@article{e4e7632df7644a129e72479c326aadff,
title = "Differences in vegetation characteristics with shoreline position on a tropical pocket beach",
abstract = "Composition and richness of coastal vegetation differs with distance from the water and sheltering by topography. Transition from pioneer beach plants to mature forests is expected to be narrow on low wave energy coasts with a tropical climate favorable to vegetation growth. The goal of this paper is to determine whether vegetation on the beach and foredune will be denser and have a greater number of species and more woody shrubs near the water as wave and wind stresses diminish because of favorable shoreline orientation within a pocket beach. Field data on beach width, beach mobility, dune height, vegetation species, vegetation height and percent vegetation cover were collected in Puerto Rico along six cross-shore transects. Beaches are more stable at transects in the lee of an eolianite barrier and a tombolo. The vegetation gradient there is compressed, with denser, taller, more diverse vegetation and more tree species close to the waterline than at more exposed sites. The lack of mobility of the beaches and dunes and lack of geomorphically significant disturbance events is in contrast to the conspicuous feedbacks between overwash, topography, and vegetation on exposed mid-latitude coasts, revealing the need for more study of low-energy beach environments.",
keywords = "Caribbean, Coastal vegetation, foredune, low energy beach, pocket beach",
author = "Rosana Grafals-Soto and Nordstrom, {Karl F.} and Jackson, {Nancy L.}",
note = "Funding Information: This work was sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Kentucky. This publication is the result of research sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Kentucky and supported by the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico. We are grateful to Jonathan Phillips, professor at the Geography Department of the University of Kentucky for his support and guidance. We are also grateful to the personnel at Hacienda La Esperanza especially Sandra Far?a and Astrid Maldonado, for logistical support of the data collection and site visits and to all the data collection volunteers: Edwin D. Grafals, Willy Burgos, Nitza Lugo, Nemesio Soto, Lyzaida Rodr?guez and Anibal Soto-Cardalda. Funding Information: This publication is the result of research sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Kentucky and supported by the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico. We are grateful to Jonathan Phillips, professor at the Geography Department of the University of Kentucky for his support and guidance. We are also grateful to the personnel at Hacienda La Esperanza especially Sandra Far{\'i}a and Astrid Maldonado, for logistical support of the data collection and site visits and to all the data collection volunteers: Edwin D. Grafals, Willy Burgos, Nitza Lugo, Nemesio Soto, Lyzaida Rodr{\'i}guez and Anibal Soto-Cardalda. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",
year = "2020",
month = jul,
day = "3",
doi = "https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.2019.1671298",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "41",
pages = "315--331",
journal = "Physical Geography",
issn = "0272-3646",
publisher = "Bellwether Publishing, Ltd.",
number = "4",
}