sand dunes

Created by: That50sTeen99
Created on: 22-04-16 12:24

What is a sand dune?

Landforms formed by sand deposits that have been blown off the beach. They only form when the rate of erosion is smaller than the rate of deposition.

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What are the first dunes to appear called?

Embryo dunes

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Describe Embryo dunes.

They contain lyme grass and marram grass which are halophytic pioneers. They grow upwards through sand. They add organic matter to the dunes, making it more hospitable for plants. The sand has a high pH here, high salinity and a lack of fresh water.

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How do the second stage dunes (Foredunes/yellow dunes) form?

The vegetation that grows in an embryo dune trap sand in their stems and help stabilise the embryo dune. This causes the embryo dune to grow until a new embryo dune starts to form in front of it. At this point, our old embryo dune becomes a foredune.

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Describe Foredunes.

Decreased pH, tolerable to a larger range of plants, marram grass grows tall here and makes the dunes taller,

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What are the first dunes to appear called?

Back

Embryo dunes

Card 3

Front

Describe Embryo dunes.

Back

Card 4

Front

How do the second stage dunes (Foredunes/yellow dunes) form?

Back

Card 5

Front

Describe Foredunes.

Back

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sand dunes