302-5 Effect of Hurricanes on Vegetation and Coastal Erosion at Texas Coastal Sand Dunes

Session: Aeolian Systems in Time and Space (Posters)

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Vegetation plays a crucial role in dune dynamics, stabilizing dunes and protecting them from erosion. Major weather events such as hurricanes, however, can heavily impact the amount of sediment at a beach, destroying established dunes. They also decimate the local plant community, which leaves dunes vulnerable to further erosion. This ongoing study consists of six beach sites in the Texas Gulf Coast region: Matagorda Bay, San Jose Island, North Padre Island, Mustang Island, Galveston Island, Follet Island, and Sargent Island. Each site is sampled in early summer and late summer, ideally to collect data before and after a hurricane, as well as in the winter. At each site, a drone survey and a ground survey was conducted. For the ground survey, first conducted in May 2025, an individual of every plant species found at each site was harvested. Each species was identified and the spectral profile of its leaves, seeds (if present), and flowers (if present) was measured. The species composition of each site was also recorded. Data from the drone survey, first conducted in December 2023, will be used to map the location and density of vegetation. Data from the same sampling period will be compared across sites to look for links between plant species composition and dune erosion. Data from the same site will be compared across sampling periods to gain an understanding of the changes in sediment budget and plant density over time. Through this study, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between plant species composition and coastal erosion, and the role hurricanes play in this dynamic system.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9571

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