Aeolization on the Atlantic coast of Galicia (NW Spain) from the end of the last glacial period to the present day: Chronology,origin and evolution of coastal dunes linked to sea-level oscillations

The Atlantic coast of Galicia (NW Spain) is a high-energy environment where shingle beaches are currently developing. These coarser sediments alternate with sandy deposits which are also considered as beaches typical of a low-energy environment. The physical association of both types of sediment with contrasted sedimentary significance raises problems of interpretation. The study of four outcrops of fossil aeolianites on this coast has allowed us to reconstruct their evolution from the end of the Upper Pleistocene to the present day. Their chronology, estimated by optically stimulated luminescence between 35 and 14 ky at the end of the last glaciation (MIS2), coincides with a local sea level 120 m below the present one. This implies a coastline shifted several kilometres from its current location and the subaerial exposure of a wide strip of the continental shelf covered by sands. The wind blew sand to form dunes towards the continent, covering the coastal areas, which then emerged with no other limitation than the active river channels. Sea-level rise during the Holocene transgression has progressively swamped these aeolian deposits, leaving only flooded dunes, relict coastal dunes and climbing dunes on cliffs up to 180 m high. The aeolian process continued as long as there was a sandy source area to erode, although accretion finished when the sea reached its current level (Late Holocene). Since then, the wind turned from accretion to erosion of the dunes and sand beaches. This erosion exposes the older shingle beaches (probably of Eemian age) buried under the aeolian sands, as well as old, submerged forest remains and megalithic monuments. The destruction of sand beaches and dunes currently observed along the Galician coast is linked, according to most researchers, to anthropogenic global warming. However, their management should consider these evolutive issues.     

The French approach to managing water resources in the Mediterranean and the new European Water Framework Directive

The main content of the new European Water Framework Directive is presented. Within its river basin management approach, a special mention of coastal waters status is made. Among the issues at stake are the setting up of river basin management plans, including coastal waters, and water quality assessment system leading to an harmonized definition of quality objectives and their appropriate indicators. The Rhone-Mediterranean-Corsica Water Master Plan, launched in 1996, is considered to be well fitted to this river basin approach and the necessary tools which go with it. It shows up how a river quality assessment system (SEQ) can be adapted to the coastal waters and how it can progressively lead to an efficient set of publishable environmental and performance indicators. Since planning and implementation are devolved to the lowest appropriate level, a close look is then been given at how such a system can work at the local level through different selected case studies on the French Mediterranean coast. In conclusion, some guidelines are drawn up for future initiatives towards integrated coastal area and river basin management.     

Integrated management and conservation of Dutch coastal areas: Premises, practice and solutions

Both the basic principles and some practical examples of the integrated environmental management of coastal areas in The Netherlands (land as well as water systems) are explored. It is shown that the developments in ideas about nature conservation and nature management during the last few decades may be recognized in the recent decisions of the Dutch government with respect to the coastal dune areas and to the marine environment. The present practical management of the coastal dunes is given, together with the present policy in the Netherlands for the preservation and development of the dune areas. In this policy, the multipurpose use of Dutch dunes within the main aim of nature conservation is a starting point for current and future management and preservation. For the shallow Wadden Sea in the north of The Netherlands, the policy is for the integral preservation of natural values by a (revised) physical planning key decision (PKD) of the Dutch government. A specific case of nature protection in relation to (mussel and cockle) fishery in the Wadden Sea and water pollution is considered.     

Can sand dunes be used to study historic storm events?

Knowing the long‐term frequency of high magnitude storm events that cause coastal inundation is critical for present coastal management, especially in the context of rising sea levels and potentially increasing frequency and severity of storm events. Coastal sand dunes may provide a sedimentary archive of past storm events from which long‐term frequencies of large storms can be reconstructed. This study uses novel portable optically stimulated luminescence (POSL) profiles from coastal dunes to reconstruct the sedimentary archive of storm and surge activity for Norfolk, UK. Application of POSL profiling with supporting luminescence ages and particle size analysis to coastal dunes provides not only information of dunefield evolution but also on past coastal storms. In this study, seven storm events, two major, were identified from the dune archive spanning the last 140 years. These appear to correspond to historical reports of major storm surges. Dunes appear to be only recording (at least at the sampling resolution used here) the highest storm levels that were associated with significant flooding. As such the approach seems to hold promise to obtain a better understanding of the frequency of large storms by extending the dune archive records further back to times when documentation of storm surges was sparse. © 2017 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

