Coastal Strand, Beaches, and Dunes

Description

Maritime woodlands typically occur on the backside of relatively stable dunes that are not immediately adjacent to the shoreline. They tend to be relatively protected from wind driven sand and salt spray, but they may still display salt spray pruning and maritime wind shaping.

(FNAI, 2010; Schafale and Weakley, 1990)

Dominant plant species

1. live oak (Quercus virginiana), tree

2. redbay (Persea borbonia), tree

3. pignut hickory (Carya glabra), tree

4. eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), tree

5. American holly (Ilex opaca), tree

6. yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), shrub

7. wax myrtle (Morella cerifera), shrub

Submodel

Description

Maritime scrub occurs on relatively stable dunes exposed to the pruning impacts of salt spray. It typically occurs on foredune positions and often occurs between maritime grassland and maritime woodland across a gradient of protection from wind driven sand and salt spray. The canopy height of maritime scrub is specifically less than 5 m. Taller canopy height classifies as maritime woodland.

The maritime scrub community can either be a developmental stage as woody vegetation establishes and grows on a site as it ultimately develops into a maritime woodland, or salt and sand spray can maintain this community and prevent it from ever developing to a maritime woodland.

(FNAI, 2010; Schafale and Weakley, 1990)

Dominant plant species

1. yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), shrub

2. Hercules' club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis), shrub

3. eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), shrub

4. live oak (Quercus virginiana), shrub

Submodel

Description

Maritime grasslands typically occupy environments where aeolian processes are most active including active dune settings. They tend to form in two ways. As barrier islands build seaward, they develop new dune ridges along the shore which protect inland ridges. Alternatively, as a beach recovers from an over wash event, it will develop a new foredune which will protect the over wash area behind it. The vegetation community of maritime grasslands is very similar to the vegetation community on coastal sands, but with the addition of some species more characteristic of more stable soils.

Dominant plant species

1. earleaf greenbrier (Smilax auriculata), shrub

2. seaoats (Uniola paniculata), grass

3. bitter panicgrass (Panicum amarum), grass

4. saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens), grass

Submodel

Description

This community occupies the most stressful environments on this site most exposed to wind driven sands, salt spray, and over wash. This community tends to be located on the upper beach or first fore dune of a coastal strand, beach, dune complex. Vegetation cover tends to be relatively sparse.

Dominant plant species

1. seacoast marsh elder (Iva imbricata), shrub

2. seaoats (Uniola paniculata), grass

3. bitter panicgrass (Panicum amarum), grass

4. saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens), grass

5. American searocket (Cakile edentula), grass

6. dixie sandmat (Chamaesyce bombensis), grass

Submodel

Description

Urban development on the coastal strand can be a risky proposition. Aeolian sands are constantly shifting, and these locations are highly exposed to the risks of sea-level rise and storm events.

Submodel