates and 44 species with a strong dependence, 52 of which are associated with bare and sparsely-vegetated sand. Key to maintaining invertebrate populations on UK dunes is the provision of bare sand but in Wales, bare sand accounts for only 1.7% of the total sand dune resource. As a more appropriate bare sand threshold is likely to range between 10 and 30%, radical action is required to re-mobilize at least the key sand dune systems.     

Integrated shoreline management and tourism development on the cross-border World Heritage Site: A case study from the Curonian spit (Lithuania/Russia)

The varied and very dynamic landscape with a high biological diversity is a distinctive feature of the Curonian spit at the regional scale. Throughout the 20th century the main morphodynamic trend in the littoral of the Curonian spit was shoreline grading on the lagoon side, whereas on the marine side the increasing erosion at the foot of the spit, and increasing accretion at the head of the spit prevailed. The results of a discriminant analysis (Wilkes’ λ = 0.001626 and F = 29.267 when p < 0.001) show that sites with prevailing erosion, accretion and sediment input from the drifting dunes form regular inter-related spatial structures in the littoral with distinctive resulting discontinuities of the sediment drift along the lagoon coast. Dune littoral cells are characterized by Aeolian sediment input and distribution ‘down-drift’, (usually northwards) from the source. The most likely changes in the current development trends of the lagoon shore zone of the Curonian spit are related to expected climate changes and further slowing down of the dune drift. The probability of storms and ice-drift events, and their impact on coasts is expected to increase as a result of climate change. The dune advance will gradually slow down, and with it, the sand input to the coastal zone will decline. In this paper, we define integrated shoreline management as a system of long-term shoreline management measures, which is based on a littoral cell approach and aimed at harmonizing human activity in the coastal zone with the natural development of the shoreline. We propose an integrated management program for the lagoon shoreline of the Curonian spit, which is site-specific for each littoral cell as a coastal management unit. Drifting dunes and seaside beaches are the natural amenities, which are best known and best appreciated on the Curonian spit by 49% of the respondents representing the total Lithuanian population. A responsible tourism development should be considered as the key means for proper appreciation of the drifting dunes and natural coasts by society, which means to acknowledge and cherish the aesthetic and conservation values of dune and coastal landscapes of the Curonian spit as a World Heritage Site. There are at least two pre-conditions for this: (1) to provide visitors with sufficient information about diverse values and functions of the Curonian dunes and coasts within a broader regional and global heritage conservation context; (2) to enable tourists to enjoy the most impressive dune and coastal landscapes at close range. In this paper we propose to encourage active dune tourism, to reintroduce grazing into the Curonian dune areas, to restore and to preserve the most impressive landscapes of the highest white drifting dunes by bringing the blown out sand from the leeward foot of the dunes back to the crest artificially.     

Current status and future restoration of coastal dune systems on the Catalan shoreline (Spain,NW Mediterranean Sea)

Coastal dunes are an essential part of beach-dune systems. Dunes systems have their own intrinsic values and provide a range of goods and services, including the protection of tangible goods located on the shoreline affected by waves, storms, and sea erosion. Dunes also act as repositories of biodiversity that have their exclusive habitat in dune communities, and the aesthetic value of dune landscapes derived from unique plant communities and landforms is also of great importance. Nevertheless, dune systems on developed coasts suffered a drastic decline in geomorphological and ecological quality throughout the last century. Catalonia (Spain, NW Mediterranean Sea) is no exception, and the coastal dune systems which were present in the early 20th century have now disappeared due to urbanization. The regeneration of dune systems is of crucial importance in this context. The aim of this study is to assess the current status of dune systems in Catalonia in order to determine their future prospects based on beach characteristics, those beaches likely to host dunes being determined according to their width and sediment type. The results of our study show that nowadays most dune systems in Catalonia are not developed due to human pressure on the beaches. Only those beaches located in the natural protected areas in Roses Bay, Baix Ter Bay, the Llobregat Delta, and especially the Ebro Delta, have the right characteristics to host well-developed dune systems. That said, 30% of sandy beaches in Catalonia have a width of over 35 metres; wide enough to host well-developed dune systems if appropriate integrated beach management is applied. The methodology used in this research also provide a tool to assess which are the beaches that can host dunes on other developed shores in the Mediterranean area.     

