Coastal sand dunes-vegetation structure, diversity and disturbance in Nallavadu village, Puducherry, India

Abstract

Tropical coastal sand dunes (CSD) are exposed to various disturbances. CSD vegetation in South East coast of India was sampled by belt transect and quadrate method at three gradients of disturbance-highly disturbed, moderately disturbed and slightly disturbed. Three clear zones could be identified-Cyperus sps. > Ipomea pescapre > Spinifix litoreus in the fore dune, Ginisekia pharmacoeides > Glinus oppositifolius along with few minor dune species in the mid zone, and Bulbostylis barbata, along with a few dune species in back dune. In moderately disturbed sites species diversity was higher, supporting intermediate disturbance hypothesis.