Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Differential response of barrier island dune grasses to species interactions and burial

  • Published:
Plant Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Barrier islands are at the forefront of storms and sea-level rise. High disturbance regimes and sediment mobility make these systems sensitive and dynamic. Island foredunes are protective structures against storm-induced overwash that are integrally tied to dune grasses via biogeomorphic feedbacks. Shifts in dune grass dominance could influence dune morphology and susceptibility to overwash, altering island stability. In a glasshouse study, two dune grasses, Ammophila breviligulata and Uniola paniculata, were planted together and subjected to a 20 cm burial to quantify morphological and physiological responses. Burial had positive effects on both plants as indicated by increased electron transport rate and total biomass. Ammophila breviligulata performance declined when planted with U. paniculata. Uniola paniculata was not affected when planted with A. breviligulata but did have higher water use efficiency and nitrogen use efficiency. Planted in mixture, differential reallocation of biomass occurred between species potentially altering resource acquisition further. As U. paniculata migrates into A. breviligulata dominated habitat and A. breviligulata performance diminishes, biotic interactions between these and other species may affect dune formation and community structure. Our study emphasizes the importance of studying biotic interactions alongside naturally occurring abiotic drivers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brantley ST, Bissett SN, Young DR, Wolner CWV, Moore LJ (2014) Barrier island morphology and sediment characteristics affect the recovery of dune building grasses following storm-induced overwash. PLoS ONE 9:e104747

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Charbonneau BR, Wnek JP, Langley JA, Lee G, Balsamo RA (2016) Aboveground vs. belowground plant biomass along a barrier island: implications for dune stabilization. J Environ Manage 182:126–133

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dilustro JJ, Day FP (1997) Aboveground biomass and net primary production along a Virginia barrier island chronosequence. Am Midl Nat 137:27–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Disraeli DJ (1984) The effect of sand deposits on the growth and morphology of Ammophila breviligulata. J Ecol 72:145–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolan R (1972) Barrier dune system along the Outer Banks of North Carolina: a reappraisal. Science 176:286–288

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Durán O, Moore LJ (2013) Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes. Proc Natl Acad Sci 110:17217–17222

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenfeld JG (1990) Dynamics and processes of barrier island vegetation. Aquat Sci 2:437–480

    Google Scholar 

  • Emery SM, Rudgers JA (2013) The impact of simulated climate change and fungal symbionts on survival and growth of a foundation species in sand dunes. Oecologia 173:1601–1612

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emery SM, Rudgers JA (2014) Biotic and abiotic predictors of ecosystem engineering traits of the dune building grass Ammophila breviligulata. Ecosphere 5:87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esquivias MP, Zunzunequi M, Barradas MCD, Alvarez-Cansino L (2015) Competitive effect of a native-invasive species on a threatened shrub in a Mediterranean dune system. Physiol Ecol 177:133–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Feagin RA, Figlus J, Zinnert JC, Sigren J, Martinez ML, Silva R, Smith WK, Cox D, Young DR, Carter G (2015) Going with the flow or against the grain? The promise of vegetation for protecting beaches, dunes, and barrier islands from erosion. Front Ecol Environ 13:203–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frosini S, Lardicci C, Balestri E (2012) Global change and response of coastal dune plants to the combined effects of increased sand accretion (burial) and nutrient availability. PLoS ONE 7:e47561. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047561

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez P, Neilson RP, Lenihan JM, Drapek RJ (2010) Global patterns in the vulnerability of ecosystems to vegetation shifts due to climate change. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 19:755–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hacker SD, Zarnetske P, Seabloom E, Ruggiero P, Mull J, Gerrity S, Jones C (2012) Subtle differences in two non-native congeneric beach grasses significantly affect their colonization, spread, and impact. Oikos 121:138–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayden BP, Hayden NR (2003) Decadal and century long storminess changes at long-term ecological research sites. In: Greenwood D, Goodin GD, Smith RC (eds) Climate variability and ecosystem variability and response at long-term ecological research sites. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 262–285

    Google Scholar 

  • He Q, Bertness MD (2014) Extreme stresses, niches, and positive species interactions along stress gradients. Ecology 95:1437–1443

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoagland DR, Arnon DI (1950) The water-culture method for growing plants without soil. Circular, vol 347. The College of Agriculture, University of California, Berkley

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodel RG, Gonzales E (2013) Phylogeography of sea oats (Uniola paniculata), a dune-building coastal grass in southeastern North America. J Hered 104:656–665

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson DA (1993) Stopping rules in principal components analysis: a comparison of heuristical and statistical approaches. Ecology 74:2204–2214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lonard RI, Judd FW, Stalter R (2011) Biological flora of coastal dunes and wetlands: Uniola paniculata L. J Coastal Res 27:984–993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masselink G, Heteren SV (2014) Response of wave-dominated and mixed-energy barriers to storms. Mar Geol 352:321–347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masterson JP, Fienen MN, Thieler ER, Gesch DB, Gutierrez BT, Plant NG (2014) Effects of sea-level rise on barrier island groundwater system dynamics-ecohydrological implications. Ecohydrology 7:1064–1071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maun MA (1984) Colonizing ability of Ammophila breviligulata through vegetative regeneration. J Ecol 72:565–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maun MA, Lapierre J (1984) The effects of burial by sand on Ammophila breviligulata. J Ecol 72:827–839