Decision making in dune management: theory and practice

Effective decision making depends upon the availability of quality information. Procedures involved in assessing dune vulnerability and protection require monitoring of sporadic processes and information must be collected from many discipline sources. In particular, a significant challenge to strategic management is recognition of subtle discontinuities which could undermine the long term stability of the dune system. These changes may be irregular and/or non linear requiring managers to be aware of existing parameters, patterns and emerging discontinuities. A range of components within the system should be measured on a systematic, temporal and spatial basis. An environmentalchecklist is a useful management technique which systematises information, so that strategic objectives can be made operational and achievable. Problems can be identified and solved with this methodology particularly if it is incorporated into aW problem solving model. The checklist procedure proposed in this paper has been developed and tested in field conditions for a range of north-west and south-European dune systems. Whereas a universalchecklist applicable to all systems is utopian in aim, intra and extra-regional comparisons can be undertaken with only minor modifications of some components. Parameters covering site and dune morphology, beach condition; surface character of the seaward 200 m of the dunes; pressure of use and recent protection measures are the basis for calculating vulnerability and protection indices. The balance between these indices can be determined, analysed and form the foundation for future informed management decisions.     

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.     

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.     

Inventory and conservation assessment for the management of coastal dunes,Veneto coasts,Italy

Management of coastal dunes on developed coasts could effectively take advantage of comprehensive and multitemporal georeferenced data collection, which offers the possibility to relate dune data with the natural and cultural characteristics of the beach and hinterland. The recent implementation of a coastal management geodatabase for the Veneto region provides the opportunity for improving knowledge on coastal dunes on developed littoral as well as a basis for appropriate future coastal planning in the study area. The geodatabase gathers data concerning different physical, evolutionary and human aspects of the coastal zone, with a special focus on coastal dunes. Established foredunes, human-altered dunes and relict dunes are irregularly distributed along 59 km, 38% of the entire coastal length. Their distribution and characteristics are the result of favourable natural conditions as well as long-lasting tourism exploitation (evaluated through an index of Land Use Pressure) and fragmentary and diversified uses of beaches (evaluated through an index of Tourism Pressure on the beach). At the same time, beach/dune nourishment intervention allowed the presence of artificial or sand fenced dunes along 17 km of coast. High dune elevation up to 8–10 m is promoted by the onshore exposition of the beach to dominant wind (from ENE), by stable-to-slowly negative sedimentary budget or by the re-activation of high relict foredunes in the case of shoreline retreat associated with strong negative budget. Present sedimentary budget (evaluated through the code ASPE – Accretion, Stable, Precarious, Erosive) is the tool used for dividing coasts in sedimentary compartments or cells. Past and present sedimentary budget and different human responses to erosive cases (hard and soft interventions) give the foredunes different means to form, grow, survive and evolve over time. The assessment of Human Impact and Active Management Practices on the dunes allows a first evaluation of the Management Effectiveness, which shows strong shortcomings for 81% of the dunes. The great variability of beach usage, human impact and management practises on the different dune stretches highlight the lack of effective and systematic management actions being correctly scheduled and performed.     

