Succession on a sandy coast following the construction of banks planted with Elymus mollis.

Abstract

Elymus mollis, an introduced species, was planted on the seaward slope of sand banks constructed along the coast of Kuju-Kuri Hama (sand beach), central Japan, 15 yr ago. The zone of Elymus has since advanced seaward at c.5 m/yr, which was 2.5 times as fast as that of land accretion. Since E. mollis produced few seeds, the advancement was solely caused by the elongation of new rhizomes, whose mean length amounted to 4.8 m. Certain native species such as Carex kobomugi established themselves behind the Elymus zone and was replacing E. mollis. Saccharum spontaneum var. arenicola, which was planted on the opposite (landward) slope of the banks, remained on the slope without further spreading, being gradually replaced by Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii. -from Authors