Sand dunes - Coastal vegetation and flora

Coastal dunes, often referred to as sand dunes, form where there is a readily available
supply of sand-sized sediment and are located landward of the beach in the supratidal
zone. Dunes are found worldwide along sandy coasts. hey protect settlements in the coastal
zone against wave damage and flooding. However, they are not equally well developed
everywhere.

A dune is a landform composed of wind- or

water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of
a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is
called a dune system or a dune complex.

The size and morphology of coastal dunes is dependent on the complex interaction
between controlling winds, sediment supply, and the geomorphology of the nearshore and
beach environment.
Classification of Coastal Dunes
It’s easy to look at a sand dune and just see a pile of sand, but lots of different factors
and processes are involved in making a coastal sand dune system.

Embryo dunes
Embryo dunes are the youngest sand dunes. They are
the earliest stage in a dune’s life. These dunes face
the beach, are made up of mostly exposed sand, and
are also the smallest dune stage – reaching just up to
a few meters tall. Here pioneer species like couch or
lime grass are the first to colonize the sand and begin
to stabilize it with their long roots. These embryo
dunes are often only present in the summer and can
be washed away by high tides or winter storms, but
will form again each year.
Fore Dune
Behind the embryo dune, the fore dune often stands a few meters taller, with marram grass
stabilizing it a little more than the younger dunes, and more vegetation cover compared to
completely bare sand. As more plants grow in the sand, this type of dune is more resilient to
storms, so it can stay in the same position for a number of years.
Dune Slack
Sand dunes are separated by dips, called dune slacks. Slacks are
formed in two ways – either when a new dune ridge forms in front
of a low-lying area which cuts it off from the sea, or when a dune
blowout forms in an area that's got lots of vegetation, exposing a
dip of bare sand. Where these low areas are low enough to meet the
dune water table, freshwater pools can form. These slacks are
fantastic habitats for dune wildlife such as natter jack toads, which
use the pools for breeding.

Semi-fixed Dune
With plant roots now reaching deep into the dune, semi-fixed
dunes are pretty stable, but you can still see exposed sand on
their surface which is able to move. These dunes will
continue to accrete sand from the beach and, the sand on
these dunes can be blown over the ridge and inland to grow
the dunes behind them. These are also known as yellow
dunes because of the color of the sand.
Fixed Dune
As you move further away from the beach, the dunes become less yellow in
colour and begin to turn grey. This is because these dunes are starting to build up
more humus (the broken-down organic plant matter which is found in soil) from
the diverse plant life and bacteria which now lives in these stable dunes. These
dunes are also better at holding in water, making them able to support larger
shrubs.

Mature Dune
Mature dunes are the furthest away from
the beach, are the oldest dunes in sand
dune system and often have very little
exposed sand. Lots of broken down
organic plant and animal matter in the very
stable sand make these inland dunes
accessible to some larger plants and even
trees.
Processes that influence dune formation

Dune formation is influenced by many factors, in

particular:
- sediment supply
- beach morphology
- wind regime
- wave climate
- storms
- grain size
- Aeolian sand transport
- vegetation
- over wash
Development of an embryo dune induced by
sand trapping marram grass (Ammophila
arenaria).
 Mangrove swamps and forests
Mangrove forests, also
called mangrove swamps, mangrove
thickets or mangals, are
productive wetlands that occur in
coastal intertidal zones.
Mangrove forests grow mainly at tropical
and subtropical latitudes
because mangrove trees cannot
withstand freezing temperatures. There
are about 80 different species of
mangrove trees. All of these trees grow in
areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-
moving waters allow fine sediments to
accumulate

Mangrove forests stabilize the coastline, reducing

erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and
tides. The intricate root system of mangroves also
makes these forests attractive to fish and other
organisms seeking food and shelter from
predators.
How Mangrove Forest Is Created?

These mangrove forests are usually formed in saline, muddy and

partially waterlogged areas of the coast. Due to the saline soil, the roots
of these forest trees are quite scattered; But does not penetrate deep
into the soil. The tides have a direct effect on the creation of this forest.
Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, and Niger account for 43 percent of the
world’s mangrove forests. Located in Bangladesh, the Sundarbans is
the single largest mangrove forest in the world, which is recognized by
the world as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also designated as a
natural wonder.
Characteristics of Mangrove
Forest:
Compared to other forests,
mangrove forests are very different.
Its features are mentioned below-

- These forests are formed in the

saline, muddy and waterlogged
areas of the coast.
- The environment of this forest is
unfavorable for common plants.
- In saline soils the roots of the tree
are well spread but do not
penetrate deep into the soil.
- The effect of tides in the creation
of this forest is direct.
- Most of the seeds germinate while
they are in the tree as the seeds are
washed away by the tides.
- Locally in Bangladesh this forest is
called para forest.
Features of Mangroves:
Saline environment: They can survive under extreme hostile environments such as high
salt and low oxygen conditions.
Low oxygen: Underground tissue of any plant needs oxygen for respiration. But in
a mangrove environment, the oxygen in soil is limited or nil.