Changes in landscape and vegetation of coastal dunes in northwest Europe: a review

In coastal dunes, landscape changes are a rule, rather than an exception. This paper gives an overview of changes in landscape and vegetation with a focus on the past century. The history of dunes is characterised by phases of sand drift, alternated with geomorphological stability. The historical development of dune woodland during these stable phases has been documented for sites all over Europe. Vegetation reconstructions of historical open dune habitats however is very difficult due to limited preservation of fossil remains. People have drastically altered coastal dune landscapes through centuries of exploitation and more recently development of the coast. Historical land use has generally pushed vegetation back into a semi-natural state. During roughly the past century a tendency of increasing fixation and succession is observed on coastal dunes throughout northwest Europe. Six causes of change are discussed. 1) Changes in land use, mainly abandonment of agricultural practices, have led to the development of late successional stages such as scrub and woodland. 2) Crashing rabbit populations due to myxomatosis in the 1950s caused vigorous grass growth and probably stimulated scrub development. 3) A general tendency of landscape fixation is observed due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. 4) Eutrophication, mainly due to atmospheric nitrogen deposition is clearly linked to grass encroachment on acidic but also on some calcareous dunes. 5) The impact of climate change on vegetation is still unclear but probably lengthening of growing season and maybe enhanced CO₂ concentrations have led to an acceleration of succession. 6) A general anthropogenisation of the landscape occurs with rapid spread of non-native species as an important consequence. The reconstruction of a natural reference landscape is considered largely unattainable because of irreversible changes and the long tradition of human impact, in many cases since the development of the dunes. Two contradictory elements need reconciliation. First, the general acceleration of succession and scrub and woodland development in particular is partly caused by a decreased anthropogenic interference in the landscape and deserves more appreciation. Second, most biodiversity values are largely linked to open, early succession dune habitats and are threatened by the same tendency. Apart from internal nature management, in which grazing plays an important part, re-mobilisation of stable, senescent dunes is an important challenge for dune management.     

Soil microarthropods (Acari,Collembola) from beach and dune: characteristics and ecosystem context

Soil microarthropods (Acari, Collembola) were analyzed along transects from shore to brown dune in two sandy coastal sites of the North Sea (Jutland, Denmark, and Spiekeroog, East Frisian island, Germany). Predatory mites (Acari: Gamasina) and Collembola were determined to species. The Jutland and the Spiekeroog sites each yielded 22 Gamasina species, 10 of which are common to both areas. Collembola were identified from the Spiekeroog samples only (also 22 species). Largest mite abundances were found in Jutland in primary dunes (419 tsd. ind./m²) and on Spiekeroog in old brown dunes (314 tsd.ind./m²). Compared to the mites, Collembola abundances are low, with maxima of 77 tsd.ind./m² in Jutland (yellow dune) and only 18 tsd. ind./m² on Spiekeroog (old vellow dune). The communities of predatory mites (Gamasina) and Collembola along transects from shore inland to brown dune are quite specific. High similarities are found for the predatory mites between the specific dune sites of the two North Sea areas, particularly for yellow dune. Additionally, preliminary data are presented for the southern Baltic Coast. The findigns are discussed in a broader context. Arguments focus on conservation and biogenic dune stabilization.     

Influence of infrastructure development on the vegetation community structure of coastal dunes: Jeffreys Bay,South Africa

Coastal dunes are increasingly at risk due to pressures deriving from global climate change, sea level rise, recreation and development. The consequences of the “coastal squeeze” in which dunes are placed, such as erosion and the loss of critical ecosystem services, are usually followed by expensive restoration and protection measures, many of which are unsuccessful. Due to the poor understanding and acknowledgement of the key attributes of coastal dunes in decision making processes, it is essential to provide scientific data on the impacts of human interference on coastal dunes so as to inform executives and guide them towards a sustainable management of the coastal zone. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of five different levels of infrastructure development on the vegetation community structure of coastal dunes in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. The effects of infrastructure development on dune vegetation were quantified by measuring the richness, diversity, cover, height and composition of plant species. With an increase in infrastructure development a significant decrease in dune width, average species richness and height of the plants occurred, accompanied by a shift in plant community composition. The foredunes that were backed immediately by infrastructure presented significantly greater species richness, diversity, cover and height compared with the foredunes abutted by primary dunes. This study demonstrated that coastal dunes are environments which are sensitive to varying levels of human impact. Informed and comprehensive management planning of these environments is therefore imperative for the restoration and maintenance of remnant dunes and for the conservation of undeveloped coastal dunes.     

