MT2.1 Coastal shrublands and grasslands

MT2. Supralittoral coastal biome

MT2

Profile summary

Full profile at https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/groups/MT2.1

Brief description

A low diversity of specialised plants and animals live in grasslands, shrublands, and low forests on coastlines above the high tide mark where they are exposed to harsh conditions of salt influx, desiccating winds and sunshine, and disturbances associated with storms or unstable substrates (e.g. cliffs and dunes). Plants, for example, exhibit traits such as succulence and rhizomes to promote persistence in these conditions, and many organisms are widely dispersed by winds or ocean currents. Consumers like seabirds or seals move between terrestrial and marine environments.

Key features

Coastal scrub limited by salinity, water deficit and disturbances (e.g. cliff collapse). Strong gradients from sea to land and highly mobile fauna..

Overview of distribution

Coastal dunes and cliffs in tropical, temperate and boreal latitudes.

Map description

Coastlines were mapped with a 5 km buffer applied between 60°S and 60°N..

Map code and version: MT2.1.web.map v1.0. DOI

Version history

Profile versions

  • v2.1 (2022-04-06): DA Keith; J Loidi; ATR Acosta.1
  • v2.01 (NA): NA.
  • v2.0 (2020-05-29): DA Keith; J Loidi; ATR Acosta.
  • v1.0 (2020-01-20): DA Keith.

Available maps

Read more details about the current map versions here.

  • Indicative Map (code: MT2.1.IM.orig, version v1.0)
  • Web navigation (code: MT2.1.web.map, version v1.0)

Read more details about older or alternative versions of maps for this functional group.

  • Web navigation: discarded (code: MT2.1.web.orig, version v1.0)

References

Main references

References used in the different versions of the profiles.

  • van der Maarel E (2001) Dry coastal ecosystems: General aspects Ecosystems of the world 2C. Elsevier, Amsterdam

Map references

References used in the different versions of the maps (current and discarded).

  • Becker JJ, Sandwell DT, Smith WHF, Braud J, Binder B, Depner J, Fabre D, Factor J, Ingalls S, Kim S-H, Ladner R, Marks K, Nelson S, Pharaoh A, Trimmer R, Von Rosenberg J, Wallace G, Weatherall P (2009) Global Bathymetry and Elevation Data at 30 Arc Seconds Resolution: SRTM30_PLUS, Marine Geodesy 32: 355-371. DOI:10.1080/01490410903297766

Footnotes

  1. This is the current version available at official site.↩︎