Hence the mangrove root system absorbs oxygen from the atmosphere.
Mangroves have special roots for this purpose called breathing roots
or pneumatophores.
These roots have numerous pores through which oxygen enters the
underground tissues.
Survival in Extreme Conditions: With their roots submerged in water, mangrove
trees thrive in hot, muddy, salty conditions that would quickly kill most plants.
Succulent leaves: Mangroves, like desert plants, store fresh water in thick
succulent leaves.

A waxy coating on the leaves seals in water and minimizes evaporation.

Viviparous: Their seeds germinate while still attached to the parent tree. Once
germinated, the seedling grows into a propagule.

The mature propagule then drops into the water and gets transported to a
different spot, eventually taking root in a solid ground.
Types of Mangrove Forest
From the mangrove forest, the people
of the coastal area get important
goods and services in their daily life.
Such forests mainly consist of trees,
herbs, shrubs and a small number of
palm and herbaceous plants.
According to The World
Conservation Union (IUCN), there
are a total of 61 species of mangrove
trees in the world. More than 100
species of trees including Sundari,
Gewa, Keora, Pashur, Bain, Crab etc.
grow in the Sundarbans. At least 28
of these trees are true mangroves. In
the mangrove forest, most of the
seeds germinate while they are still in
the tree as the seeds of the tree are
washed away by the tides.
Types of Mangrove
Benefits of Mangrove Forest:
Needs and benefits of mangrove forest- Bangladesh is a disaster prone region in the
world. Every year, cyclones, tidal waves, tornadoes and sea storms cause extensive damage
and loss of life in the coastal areas of the country. Mangrove forests play the most important
role in the prevention of these disasters.

Economic importance of the Mangrove: Every element of the Sundarbans is a very

valuable resource. The most valuable of the trees in the Sundarbans is the wood of the animal
tree. Besides, the wood of the beautiful Gewa tree also has a reputation in the country and
abroad. Because its wood is used to make pencil wood, match sticks, newsprint paper,
everyday furniture, boats, etc. In addition, the Sundarbans fishery is a major source of income,
from which it is possible to earn a lot of money without any investment. The beekeepers
procure large quantities of honey and beeswax from the Sundarbans, which meet the country’s
honey demand as well as provide employment. Apart from these, the Sundarbans is famous
for a variety of animals and birds. About 42 species of animals live in the Sundarbans. Which
has not only enriched the Sundarbans but also enriched the economy of this country. Every
year timber, fish and animals are exported from here to home and abroad. Which is boosting
the economy of Bangladesh.
The world’s largest mangrove forest has given Bangladesh infinite status in the world. Besides
meeting the demand of the country, its resources are being exported abroad. The impact of the
Sundarbans on the environment of this country is also immense. So this forest must be kept
free from all evil deeds. Because the world’s largest mangrove forest is not only ours but the
whole world.
 List of Mangrove Forest in the World
Sundarbans
Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
Florida Mangroves
Bahia Mangroves
Godavari-Krishna Mangroves
Gulf of Panama Mangroves
Indus River Delta-Arabian Sea Mangroves
Belizean Coast Mangroves
Greater Antilles mangroves
Manabi Mangroves
Indochina mangroves
Myanmar coast mangroves
Sunda Shelf mangroves
Amapá mangroves
Esmeraldes-Pacific Colombia mangroves
Guianan mangroves
Maranhão mangroves
Northern Honduras mangroves
Pará mangroves
Mayan Corridor mangroves
 Mangroves - Keystone of a coastal ecosystem

Nursery grounds

Home to many species

Food for the multitudes

Clean water

A stable coastline

Shelter from the storm

Resources for humans

 “Mangroves are like the kindergarten,
seagrasses are the secondary schools, and coral
reefs are the high schools and colleges for
fishes! And, once [the fishes] graduate from
university, they return to kindergarten to
spawn."