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.     

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.     

Physical damage to coastal dunes and ecological impacts caused by vehicle tracks associated with beach camping on sandy shores: a case study from Fraser Island,Australia

As coastal populations expand, demands for recreational opportunities on beaches and coastal dunes grow correspondingly. Although dunes are known to be sensitive to direct human disturbance and provide irreplaceable ecosystem services (e.g. erosion control, critical habitat and nesting sites), dunes serve as campsites for large numbers of people (∼90,000 p.a.) on the ocean-exposed shores of Fraser Island, Australia. Campsites are located in the established dunes and can only be accessed with 4WD vehicles along tracks cut directly from the beach through the foredunes. Here we quantified the extent of physical damage to foredunes caused by this practice, and tested whether human-induced physical changes to foredunes translate into biological effects. Of the 124 km of ocean-exposed beaches, 122 km (98%) are open to vehicles driven on the beaches, and camping zones cover 28.7 km or 23% of the dunes. A total of 235 vehicle tracks are cut across the foredunes at an average density of eight tracks per km of beach. These tracks have effectively destroyed one-fifth (20.2%) of the dune front in camping zones, deeply incising the dune-beach interface. There is evidence of accelerated erosion and shoreline retreat centred around vehicle tracks, resulting in a “scalloping” of the shoreline. No dune vegetation remains in the tracks and the abundance of ghost crabs (Ocypode spp.) is significantly reduced compared with the abutting dunes. Because current levels of environmental change caused by dune camping may not be compatible with the sustainable use of coastal resources and conservation obligations for the island (listed as a World Heritage Area and gazetted as a National Park), restoration and mitigation interventions are critical. These will require spatial prioritisation of effort, and we present a multi-criteria ranking method, based on quantitative measures of environmental damage and ecological attributes, to objectively target rehabilitation and conservation measures. Ultimately, coastal management needs to develop and implement strategies that reconcile demands for human recreation, including beach camping, with conservation of coastal dune ecosystems.     

A CFD study of wind patterns over a desert dune and the effect on seed dispersion

In the Namib Desert seed distribution is greatly influenced by wind patterns. Existing literature regarding wind patterns over dunes focuses on two-dimensional simulations of flow over simplified dune structures. The three-dimensional geometries of the sand dunes suggests far more complex flow features exist, which are not captured by two-dimensional simulations. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to reproduce the three-dimensional near surface wind patterns around a dune with the aim to learn more about seed distribution. Field work included terrain mapping, wind speed, direction and temperature metering. The CFD results show the expected two-dimensional flow features of high pressure at the dune toe, low pressure at the crest and flow acceleration up windward slope. Also observed are some three-dimensional flow features such as a spiral vortex near the crest and transverse flow due to crest-line curvature of the dune. It was also observed how the wall shear stress differs due to the three-dimensional shape of the dune. The wall shear stress suggests that seed accumulation is more likely to occur behind trailing (down-wind) crest edges. Particle tracking showed how seeds tend to move over the dune crest and recirculate towards the crest on the lee-side. The study showed that adding the third dimension makes the simulations more complex, adds to computational requirements and increases simulation time but also provides vital flow information which is not possible with two-dimensional simulations.     

Contrasting ecology of prograding coastal dunes on the northwest coast of Ireland

This paper examines the influence of dune morphological evolution on plant species diversity and composition on the Magheramore dune system, Donegal, north-west Ireland. It aims to demonstrate the need for understanding of local geomorphological factors and their affect on ecological processes for the enhanced conservation management of coastal dunes. Vegetation surveys and cluster analysis of species associations, in combination with GIS analysis focused on two prograding dune sites within the Magheramore system. Contrasting geomorphic evolution over similar timescales has imposed site-specific environmental conditions that have had a direct impact on the range of plant species communities present. Cluster analysis revealed 5 main species community types that defined specific dune habitats, the organisation of which is strongly influenced by geomorphic evolution. This study demonstrates the importance of geomorphic evolution and morphological heterogeneity in habitat and species diversity.     

