Sand Dune succession – summary

Type of Dune Characteristics Example of vegetation

Foredune o Annual plants Sand wort, Cakile maritima
o Rapid growing – exploit detritus deposited by water
o Reproduce then die
o Tolerable of high salt content (Halophytes)
Mobile Dune o Robust and perennial Marram Grass, Sea Bindweed
o Stimulated growth when covered
o Roots stabilise the sand dunes
o Add organic matter + aid water retention
o Still areas of bare sand
Yellow Dune o Species diversity increased – conditions less harsh Marram Grass, Red Fescue, Sea
(semi-fixed) o Small perennial flowering plants/mosses Spurge
o Soils dry/nutrient poor (little organic matter or humus)
o Marram grass dominance reduced – competition for water/nutrients
Grey Dune o Deeper Humus layer/organic matter Red Fescue, Heather, Gorse,
(fixed dune o Increased water retention Bracken
grassland) o Nitrogen main limiting factor – only provided from detritus
o Grazing maintains high species diversity by preventing taller species
becoming dominant

Sand Dune Succession Diagram

Increasing Species Diversity

Decreasing pH – due to increasing decomposition, increasing humic acid

5/6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8

Increasing Soil Moisture Content

Decreasing Salt Concentration in the soil