United States
£ GBP
Coastal zones are becoming increasingly topical (and politically sensitive) as they face relentless pressures from urban expansion, recreational development, and sea level rise due to climate change. This timely book provides a comprehensive introduction to the formation, dynamics, maintenance, and perpetuation of coastal sand dune systems. It describes the interactions between living organisms and the physical processes of geomorphology. A global range of examples enhance the book's international appeal. Based on the research presented in The Biology of Coastal Sand Dunes, simple to complex field studies and experiments could be designed at undergraduate and graduate levels to illustrate various biological principles.
This accessible book is intended for a diverse audience; as an invaluable reference for researchers who study coastal dune systems and for novice researchers requiring a sound introduction to the subject. This book is suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in coastal zone management, plant ecology, restoration ecology, and conservation biology, as well as the many professional ecologists and conservation biologists requiring a concise but authoritative overview of the topic. The Biology of Coastal Sand Dunes also will be of relevance and use to coastal managers, planners, naturalists, and anyone pursuing a greater understanding of coastal sand dunes.
Preface
Anwar Maun obituary
1: Geomorphology
2: The sand dune environment
3: Seed dispersal
4: Seed banks
5: Seed germination and seedling establishment
6: Burial by sand
7: The Ammophila problem
8: Salt spray and soil salinity
9: Mycorrhizal fungi
10: Animal-plant interactions
11: Plant communities
12: Zonation and succession
13: Dune systems in relation to rising seas
Glossary
References
Index
"[...] the book is a mine of information, especially from a historical point of view, and provides a refreshing reminder of the efforts of past researchers [...] This posthumous work is to be greatly welcomed as it is the synthesis of a lifetime of perspective observation and experimentation into coastal duno systems throughout the world, and is an excellent addition to any ecological library, public or private."
– Annals of Botany
