Ecomorphodynamics of coastal foredune evolution
May 22, 2025
Abstract
Globally, along sandy coastlines, foredunes support ecosystem services including provision of habitat and protection of communities from waves and storm surge. In this Review, we discuss the interactions between sand transport and vegetation processes (ecomorphodynamics) that give rise to the foredune-building feedback as illuminated by empirical and modelling studies. Foredune shape and alongshore continuity depend primarily on sand supply, vegetation density and growth form. For instance, low-lying, creeping herbaceous species tend to form short embryo dunes, whereas tall, dense grasses that grow vertically tend to form tall, narrow foredunes. Climate and weather events, herbivory and anthropogenic disturbances of varying scale affect the foredune-building feedback. For example, small local scale disturbances, such as herbivory or trampling, cause local vegetation loss and erosion. Management activities, such as beach nourishment, can increase foredune sand supply, leading to foredune rebuilding, although the presence of infrastructure on the back beach can inhibit foredune development. At a regional scale, hurricanes and tropical storms cause substantial dune erosion and overwash, potentially resetting the foredune-building process. Sea-level rise exacerbates the effects of storms, leading to increased erosion, saltwater intrusion and a potential landward shift in foredune location. Future research should prioritize integrated ecomorphodynamic observations and modelling to fill critical knowledge gaps and address the effects of changing climate on the foredune-building process.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the William R. and Lenore Mote Eminent Scholar Chair in Marine Biology endowment at Florida State University, NSF Division of Environmental Biology Long-term Ecological Research Program (award no. 183221), US Army Corp of Engineers (award no. W912HZ2120045), NSF Large Scale Coasts and People Hub (award no. 2103713), Florida DEP (award no. ANR01), Triumph Gulf Coast Inc., Project no. 69: Apalachicola Bay System Initiative and The Dutch Research Council (DuneForce — NWO project number 17064) for financial support. The authors also thank D. Davis for support during an initial workshop on this topic and the reviewers and editors of this manuscript for their helpful feedback.
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L.J.M., S.D.H., J.B., T.M. and P.R. conceptualized and led the article. All authors contributed to researching, writing and editing the text and to figure preparation.
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Glossary
- Aeolian processes
-
Erosion, transportation and deposition of sand by the wind.
- Beach sand supply
-
The amount of sand transported from the nearshore or alongshore to the beach, usually by wave action.
- Community structure
-
A set of characteristics that shape a community, including the number, composition and abundance of species.
- Disturbance
-
A natural or anthropogenic event that disrupts community structure by physically, chemically or biologically altering organisms or their resources.
- Dune sand supply
-
The amount of sand transported from the beach to the dune via wind or wave action.
- Ecomorphodynamics
-
Interactions and feedbacks between sand transport processes and ecological processes that drive changes in landscape morphology and ecological communities.
- Embryo dunes
-
A small-scale accumulation of sand representing an early stage of dune formation found on overwash plains or in front of foredunes, also referred to as incipient dune or nebkha.
- Foredune
-
The seaward-most, fully formed dune, parallel to the shoreline on a sandy barrier or beach.
- Sand capture
-
The accumulation of sand owing to a combination of wind speed reduction and decreased remobilization, induced by vegetation, wrack and/or topography.
- Stress
-
Physical, chemical or biological constraints that reduce growth, reproduction or survival of organisms through processes such as sand loss, drought, nutrient limitation or disease.
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Cite this article
Moore, L.J., Hacker, S.D., Breithaupt, J. et al. Ecomorphodynamics of coastal foredune evolution.
Nat Rev Earth Environ (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00672-z
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Accepted: 25 March 2025
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Published: 22 May 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00672-z
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