Species‐specific dune grass traits impact embryonic dune morphometrics

Résumé fourni par la source

Abstract Coastal dune systems are commonly restored, replanted, and replenished with sand as a first line of defense to protect coastal infrastructure and ecosystems. Dune plant traits are known to influence the shape and size of dunes, yet dune studies tend to focus on different stages of dune development (i.e., embryo, established foredune) and are short in duration (e.g., 1–2 growing seasons). We examined species‐specific dune growth and morphometrics in association with three dominant, native dune grasses along the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts: Ammophila breviligulata , Spartina patens , and Uniola paniculata . We planted grasses in monoculture plots on Hog Island, Virginia, USA, and measured annual vegetation growth along with dune shape and size morphometrics. After 3 years, all species accreted sand at similar rates, but U. paniculata plants were taller and produced dunes with longer alongshore and cross‐shore extents. A. breviligulata and S. patens dune shape and size did not significantly differ, but S. patens had wider variation in dune morphometrics. We hypothesize this to be a function of high trait variation in S. patens . Differences in how species and their traits affect dune shape and size may shift in response to climate variations across latitudes. Our findings can inform models of the early stages of dune formation and growth and provide insights of value to dune conservation or construction involving vegetation planting.

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