The size and shape of dunes varies greatly around the world: in Europe they’re tall and narrow, while in the US they’re low and wide. A new study has found that this is partly because dunes are constructed by plants with different ‘movement strategies’ determining the shape of the dune. The study was carried out by ecologists from Radboud University, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and the University of Groningen. The findings, which will be published in Nature Communications on 14 June, could be useful for coastal landscape rehabilitation projects.
Click here for original story, Small steps, big leaps – how marram grass builds dunes
Source: Phys.org