Alongshore Coupling of Eco-geomorphological Variables of a Beach-Dune System

The eco-geomorphological feedbacks in beach-dune systems vary in both time and space which suggests that they will change as islands respond to sea-level rise and change in storm activity. For example, dune height, extent, and volume are influenced by vegetation type and density, level of salinity, fetch length and aeolian sediment availability, and transport of sediment to the backshore. A combination of remote sensing and field sampling data will be collected along three beaches in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Stanhope, Brackley and Cavendish beach were selected due to the varying degrees of erosion and recovery within their beach-dune systems. This study aims to collect field sampling data including, soil nutrient levels, vegetation density, height, and root strength and remote sensing data in the form of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and dune morphology. Together, the field sampling and remote sensing data will help to better understand the alongshore coupling of the eco-geomorphological variables of beach-dune systems at varying stages of erosion.