Coastal dunes have been substantially altered by human activities. Many are already severely and irreversibly degraded. Although these ecosystems have been studied for a long time (as early as 1835), there has been a strong emphasis on the mid-latitude dune systems and a lack of attention given to the tropics where, unfortunately, much of the modern exploitation and coastal development for tourism is occurring. This book brings together coastal dune specialists from tropical and temperate latitudes, which together cover a wide set of topics, including: geomorphology, community dynamics, ecophysiology, biotic interactions and environmental problems and conservation. A major product of this book is a set of recommendations for future research, identifying relevant topics where detailed knowledge is still lacking. It also identifies management tools that will promote and maintain the rich diversity of the dune environments in the context of continuing coastal development.

Leads to a better understanding of dune ecosystems and to the generation of improved conservation and management strategies Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt
What Are Sand Dunes?.- A Perspective on Coastal Dunes.- The Coastal Foredune: A Morphological Basis for Regional Coastal Dune Development.- Coastal Dunes in the Tropics and Temperate Regions: Location, Formation, Morphology and Vegetation Processes.- The Flora and Fauna of Sand Dunes.- Temperate Zone Coastal Dunes.- Vegetation Dynamics and Succession on Sand Dunes of the Eastern Coasts of Africa.- Why Coastal Dune Slacks Sustain a High Biodiversity.- Coastal Dune Forest Rehabilitation: A Case Study on Rodent and Bird Assemblages in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.- Living in a Stressful Environment.- Burial of Plants as a Selective Force in Sand Dunes.- Physiological Characteristics of Coastal Dune Pioneer Species from the Eastern Cape, South Africa, in Relation to Stress and Disturbance.- Plant Functional Types in Coastal Dune Habitats.- Biotic Interactions.- Arbuscular Mycorrhizas in Coastal Dunes.- The Role of Algal Mats on Community Succession in Dunes and Dune Slacks.- PlantPlant Interactions in Coastal Dunes.- AntPlant Interactions: Their Seasonal Variation and Effects on Plant Fitness.- Environmental Problems and Conservation.- Environmental Problems and Restoration Measures in Coastal Dunes in the Netherlands.- The Costs of our Coasts: Examples of Dynamic Dune Management from Western Europe.- Animal Life on Coatal Dunes: From Exploitation and Prosecution to Protection and Monitoring.- Coastal Vegetation as Indicators for Conservation.- A Case Study of Conservation and Management of Tropical Sand Dune Systems: La ManchaEl Llano.- European Coastal Dunes: Ecological Values, Threats, Opportunities and Policy Development.- The Coastal Dune Paradox: Conservation vs Exploitation?.- The Fragility and Conservation of the World's Coastal Dunes:Geomorphological, Ecological and Socioeconomic Perspectives.