The Role of Vegetation in Incipient Dune and Foredune Development and Morphology: A Review

Abstract

Vegetation is the principal boundary condition on the coast for foredune development, both by trapping sand and protecting it from erosion. Plants that colonise beaches and dunes grow in a variety of forms and have different life cycles. Plant characteristics (e.g., leaf length, width) are important in the initiation of a dune, and their interaction with sand being transported inland from the beach is highly variable. This review aimed to identify gaps in knowledge regarding the influence of specific plant species on dune morphological processes. Many studies that relate the influence of vegetation on dune morphology are of a descriptive and qualitative nature. These studies record elements ..