Evolution of a sediment-starved,over-stabilised dunefield: Kenfig Burrows,South Wales,UK

The past few decades have seen a progressive reduction in the extent of mobile dune systems and early successional stage habitats in many parts of NW Europe. The evidence suggests that a number of factors have contributed to this process, but their relative importance remains uncertain. This paper examines the nature and possible causes of geomorphological and vegetation changes at Kenfig Burrows, South Wales, a site of European nature conservation importance. This dune system is interpreted to have evolved from a sand barrier system which formerly existed to seaward of the present shoreline and which moved landwards and broke down during the later Holocene, driven by rising sea level and periods of more frequent storms. Most of the inland sand invasion occurred during the Little Ice Age, and large-scale sand-blowing continued until the early twentieth century, by which time the shoreline in the area had reached a state of quasi-equilibrium and a trend towards stabilization began, encouraged by exhaustion of marine sand supply and a change towards warmer, wetter and less windy conditions. Stabilization after the 1940–50s was also favoured by other factors, including reduced grazing by livestock and rabbits, reduced physical disturbance, increased nitrogen deposition, and sand dune management measures. By the 1980s the dunes were almost entirely stabilized. Natural reactivation of the surface sand is unlikely given the existing balance between the factors which favour dune mobility (frequent occurrence of sand-moving winds and high sand supply), and those which encourage vegetation growth and dune stability (high precipitation, high temperatures, low wind speeds, high rates of nitrogen deposition and low grazing / disturbance pressure). Since 2012 trials have been underway to determine if it is possible to increase the mobility of the dune system through intervention measures, including turf stripping and creation of artificial ‘notches’ to increase local wind speeds and sand-transport, but it will be several years before the effectiveness of these measures is known.     

Conservation and management of the mediterranean coastal sand dunes in Israel

The aims of this study are to review the current situation of the Israeli Mediterranean coastal sand dunes, to examine the causes for this situation, and to propose options for future conservation and management of the protected dune areas based on ecological, environmental, landscape and recreational demands and interests. The coastal dunes of Israel are characterized by diverse plant communities, with 173 plant species occurring on sand (8.2% of the total flora of Israel) including many endemic species (26% of all endemic species in Israel). Most of the species are annuals. The importance of the coastal strip as a centre of floral and faunal speciation is also manifested in the existing sand-bound animals. However, many species are rare. This is mainly due to the extensive industrial and urban development along the coastal plain and the direct and indirect destruction of the remaining open dune areas by tourism, recreation and sand mining. Only ca. 17% of the Israeli coastal dunes are still of good or reasonable ecological value, while < 5% of this area has been designated as protected area. Management policies differ from place to place and depend on local objectives. These objectives derive mainly from the knowledge and data that exist for each location, and its statutory status. Since 1995 several projects, which aim to develop integrated management tools for nature conservation and recreation uses for all coastal sand dunes in Israel have been conducted. These projects are summarized in the present paper.     

An evaluation of the vegetation developed after artificially stabilizing South African coastal dunes with indigenous species

A total of 17 sites along the eastern Cape coastline, which had been established with indigenous species, were sampled to assess species composition and abundance. The areas sampled ranged from small blowout dunes of 1 ha, to extensive transverse dune fields of 134 ha; age at the time of sampling ranged from 2 to 20 yr. The total mean percentage cover and density, alpha diversity and importance values of all the species were calculated and used to describe each site. A TWINSPAN analysis grouped sites of similar localities, mainly on the basis of their species composition. A DECORANA plot revealed that axis 1 corresponded to the position of sites along the coastline rather than other factors, such as age. The variability in species composition was related more to the types of species used for stabilization, rather than the natural distribution of the indigenous dune vegetation. The species ordination showed a similar gradient, and it was possible from this analysis to determine which species were more commonly used and better suited for dune stabilization. It is concluded that successful stabilization can be achieved using indigenous species.