Effects of Ammophila Arenaria on Sand Dune Arthropod Communities

Abstract

Ammophila arenaria, a grass commonly used to stabilize loose sand, disrupts the structure of sand dune arthropod communities. Total numbers of arthropods are related to percent cover of A. arenaria by a hypocycloid function, so that even low percentages of the grass cover strongly depress arthropod populations. Species area curves (plotted logarithmically) have consistently steeper slopes on dunes supporting A. arenaria, indicating fewer species and a smaller number of rare species than on natural dunes. Species (dominance) diversity of arthropods declines in an inverse linear fashion as the density of A. arenaria increases. In contrast, dune stabilization by native plants increases arthropod diversity and numbers.