The termination of the last major phase of aeolian sand movement,coastal dunefields,Denmark

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of sand samples from stabilized (or inactive) coastal dunes in Denmark provides information on the age of the termination phase of the last major aeolian activity period. A total of 26 sand samples were taken from four different coastal dunefields around the North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat coasts of Denmark. The OSL dates indicate that the last major phase of aeolian activity terminated between ad 1860 and 1905. Most of the dunes examined in this study were active around 1820, during a period documented to have been very stormy. A dune management scheme started around 1792, and this no doubt was a major cause of dunefield stabilization, but an overall decline of storminess, particularly spring and summer storminess, around the end of the 19th century must also have contributed to the increasing inactivity of coastal dunes. The new OSL dates on aeolian sand movement agree well with historical data and data from topographic maps on dune movement. This agreement supports the observation from earlier work that OSL dating of recent aeolian sand movement is accurate over the last few decades to centuries. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variations in the response of the dune coast of northern France to major storms as a function of available beach sediment volume

A series of airborne topographic LiDAR data were obtained from May 2008 to January 2014 over two coastal sites of northern France (Bay of Wissant and east of Dunkirk). These data were used with wind and tide gauge measurements to assess the impacts of storms on beaches and coastal dunes, and particularly of the series of major storms that hit western Europe during the fall and early winter of 2013. Our results show a high variability in shoreline response from one site to the other, but also within each coastal site. Coastal dune erosion and shoreline retreat occurred at both sites, particularly on the coast of the Bay of Wissant where shoreline retreat up to about 40 m was measured. However, stability or even shoreline advance were also observed despite the occurrence of an extreme water level with a return period >100 years during the storm Xaver in early December 2013. Comparison of shoreline change with variations of coastal dune and upper beach volumes revealed only weak relationships. Our results nevertheless showed that shoreline behavior seems to strongly depend on the initial sediment volume on the upper beach before the occurrence of the storms. According to our measurements, an upper beach volume of about 30 m³ m^?1 between the dune toe and the mean high water level is sufficient at these sites to protect the coastal dunes from storm waves associated with high water levels with return periods >10 years. The identification of such thresholds in terms of upper beach width or sediment volume may represent valuable information for improving the management of shoreline change by providing an estimate of the minimum quantity of sand on the upper beach necessary to ensure shoreline stability in this region. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mapping dune dynamics by InSAR coherence

It is generally held that subtle changes in sandy environments are very difficult to detect in imagery. Nonetheless, this study demonstrates how synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometric decorrelation can be used to identify changes in individual sand dunes. The use of coherence maps over time facilitates the analysis of dune dynamics, both temporally and spatially. The Ashdod‐Nizzanim coastal dunes, along the southern coastal plain of Israel, were chosen as an illustrative example of the analysis of dune dynamics. High‐resolution TerraSAR‐X (TSX) radar images covering the entire research area were acquired for the period February to July 2012, together with meteorology data (wind and rain) for the area. The coherence results enabled the stability of individual dunes to be described as a function of time. It was found that the dune crests were more stable than the windward slopes and that the degree of stability was dependent on the distance of the dune from the sea. The results of this study show the potential of using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) decorrelation for aeolian studies, even in areas characterized by low coherence. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of the age and migration of reversing dunes in Antarctica using GPR and OSL,with implications for GPR on Mars

GPR provides high resolution images of aeolian strata in frozen sand in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The results have positive implications for potential GPR surveys of aeolian strata on Mars. Within the Lower Victoria Valley, seasonal changes in climate and a topographically-constrained wind regime result in significant wind reversals. As a consequence, dunes show reversing crest-lines and flattened dune crests. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys of the dunes reveal sets of cross-strata and low-angle bounding surfaces produced by reversing winds. Summer sand transport appears to be dominant and this is attributed to the seasonal increase in solar radiation. Solar radiation which heats the valley floor melts ice cements making sand available for transport. At the same time, solar heating of the valley floor generates easterly winds that transport the sand, contributing to the resultant westward dune migration. The location of the dune field along the northern edge of the Lower Victoria Valley provides some shelter from the powerful föehn and katabatic winds that sweep down the valley. Topographic steering of the winds along the valley and drag against the valley wall has probably aided the formation, migration and preservation of the dune field. Optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from dune deposits range from 0 to 1.3 kyr showing that the dune field has been present for at least 1000 yr. The OSL ages are used to calculate end-point migration rates of 0.05 to 1.3 m/yr, which are lower than migration rates reported from recent surveys of the Packard dunes and lower than similar-sized dunes in low-latitude deserts. The relatively low rates of migration are attributed to a combination of dune crest reversal under a bimodal wind regime and ice cement that reduces dune deflation and restricts sand entrainment.     

Coastal dune fields at the São Francisco River strandplain,northeastern Brazil: morphology and environmental controls

Extensive coastal dune ?elds occur on the Quaternary strandplain associated with the São Francisco River mouth. Two different generations of dunes are identi?ed. One is inactive, already ?xed by vegetation, comprising parabolic dunes. The other generation is active, bordering the present‐day shoreline and transgressing over the inactive dune ?eld. Three morphological provinces in the active coastal dune ?elds are recognized. On the updrift side of the São Francisco River mouth, they are: (a) sand‐sheet with shrub coppice and shadow dunes; (b) isolated dunes of the barchan‐transversal type up to 5 m high, and interdune areas; and (c) a 23 m high compound dune, with superimposed small dunes. The same provinces are recognized on the downdrift side of the river mouth, with two important exceptions: the barchan‐transversal and compound dunes are replaced, respectively, by (i) zibar‐type dunes up to 5 m high, and (ii) a 19 m high precipitation dune, which is associated with numerous blowouts. The prevailing eastern winds from August to January favour the development of the aeolian bedforms and the migration of dunes. The shoreline orientation almost transversal to the winds and the great supply of ?ne‐grained sediments contribute to the formation of barchan‐transversal types and compound dunes in the updrift side. On the other hand, in the downdrift side the shoreline orientation is almost parallel to the prevailing winds. This fact, in association with a coarser grain size in the beachface, favours the formation of zibar‐type and precipitation dunes with numerous blowouts. The rate of migration of individual dunes is about 20 to 24 m per year. This study suggests that the aeolian sedimentation is a relatively recent phenomenon at the Quaternary strandplain of the São Francisco River. The ?rst generation of dune ?elds initiated some time after 3000 years BP and the second generation originated some centuries ago. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The need for international co-operation in the management of coastal environments

The coastal zones are areas of high biological productivity and intense human pressure. Environmental challenges arise from pollution and from urban and industrial development. Administrative, social and legal challenges centre upon the need for sound management of coastal zone resources, as an important component of national strategies for sustainability. A number of specific actions have been set out in Agenda 21, the principal product of the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. But these need to be carried forward within cross-sectoral, integrated coastal area management procedures. International action is also needed because marine ecosystems rarely coincide with national boundaries, and are affected by international economic, social and legal decisions.

International scientific co-operation on marine issues is already well established, and many regional action plans and Conventions have been adopted. Technological co-operation is less advanced. Such efforts need to be intensified, and continuously adapted. Sound plans for the future must be based on good science, critical economic evaluation of resources, sensitive evaluation of social and cultural factors and of the needs of local communities, evaluation of the risks of climate change, sea-level rise and other changes, and monitoring as a basis for continuing adaptation.     

Towards environmental management of water turbidity within open coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef

Water turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are commonly used as part of marine monitoring and water quality plans. Current management plans utilise threshold SSC values derived from mean-annual turbidity concentrations. Little published work documents typical ranges of turbidity for reefs within open coastal waters. Here, time-series turbidity measurements from 61 sites in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Moreton Bay, Australia, are presented as turbidity exceedance curves and derivatives. This contributes to the understanding of turbidity and SSC in the context of environmental management in open-coastal reef environments. Exceedance results indicate strong spatial and temporal variability in water turbidity across inter/intraregional scales. The highest turbidity across 61 sites, at 50% exceedance (T₅₀) is 15.3 NTU and at 90% exceedance (T₉₀) 4.1 NTU. Mean/median turbidity comparisons show strong differences between the two, consistent with a strongly skewed turbidity regime. Results may contribute towards promoting refinement of water quality management protocols.     

Dunes on the skeleton coast,Namibia (South West Africa): Geomorphology and grain size relationships

Simple, and locally compound, transverse and barchanoid dunes dominate the 2000 km² Skeleton Coast dunefield in northwestern Namibia/South West Africa. Dune height and spacing are closely correlated (r = 0-89) and decrease across the dunefield from southwest to northeast, with an accompanying change from transverse to barchanoid ridges and ultimately barchans. The dunes are aligned transverse to the dominant strong south and south southwest onshore winds. Alignment patterns indicate that surface roughness changes between coastal plain and dunes cause dune-forming winds to swing to the right over the dunes, but resume their original direction beyond. Grain size and sorting vary at three scales: the dune, the dune landscape and through the dunefield. Overall the sands, derived from three localities by deflation from beaches supplied by vigorous longshore drift, become progressively finer and better sorted across the dunefield paralleling changes in dune height and spacing. A statistically significant relationship (r = ?0?65) was established between dune spacing and the phi grain size of the coarser fraction of the dune sands, demonstrating the importance of the protective effects of coarse grains, and suggesting that the morphometry of simple transverse dunes may be controlled by the scale of turbulence associated with the threshold wind speed required to move the coarsest fraction of the dune sand.     

Transgressive dunefield landforms and vegetation associations,Doña Juana,Veracruz, Mexico

Transgressive dune fields often comprise a multiplicity of landforms where vegetation processes largely affect landform dynamics, which in turn, also affect vegetation processes. These associations have seldom been studied in detail. This paper examines four separate landform types in a complex coastal transgressive dunefield located in the central Gulf of Mexico, in order to assess the relationships between dunefield habitat, local environmental factors, vegetation associations and landform evolution. Topographic surveys using tape and clinometer were conducted in conjunction with vegetation survey transects at four locations across the Doña Juana dunefield. Vegetation surveys allowed the estimation of relative plant cover of each plant species found along the transects. A large variety of landforms were found at the Doña Juana Dunefield: deflation plains, gegenwalle (counter) ridges, transverse dune trailing ridges, blowouts and parabolic dunes, aklé (fish‐scale shaped) dunefields and precipitation ridges, with plant species associations developing on these different landforms equally variable. Flood tolerant species were located in the lower parts (deflation plain and gegenwalle ridges) whereas the older and dryer parts were covered by coastal matorral shrubs. Burial‐tolerant species were dominant in the most mobile areas (blowouts and aklé dunefield and margin). The dune trailing ridge, with relatively milder conditions, showed the highest richness, with no dominant species. A dual interaction was found such that colonizing species both create and affect topography, and in turn, topography determines vegetation association and succession patterns. In coastal dunes, the vegetation and abiotic environment (namely the different landforms and the inherent micronevironmental variability) interact tightly and generate a complex and highly dynamic biogeomorphic system where substrate mobility and colonization processes reinforce one another in positive feedback. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in vegetation cover on the Younghusband Peninsula transgressive dunefields (Australia) 1949–2017

Studies have shown that the impact of climate change, human and animal actions on coastal vegetation can turn stabilized dunes into active mobile dunes and vice versa. Yet, the driving factors that trigger vegetation changes in coastal dunes are still not fully understood. In the transgressive dunefields of the Younghusband Peninsula (south-east coast of South Australia) historical aerial photographs show an increase in vegetation cover over the last ~70 years. This study attempts to identify the causes of the changes in vegetation cover (1949 to 2017) observed in a typical section of the coastal dune systems of the Peninsula. Vegetation cover was first estimated for various years using the available historical aerial photography (long-term changes – 1949 to 2017) and recent satellite imagery (short-term annual changes – 2010 to 2017) for the area, and then results were discussed against the observed changes in climatic variables and rabbit density, factors that could have played a role in this transformation. Results of long-term changes show that the vegetation cover has increased significantly from 1949 to 2017, from less than 7% vegetation cover to almost 40%, increasing dune stabilization and forming parabolic dune systems. Periods with the largest growth in vegetation cover (1952-1956 and 2009-2013) coincide with a significant decline in rabbit numbers. Rabbit density was found to be the primary factor linked to the rapid vegetation growth and stabilization of the dunefield, for both decadal long-term (last 68 years) and annual short-term changes (last 8 years). Other factors such as changes in rainfall, aeolian sediment transport, land use practices, and the introduction of invasive plants have apparently played a limited to negligible role in this stabilization process. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation and Analysis of Conjunctive Use with MODFLOW's Farm Process

The extension of MODFLOW onto the landscape with the Farm Process (MF-FMP) facilitates fully coupled simulation of the use and movement of water from precipitation, streamflow and runoff, groundwater flow, and consumption by natural and agricultural vegetation throughout the hydrologic system at all times. This allows for more complete analysis of conjunctive use water-resource systems than previously possible with MODFLOW by combining relevant aspects of the landscape with the groundwater and surface water components. This analysis is accomplished using distributed cell-by-cell supply-constrained and demand-driven components across the landscape within “water-balance subregions” comprised of one or more model cells that can represent a single farm, a group of farms, or other hydrologic or geopolitical entities. Simulation of micro-agriculture in the Pajaro Valley and macro-agriculture in the Central Valley are used to demonstrate the utility of MF-FMP. For Pajaro Valley, the simulation of an aquifer storage and recovery system and related coastal water distribution system to supplant coastal pumpage was analyzed subject to climate variations and additional supplemental sources such as local runoff. For the Central Valley, analysis of conjunctive use from different hydrologic settings of northern and southern subregions shows how and when precipitation, surface water, and groundwater are important to conjunctive use. The examples show that through MF-FMP's ability to simulate natural and anthropogenic components of the hydrologic cycle, the distribution and dynamics of supply and demand can be analyzed, understood, and managed. This analysis of conjunctive use would be difficult without embedding them in the simulation and are difficult to estimate a priori.     

Dune phases in the Otaki‐Te Horo area (New Zealand): a geomorphic history

Optical dating, sedimentological analysis and soil profile development have been used to develop a chronology for, and an understanding of, the geomorphic evolution of the Holocene coastal plain between Otaki and Te Horo, North Island of New Zealand. The coastal plain has prograded 0·48 m a^?1 since sea‐levels reached their post‐glacial maximum 6500 years ago. Dune development on the plain, which is dependent on the supply of sediment suitable for dune building, has been episodic. Three periods of dune activity have been identified – the Foxton, Motuiti and Waitarere phases – the last two of which are believed to have resulted from anthropogenic activities. The dunes north of the Otaki River and south of Mangaone Stream are typical of a coastal dune system that extends from Patea in the north to Paekakariki in the south. However, this system is disrupted by the Otaki River and the gravels it delivers to the coastal zone. Immediately south of the river mouth the dunes are significantly smaller, coarser, and contain significantly more magnetic material. The character of the landforms is the result of: the reworking of the last glacial deposits; ongoing coastal progradation; variation in the input of sediment suitable for dune formation; the change in beach character because of gravel input; and the position of the Otaki River mouth. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentological,modal analysis and geochemical studies of desert and coastal dunes,Altar Desert,NW Mexico

Sedimentological, compositional and geochemical determinations were carried out on 54 desert and coastal dune sand samples to study the provenance of desert and coastal dunes of the Altar Desert, Sonora, Mexico. Grain size distributions of the desert dune sands are influenced by the Colorado River Delta sediment supply and wind selectiveness. The desert dune sands are derived mainly from the quartz‐rich Colorado River Delta sediments and sedimentary lithics. The dune height does not exert a control over the grain size distributions of the desert dune sands. The quartz enrichment of the desert dune sands may be due to wind sorting, which concentrates more quartz grains, and to the aeolian activity, which has depleted the feldspar grains through subaerial collisions. The desert dune sands suffer from little chemical weathering and they are chemically homogeneous, with chemical alteration indices similar to those found in other deserts of the world. The desert sands have been more influenced by sedimentary and granitic sources. This is supported by the fact that Ba and Sr concentration values of the desert sands are within the range of the Ba and Sr concentration values of the Colorado River quartz‐rich sediments. The Sr values are also linked to the presence of Ca‐bearing minerals. The Zr values are linked to the sedimentary sources and heavy mineral content in the desert dunes. The Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peñasco coastal dune sands are influenced by long shore drift, tidal and aeolian processes. Coarse grains are found on the flanks whereas fine grains are on the crest of the dunes. High tidal regimens, long shore drift and supply from Colorado Delta River sediments produce quartz‐rich sands on the beach that are subsequently transported into the coastal dunes. Outcrops of Quaternary sedimentary rocks and granitic sources increase the sedimentary and plutonic lithic content of the coastal dune sands. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) values for the desert and coastal dune sands indicate that both dune types are chemically homogeneous. The trace element values for the coastal dune sands are similar to those found for the desert dune sands. However, an increase in Sr content in the coastal dune sands may be due to more CaCO₃ of biogenic origin as compared to the desert dune sands. Correlations between the studied parameters show that the dune sands are controlled by sedimentary sources (e.g. Colorado River Delta sediments), since heavy minerals are present in low percentages in the dune sands, probably due to little heavy mineral content from the source sediment; grain sizes in the dune sands are coarser than those in which heavy minerals are found and/or the wind speed might not exert a potential entrainment effect on the heavy mineral fractions to be transported into the dune. A cluster analysis shows that the El Pinacate group is significantly different from the rest of the dune sands in terms of the grain‐size parameters due to longer transport of the sands and the long distance from the source sediment, whereas the Puerto Peñasco coastal dune sands are different from the rest of the groups in terms of their geochemistry, probably caused by their high CaCO₃ content and slight decrease in the CIA value. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comment on Hearty,P.J. and O'Leary,M.J., 2008. Carbonate eolianites,quartz sands,and Quaternary sea-level cycles,Western Australia: A chronostratigraphic approach. Quaternary Geochronology 3: 26–55

A proposal that the yellow sands which commonly overlie Pleistocene eolianites along the west coast of Western Australia may have their origin from major extensions of inland deserts during times of severe aridity, is refuted on several grounds. The eolianites typically are deeply degraded remnants of the original coastal dunes, which contained a high content of non-calcareous detritus. Hence plentiful residual sand will accumulate during weathering of a dune. Studies on heavy mineral content of the yellow sands have shown that there is an inland ageing trend consistent with local derivation from successive dune belts, and have also pointed to local sources for yellow color in the sand, without need to postulate a distant source. Localized denudations have however occurred, during which sand is blown inland to leave tracts of bared limestone. No remnants of the alleged desert extensions exist in the hinterland of the coastal belt.     

Dune formation on the humid tropical sector of the North Queensland Coast,Australia

Several previous attempts have been made to explain the apparent poor development of coastal dunes in the humid tropics in terms of lack of wind energy, failure of sand supply to the shoreline, excessive climatic wetness, salt crust formation on beaches, and the character of tropical back-beach vegetation. However, recent published reports indicate that coastal dune occurrences are more common in the humid tropics than was formerly thought, throwing suspicion on the idea that environmental conditions militate against dune formation in these areas as a whole. Evidence from the humid tropical sector of the North Queensland coast suggests that the poor development of dunes in this area primarily reflects poor sediment sorting in the beach and nearshore zone and low wind energy at the shoreline due to the nature of the coastal orientation and physiography in relation to the prevailing southeasterly winds. These limiting factors are not unique to humid tropical climates.     

Monitoring considerations for a dynamic dune restoration project: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve,British Columbia,Canada.

Historically, management of coastal dune systems has often involved artificial stabilization of active sand surfaces in order for coastal areas to be more easily controlled and modified for human benefit. In North America, the introduction of invasive grasses, namely European and American beach (marram) grasses (Ammophila spp.) has been one of the most successful strategies used for stabilizing active coastal dune sands. Recent research has demonstrated, however, that stabilization of coastal dunes often leads to reduced landform complexity and resilience, as well as declines in species diversity. More ‘dynamic’ restoration efforts have emerged over the past 20 years that encourage dune mobility and aeolian activity in order to provide a more resilient biogeomorphic system. In North America, there is generally little research relating restoration methods and outcomes to geomorphic responses despite the fundamental importance of sedimentary processes and dune morphodynamics in broader ecosystem function. This paper aims to better situate dynamic dune restoration within current geomorphic understanding. A brief review of key terms and concepts used in the emerging field of dynamic dune restoration is provided and expanded upon with respect to geomorphologic considerations. A case study of a recent dynamic restoration effort in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, British Columbia, Canada is provide to demonstrate how these concepts are applied. Introduction of European marram at this site, coupled with a warming climate and increased precipitation in recent decades at this site, is thought to be associated with a rapid decline in aeolian activity, system stabilization and accelerated ecological succession. Preliminary results on the response of the dune system to mechanical removal of Ammophila are presented to provide the foundation for a research framework to guide the broader restoration project. Recommendations for improving treatment methodologies and monitoring protocols are provided to aid future restoration projects of this nature. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.