Coasta

I Ecosvstems

What is an ecosvstem?

A communityof plantsand animalsand the physicalenvironmentin whichthey live.

Whatarethe components
of an ecosvstem?

Non-living
Environment: LivingEnvironment:

- Relief/slope
of the land - Animals

- Water - Vegetation

- Sun lig h t - Insects

- Ai r

- Soil

- Rock

Successio
n
succession
occurring psammosere.
in a sanddunesystem:

Succession
occurring
in a saltmarshsystem:halosere.

What is the processof succession?

Ecosystemsundergochangethroughtime and over time the sequenceof vegetationon a site

- this is calledsuccession.
changes

Succession
is the changesin vegetationovertime in response
to the changingphysicalcondition

Ecological on previouslyun-vegetatedsites,suchas on sanddunes,mudflatsand salt

succession
marshesis knownas primarysuccession.
Theprocess
of succession:

Initiallyconditionsarevery harsh- only certain

speciessurvive(pioneerspecies).

Overtime the physicalenvironmentbecomesmore

favourableto plantgrowth(with changesin soil,
water availability
etc.)

As this occursvegetationbecomesmore diverse,

tallerand woodierin characterwith an increasein
biomass.

Eventually
the climaxcommunityis reached(best
suitedto the conditions)
- often a particularplant
speciesbecomesdominant.

IMPORTANT-
THEFOCUS
OFSUCCCESSION
ISCHANGE
OVERTIME.
 - psammoseres:
S a n dd u n esuccession

How do sanddunesdevelop?

Theyare an importantdepositionalfeatureformed by the wind (Aeolianprocesses).

Wheredo thev develop?

o Wherethere is a strongon-shorewind.
o Wherethere is a largesupplyof sand.
o Where there is a largeinter-tidalrangeso that largeareasof sandregularlydry out.

A simplesequenceof sandduneformation:

1. The wind movessanddried out at low tide inlandby: saltation,strongsheerforce as

wind blowsoverthe surfaceand ballisticimpactfrom othersandgrains.
2. An obstacle(e.g.driftwood)will halt saltationand resultin depositionand the
accumulationof sandwill pileup aroundthe obstacle.
3. Pioneerplants(e.g.marramgrass)cantoleratethe harshconditionsand will colonise
the area.Thisbreaksup the wind and encouragesfurther depositionand growth of the
duneswhilethe rootsstabilisethe dune.
4. Anotherduneformson the seawardsideof the originaldunewhichwill shelterit and
changesthe environmentalconditioncausingother types of vegetationto colonise.

5. A sequenceof dunesform (oldestinland)and the environmental

conditionscontinueto
changedue to the changein vegetation.Eventually
climaxcommunityis reached.

Tvpeof Dune Embryo Yellow Grey Wasting

DuneHeieht(m) t 5 8-10 6-8

% of exposedsand 80 20 Lessthan 10. Over40.

Humusandmoisture
content Little, Some,very Increased big,brackish
mixedsaltand little inland, waterin
fresh. moisture. decreased slacks.
water.
PH Over 8 Slightly 6.5-7 5-6
alkaline.
Planttvpes Sandcouch, Marram, Fescue, Heather,
LymeGrass. Xerophvtic. Heather. Gorse.
 Modificationof sandduneecosvstems
dueto humanactivitv:
L. Beachmanagement
Beachcleaningmeasurescan removeobstructionsreducingthe likelihoodof embryo
duneformation.

2. Recreation
Walking,kite boarding,picnics,fires, tramplingcan all reducevegetationcover leading
to blowoutsand gully formations.

3. Grazing
Rabbitsand otheranimalsgrazeon dunesand cancraterabbitholesand blowouts.

4. Militarvuse
Causesloss of vegetationdue to military training and exercise.EXAMPLE:
SCOTLAND
AND DEVON.

lmpactof vegetationloss:

o No vegetationmeansit's easyfor wind to blow away sand.

o Createsblowouts.
o Most likelynearthe beach,lessshelterfrom prevailing
winds.
o Resultsin overalllossof biodiversity.

