Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Early Successional Microhabitats Allow The Persistence Of Endangered Plants In Coastal Sand Dunes, Eleanor A. Pardini, Kyle E. Vickstrom, Tiffany M. Knight
Early Successional Microhabitats Allow The Persistence Of Endangered Plants In Coastal Sand Dunes, Eleanor A. Pardini, Kyle E. Vickstrom, Tiffany M. Knight
Biology Faculty Publications & Presentations
Many species are adapted to disturbance and occur within dynamic, mosaic landscapes that contain early and late successional microhabitats. Human modification of disturbance regimes alters the availability of microhabitats and may affect the viability of species in these ecosystems. Because restoring historical disturbance regimes is typically expensive and requires action at large spatial scales, such restoration projects must be justified by linking the persistence of species with successional microhabitats. Coastal sand dune ecosystems worldwide are characterized by their endemic biodiversity and frequent disturbance. Dune-stabilizing invasive plants alter successional dynamics and may threaten species in these ecosystems. We examined the distribution …