A complex interplay between natural and anthropogenic factors shapes plant diversity patterns in Mediterranean coastal dunes

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41330%2F25%3A106343" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41330/25:106343 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216224:14310/25:00143422

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-024-02025-5" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-024-02025-5</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-024-02025-5" target="_blank" >10.1007/s10980-024-02025-5</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

A complex interplay between natural and anthropogenic factors shapes plant diversity patterns in Mediterranean coastal dunes

Original language description

ContextA long history of human colonisation has profoundly altered Mediterranean coastal dunes, as well as their capacity of providing ecosystem services important for human well-being. The provisioning of these services depends on the integrity of the dune system, which is formed and maintained by coastal plant communities. Analysing the drivers of plant diversity is thus crucial for preserving Mediterranean coastal ecosystems.ObjectivesWe investigated the influence of natural factors, anthropogenic activities and shoreline dynamism on different facets of plant diversity, i.e. species richness and the proportion of typical and ruderal species. Moreover, we examined whether natural and anthropogenic factors act as direct or rather indirect drivers of the loss of dune plant diversity.MethodsUsing 20 cm resolution orthophotos, we mapped a wide Mediterranean coastal landscape and obtained a set of variables describing the distribution, abundance and size of natural (coastal dune habitats) and anthropogenic (urban areas and tourism facilities) patches. From the orthophotos, we also quantified the shoreline dynamism (coastal erosion and accretion) occurred in the area over a 10-year period. We then analysed how dune plant species richness, as well as the proportion of typical and ruderal species, related to the landscape variables and shoreline dynamism. Also, using piecewise structural equation modelling, we investigated the complex interplay between landscape variables and shoreline dynamism in shaping coastal plant diversity patterns.ResultsWhen focusing on plant species richness, we found no evidence of a negative effect of anthropogenic activities (urbanisation and tourism) on the diversity of coastal vegetation. However, analysing typical and ruderal plant species revealed that the latter were favoured under human-related disturbance, while typical species of the foredune decreased in areas subject to high anthropogenic pressure. Results of the structural equation models highlighted that shoreline dynamism indirectly affected dune plant diversity through its influence on the landscape configuration.ConclusionsOur results indicate that (i) looking only at plant species richness can lead to underestimating the impact of anthropogenic activities on coastal dune vegetation; and (ii) that human-related activities change the composition of dune vegetation, eventually promoting the establishment of ruderal species. Finally, results show that coastal erosion acts as an indirect driver of plant diversity loss.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

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Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Landscape Ecology

ISSN

0921-2973

e-ISSN

0921-2973

Volume of the periodical

40

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

18

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001394554500001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85217666822