Patterns In Plant Distribution Along The Shore To Land Gradient On A Coastal Beach Essay Example for Free

Patterns In Plant Distribution Along The Shore To Land Gradient On A Coastal Beach Essay The plants pattern distribution along the shore to land gradient on coastal beaches is relatively in species diversity because many plants are not adapted to the harsh environmental conditions which include slat spray, sand movement and dry nutrients poor substances. However, some plants survive and nourish well in the coastal environment especially the colonizing species which are important to the early stabilization of freshly deposited sediments. For example, the American beach grass and dune sand bur grass which are pioneer colonist in diversity and are distributed along the coastal. They stabilize and initiate dunes (Cheplick 113). Annual grass species are relatively abundant in the coastal ecosystems making them denser in pattern and are well distributed. Along the shores due to disturbance by sand movements and other geographical factors there is a mixture of exotic frasses brought by water movements or waves and natives as dune sand bur grass. Beaches are commonly dominated by native perennial grasses that are the American beach grass whish is scientifically known as Ammophilia breviligulata. Typically it co exists with other annual grasses and herbs in the pioneer zones. There are no fully developed fore dune as in the case of Dune sand bur along the stated island shore, however there is a small distribution pattern along the shores. The American beach grass is more densily distributed along the beach especially at, Midland beach and does not have liable seeds due to its seed dispersion (Cheplick 147). The purple sand grass and grab grass which are annual are also abundant, but they are not near along the shores due to their mode a deed dispersion which mainly is through animal activities. Due to extensive sand stabilization plantings the American beach grass dominating fore dunes along the shores in the coastal regions of the stated island. For this species colonizing shore line habitats are resistant to most human activities. Most species that are offshore are not well distributed due to disturbance of human activities which are more. Due to more sand deposits along the shores I can suggest that it is a contributing factor as to where the grasses have a much bigger colonization succession. Annual plants along the coastal regions are more prolific seed producers and important to the colonization of bare dune substrates. However, where they are already established on dune building and their abundances in the pioneer zones along the coastal beaches natural anthropogenic disturbances are rampant. This contributes to dune formation. There is difficulty in survival and also managing nourishments and other self gain human activities (Cheplick 158). The purple grass dominates areas where human activities have taken place where they cover land, by casual observation because of the impact the activities have on plants. This purple grass colonizes mainly the urban areas, meaning where other grass types do not flourish due to negative impacts of human activities, it tends to have a good potential. It is densely distributed on the urban shorelines. Because of shorter distances, or good proximity to the shores which earlier we saw that there are sand deposits due to geographical factors, the purple grass distribution pattern spreads in high density on the parts of the beach farthest from shore (Cheplick 185). Their growth, survival and reproduction pattern spreads widely from the shore on condition that the intraspecific densities are not high enough to negatively impact its distribution. Conclusion In conclusion species composition and density in the plant community vary with the increasing distances from the coastal shore lines. There are various factors that contribute to this. There is a chain of circumstantial events from seed dispersal through seedlings establishment and subsequent survival. For instance for the purple-grass, seeds are dispersed and incorporated into the sand substrates (Cheplick 188). Annual plant communities of the coastal ecosystems exist in both inter-specific and intra-specific interactions and relations. The purple grass and dune sand bur grass are common along the shore of Staten Island in New York. The purple grass, due to its seed maturity within leaf sheaths along tillers, they are heavier seeds. Hence with larger production of seeds sand bur tend to be more distributed than the purple grass. Hence the differences in the seed dispersibility of seeds, their sizes favors in the coastal ecosystems. From studies and casual observations as evident a biotic factors as sand deposition, drought, nutrient deficiency and salt spray impacts negatively on the coastal ecosystems especially those plants with lower adaptability rates and survival rates. Competition between species and inter-specific relations or interactions has influence and plants growth patterns and rates. Also reproduction and seed dispersion is affected especially in dunes annual plants (Cheplick 247). Anthropogenic activities and natural geographical patterns on fore dunes and beaches probably have favored annual plants evolution. Successive species along the shorelines is the ability to mature seeds fast and establish seedlings under harsh coastal environments. Larger seeds may be more adaptive in coastal ecosystems, resulting in better chances and more density in distribution (Cheplick 296).