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Vegetation Succession

Vegetation Succession. Sand Dunes. V A VANNET. Plant Succession. Evolution of plant communities From pioneer species to climax vegetation Related to change in the environment Change brought about by the plants themselves This change then favours new species

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Vegetation Succession

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  1. Vegetation Succession Sand Dunes V A VANNET

  2. Plant Succession • Evolution of plant communities • From pioneer species to climax vegetation • Related to change in the environment • Change brought about by the plants themselves • This change then favours new species • ‘Plants are the architects of their own demise’

  3. Sand Dune Transect

  4. The Foreshore Salty Blowing sand Dry

  5. Saltwort Fleshy leavesstorewater Low growing Deep tap roots

  6. Sandwort Waxy leaves

  7. Sea Rocket Fleshy, waxy leaves Tap roots

  8. Frosted orache Long tap roots ‘Mealy’ leaves are salt repellant

  9. Couch grass Withstands modest burial Leaves prostrate Tolerates salt

  10. Saltwort Frosted orache Couch Grass

  11. Embryo Dunes Highest tide line On shore winds Scatteredforeshore plants Seaweed (humus) Sand builds up

  12. Level of built-up sand

  13. Embryo dune Frosted orache

  14. Foredunes Lyme grass (salt tolerant) Couch grass (salt tolerant)

  15. Mobile (yellow) dunes Marram grass

  16. Marram grass • Cannot tolerate salt • ‘Thrives’ on being buried by sand • Inrolled leaves • Long tap roots • Underground rhizomes stabilise dunes

  17. Much bare sand hence ‘yellow’

  18. Ragwort Marram

  19. Less bare sand • More humus • Lower pH • Less Marram • More ‘competitors’

  20. Fixed (grey) dunes Other species dominate Marram more sparse and weaker

  21. Increasing floristic diversity Harebells Restharrow Bedstraw

  22. Parasol mushrooms More humus and soil moisture

  23. Why ‘grey’? Lichens

  24. Marram now very sparse Ground cover almost complete

  25. Dune slacks Lower relief intersects water table Main dune ridge

  26. Phragmites reeds

  27. Rushes

  28. Seasonal slack Creeping willow Rushes

  29. Main dune ridge Slack Cotton grass Dune heath

  30. Final stages of succession Grassland Heathland Alkaline shell sand Acid mineral sand

  31. Dune Scrub (often spinous!) Buckthorn Dog rose Gorse

  32. Mixed WoodlandClimax Man’s activities usually prevents this from developing

  33. Back on the foreshore….. New embryo dunes are forming….

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