Coastal Plants

The greater Perth coast is a biodiverse and ecologically vulnerable region, with its unique native plant species threatened by clearing, invasive species, fire and climate change. This second edition of Coastal Plants has been updated and expanded to provide a definitive guide to 128 of the most common plants of the Perth coastal region. It includes the key species used in coastal restoration, along with important weeds. The description of each species is accompanied by a distribution map and diagnostic photographs of the whole plant, flowers, seeds and fruits. The book also contains introductory chapters on the biology and ecology of the coastal plants, their biogeography, and practical approaches to the restoration of coastal dune vegetation. Coastal Plants is distinctive in its focus on restoration, which makes it valuable for community groups and individuals interested or involved in coastal natural history or restoration activities.

Natural Protected Areas as Special Sentinels of Littering on Coastal Dune Vegetation

Beach litter threatens coastal dunes integrity across the world. European countries are committed to improving the environmental status of the marine and coastal environment by 2020, and to do this, they need to reduce the gap of knowledge about litter accumulation patterns in coastal environments. We analyzed the distribution pattern of waste, differentiated by material and origin, in the coastal dune vegetation mosaic along protected natural areas in the Adriatic seashore (central Italy). Litter data were collected following a random stratified procedure. We registered litter occurrence on 180 (2 × 2 m) sampling plots randomly distributed in the different habitats of European conservation concern mapped for the analyzed protected areas. Litter was classified by origin and material, and their abundance on different habitats was explored by multivariate ordination techniques and tested by nonparametric ANOVA followed by Mann-Whitney pairwise post-hoc tests. Most of the plots included at least one waste element being plastic. Plastic was the most abundant material, and fishing and touristic the most polluting activities. Waste distribution varies across coastal dune vegetation types and involves the back dune zone too. Our results stress the need for (a) specific cleaning tasks able to preserve the ecological value of coastal dune habitats and (b) actions aimed at preventing litter production and accumulation.