Blakenypoint hasbeen modifiedas a resultof: managementof tourism impactand protectionof the

ecosystemas a naturereserve.The sanddunesare owned by the nationaltrust and it is a
conservationareawith a uniqueecosystemwith grey sealsand breedingmarinebirds.

Humanuse includesboat trips for touristsand students- protectionof the dunesis therefore
needed:

o Regulateboat trips (reducingpollutionand wave erosion).

o Fencingof particularlyfragileareas.
o Creatingboardwalkson the dues- controllingwhere walkersare going.
o Educatethe publicwith signsand posters(e.g."keepto the paths")
o Plantingmarramgrass(or other species)to anchordune and encouragevegetation.

Thesanddunesare alsoat increased

riskof floodingdue to globalwarmingand the predicted2mm
risein sealevelper annum.
 - haloseres
Saltmarshsuccession

Howaresaltmarshes
formed?

o Siltandmudfrom rivers,cliffsandthe seabedis depositedby the riseandfall of the tide.

o Mostdeposition occurswhenthevelocities arelow nearthe low andhightide levels.
o Wherefreshwater andsaltwatermeetflocculation
occurs.Thisiswherefineparticles stick
togetherto form largerparticles
andarethendepositedto form mudflatsandeventually un-
vegetatedsaltmarshes.

Where are salt marshesformed?

o Wherefine sedimentis available.

o Theyform in shelteredareasof the coastlinewhere there is low energyand depositioncan
occur.

A simplesequenceof how salt marshesare formed:

Stage1:

o Pioneerspeciessuchassalicornia grow hereon the baremudflatsas they can

and eelgrass
toleratethe salineconditions(halophytic)
and canalsotoleratefrequentand lengthy
submergents
of up to 11 hoursin a 12 hour cycle.
. Vegetationslowsdown the movementof water and sedimentis depositedincreasingthe
heightof the marsh.

Stase2:

o As the heightof mudflatsincreasesthe seadoesn'treachthem for as long and submergents

are shorter,reducingto 6-8 hours.
o suchas spartiniacan now grow their rootsto help bindthe mud and encourage
Species
more deposition.

Stase3:

o A discontinuousmat of vegetationforms with speciessuchas sealavenderand seaaster

o (onlysubmergedat hightide)and thereforedon't
No needto be as tolerantas submergents
needto be halophytic.
o Deadorganicmatter is addedto the mud increasingthe heightand fertility.
o Saltpansform here;they are smallhollowsin which water is trappedwhen the tide falls.As
the water then evaporateshigh levelsof salt are then left behind.
Stage4:

o Mud levelscontinueto riseinundationoccursonlyat the highesttides.

o A wide varietyof speciescanthereforebeginto grow e.g. reedsand rushes.
o Creeksystemsform acrossthe marshchannellingwater to the sea.

Stase5:

o The marshis now high,dry and fertileenoughfor treeswhichare non-halophytic

e.g.ash
and alderto dominate.
o Thisarea is seldomif ever submergedby tidal water.
o As trees now dominatedue to competitionspeciesdiversityis now reduced.
o Thisis wherewe find the climaxcommunity.

Modificationof saltmarshsvstemsdueto humanactivitv:

L Grazing
The high marsh(uppersword)is often grazedby sheepand cattle.In order for this to
happenmanypartshavebeendrainedand reseedede.g.wells.

2. Recreation
Boattrips leadto pollutionof the shelteredwatersdue to dieseland litter. Overcrowding
and noisedisturbswildlifeand mooringneedscarefulcontrol.

3. Globalwarming
A rise in sea levelis a problemdue to theseareasbeingat an increasingriskto flooding.

4. Coastalprotection
Saltmarshesin for exampleBrancasterhavebeen re-established
as soft seadefences.

lmoactof vegetationloss:
o Saltmarshesare uniqueecosystemsprovidingfeedingover winter for wadersand
wild fowl suchas oystercatcherso thereforelossof habitatis a real problem.