Invasive (but beautiful) American Beachgrass at Pacific City Beach - Pacific City, Oregon : 無料・フリー素材/写真
Invasive (but beautiful) American Beachgrass at Pacific City Beach - Pacific City, Oregon / vancityvisual
| ライセンス | クリエイティブ・コモンズ 表示-改変禁止 2.1 |
|---|---|
| 説明 | Starting in the 19th century, European beachgrass was introduced to the Pacific coast of North America to help control beach sands; it serves this role so well that it is now considered invasive not only along this coast (from California north to British Columbia), but along nearly every coast worldwide where it has been introduced. European beachgrass built foredunes (the dunes closest to the beach) that are typically about 14 feet (4.3 m) high, which is much higher than the dunes associated with the native dune grass species Leymus mollis. In the 1930s, American beachgrass was introduced to about 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) on the Clatsop Peninsula in Oregon. Since then, American beachgrass has gradually supplanted European beachgrass in Oregon and Washington; the precise reason for the relative success of American beachgrass isn't known. The most recognizable aspect of the changeover between the beachgrass species is that the foredunes of American beachgrass are shorter than the foredunes of European beachgrass; foredunes of American beachgrass are about 9 feet (2.7 m) high in this region. The diversity of other species that co-exist with mature stands of European beachgrass is comparable to the species diversity with American beachgrass. However, the lower foredune height for the latter means that coastal ecosystems that had adapted to the fairly tall foredunes of European beachgrass are again changing, especially in the regions just behind the foredune and sheltered by it. Similarly, buildings and roads that were constructed under the presumption of continuing protection by the tall European beachgrass foredunes may now be threatened by shifting sand and by increased exposure to wind and water in storms. |
| 撮影日 | 2023-10-06 17:45:55 |
| 撮影者 | vancityvisual , Vancouver, Canada |
| タグ | |
| 撮影地 | Woods, Oregon, United States 地図 |