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller TE (2015) Effects of disturbance on vegetation by sand accretion and erosion across coastal dune habitats on a barrier island. Ann Biol Plants 7:plv003. doi:10.1093/aobpla/plv003

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller DL, Yager L, Thetford M, Schneider M (2003) Potential use of Uniola paniculata rhizome fragments for dune restoration. Restor Ecol 11:359–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mousavi ME, Irish JL, Frey AE, Olivera F, Edge BL (2011) Global warming and hurricanes: the potential impact of hurricane intensification and sea level rise on coastal flooding. Clim Change 104:575–597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parmesan C, Hanley ME (2015) Plants and climate change: complexities and surprises. Ann Bot 116:849–864

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Roelvink D, Reniers A, van Dongeren A, de Vries JVT, McCall R, Lescinski J (2009) Modelling storm impacts on beaches, dunes and barrier islands. Coast Eng 56:1133–1152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seabloom EW, Ruggiero P, Hacker SD, Mull J, Zarnetske P (2013) Invasive grasses, climate change, and exposure to storm-wave overtopping in coastal dune ecosystems. Glob Change Biol 19:824–832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stallins JA (2002) Dune plant species diversity and function in two barrier island biogeomorphic systems. Plant Ecol 165:183–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stallins JA (2005) Stability domains in barrier island dune systems. Ecol Complex 2:410–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stallins JA, Parker AJ (2003) The influence of complex systems interactions on barrier island dune vegetation pattern and process. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 93:13–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SH, Hulme P, Rees M, Ripley BS, Woodward FI, Osborne CP (2010) Ecophysiological traits in C3 and C4 grasses: a phylogenetically controlled screening experiment. New Phytologist 185:780–791

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JA, Zinnert JC, Young DR (2017) Immediate effects of microclimate modification enhances native shrub encroachment. Ecosphere 8(2):e01687. doi:10.1002/ecs2.1687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uzoma KC, Inoua M, Andry H, Zahoor A, Nishihara E (2011) Influence of biochar application on sandy soil hydraulic properties and nutrient retention. J Food Agric Environ 9:1137–1143

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Heteren S (2014) Barrier systems. In: Masselink G, Geherls R (eds) Coastal environments and global change. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 194–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner RH (1964) The ecology of Uniola paniculata L. in the dune-strand habitat of North Carolina. Ecol Monogr 34:79–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walther GR, Post E, Convey P, Menzel A, Parmesan C, Beebee TJC, Fromentin JM, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Bairlein F (2002) Ecological responses to recent climate change. Nature 416:389–395

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang D, Fan J, Heckathorn SA (2014) Acclimation of photosynthetic tolerance to acute heat stress at elevated CO2 and N. Plant Sci 266:162–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Way DA, Katul GG, Manzoni S, Vico G (2014) Increasing water use efficiency along the C-3 to C-4 evolutionary pathway: a stomatal optimization perspective. J Exp Bot 65:3683–3693

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Williams SJ (2013) Sea-level rise implications for coastal regions. 63:184-196. J Coast Res 63:184–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams AC, McCarthy BC (2001) A new index of interspecific competition for replacement and additive designs. Ecol Res 16:29–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolner CWV, Moore LJ, Young DR, Brantley ST (2013) Ecomorphodynamic feedbacks and barrier island response to disturbance: insights from the Virginia barrier islands, mid-Atlantic bight, USA. Geomorophology 199:115–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yaun T, Maun MA, Hopkins WG (1993) Effects of sand accretion on photosynthesis, leaf-water potential and morphology of two dune grasses. Funct Ecol 7:676–682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye XH, Yu FH, Dong M (2006) A trade-off between guerrilla and phalanx growth forms in Leymus secalinus under different nutrient supplies. Ann Bot 98:187–191

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zarnetske PL, Hacker SD, Seabloom EW, Ruggiero P, Killian JR, Maddux TB, Cox D (2012) Biophysical feedback mediates effects of invasive grasses on coastal dune shape. Ecology 93:1439–1450

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zarnetske PL, Gouhier TC, Hacker SD, Seabloom EW, Bokil VA (2013) Indirect effects and facilitation among native and non-native species promote invasion success along an environmental stress gradient. J Ecol 101:905–915

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zinnert JC, Shiflett SA, Vick JK, Young DR (2011) Woody vegetative cover dynamics in response to recent climate change on an Atlantic coast barrier island: a remote sensing approach. Geocarto Intl 26:595–612

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zinnert JC, Shiflett SA, Via S, Bissett S, Dows B, Manley P, Young DR (2016) Spatial-temporal dynamics in barrier island upland vegetation: the overlooked coastal landscape. Ecosystems. doi:10.1007/s10021-016-9961-6

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation grant EAR—1324973. The authors thank Steve Mercer of Coastal Transplants for plants, Joe Brown, Audrey Kirschner, Joey Thompson, Abby Nelson, Elsemarie deVries and Gary Long for help with planting and measurements.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 West Cary St, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA

    April L. Harris, Julie C. Zinnert & Donald R. Young

Authors
  1. April L. Harris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Julie C. Zinnert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Donald R. Young
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julie C. Zinnert.

Additional information

Communicated by Anna R. Armitage.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Harris, A.L., Zinnert, J.C. & Young, D.R. Differential response of barrier island dune grasses to species interactions and burial. Plant Ecol 218, 609–619 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-017-0715-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-017-0715-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation