An evaluation of flora from coastal sand dunes of India: Rationale for conservation and management

A key component that guarantees stability of coastal sand dunes (CSDs) is vegetation. In this study, the floristic composition and distribution from CSDs of India is reviewed. Analysis revealed a total 338 species of CSD flora, of which 92 species are found to be common to the west and east coasts. The west coast showed a greater diversity than the east coast, accounting for 267 and 163 species respectively. Fabaceae members dominated the flora and 62% of dune species exhibited an herbaceous habit. The non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS) resulted in three groups at 20% similarity. The CSD vegetation appeared to be more influenced by the geological setting and climatology of the region. The higher number of coastal dune species along the west coast is attributed to larger and extensive sandy areas. The CSD flora of India is under constant anthropogenic pressure due to rapid elimination of sand dunes and its associated vegetation. The prevailing Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification does not guarantee the health of sand dune flora. A coastal vegetation conservation policy that ensures a succession of species in the form of a three layered biozone is proposed as a long term sustainable option to maintain biodiversity of coastal flora.