parameters over time (species cover and richness) we obtained encouraging
results, in terms of both effectiveness and rapidity of recovery. A net benefit to the
biodiversity of the coastal dune plant assemblage was observed: during the study
period, in those sectors protected by fencing, species richness and cover increased
and the plant community regained a degree of spatial structuring along the
sea–inland gradient.
Fig. 12.5 Scatter plots relating the degree of change in cover and richness (D Cover and D
Richness, measured as the difference in cover and richness between 2007 and 2010) to the
distance from the sea for each plot. On the left is the plot for vegetation cover and on the right is
the one for species richness. A line of best fit was applied for each sector separately to highlight
trends. The slashed line refers to the plots in the north fence, the dotted line to those of the south
fence and the continuous line to the open sector
Fig. 12.6 a The degraded coastal dune vegetation in 2007 in one of the fenced sectors. b The
same fenced sector in 2010
12 Passive Recovery of Mediterranean Coastal Dunes
195