Large dunes hosting hotspots of biodiversity: Testing proxies of occurrence and habitat change
Van Lancker, V.; Francken, F.; Kint, L.; Montereale-Gavazzi, G.; Terseleer, N.; Van den Eynde, D. (2016). Large dunes hosting hotspots of biodiversity: Testing proxies of occurrence and habitat change, in: Van Landeghem, K. et al. MARID 2016. Fifth International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics, Caernarfon, United Kingdom, 4 ̶ 6 April 2016: Book of Abstracts. pp. 189-191 In: Van Landeghem, K.; Garlan, T.; Baas, J.H. (Ed.) (2016). MARID 2016. Fifth International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics, Caernarfon, United Kingdom, 4 ̶ 6 April 2016: Book of Abstracts. Bangor University/SHOM: Bangor, Brest. ISBN 978-2-11-128417-3. 216 pp., more |  |
| Available in | Authors | | Document type: Summary
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| Authors | | Top | | - Montereale-Gavazzi, G., more
- Terseleer, N., more
- Van den Eynde, D., more
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| Abstract | The interaction of geomorphological and ecological landscape elements is complex. In the case of dunes, not only their shape and dimensions design the habitat, but also the way in which the morphology interacts with the currents. The resulting sedimentary processes will further depend on the in situ sediments, but also on the geological substratum in terms of longevity of biological communities. However in soft substrata, hotspots of biodiversity are mostly observed where coarse substrates combine with deposition of fine-grained sediments. The influx of such fines can originate both from natural and human-induced sources. In this study, hotspots of biodiversity in dune fields are revisited to define new proxies for the prediction of occurrence, and potential habitat changes. Therefore, several databases are combined: primarily related to geology and sediments, but also to sediment dynamics, including results from cumulative sediment plume dispersal models. The ultimate goal is to facilitate stratification and prioritization of areas that require monitoring of good environmental status (Europe’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive). |
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