ABSTRACT
Introduction e Mediterranean ecosystems represent 1% of the Earth’s land surface, and are concentrated mainly in the Mediterranean basin, with coastal ecosystems playing consequently an important role. Coastal sand dunes are natural structures which protect the coast by absorbing energy from wind, tide and wave action, and host ecosystems made by pioneering species which are adapted to life at the interface between see and land. e typical dune vegetation communities are part of the larger “macchia” or “maquis” ecosystem, which in its degraded state is referred to as “garrigue.” In Italy, the macchia covers 2-3% of the territory (INFC, 2003)
and is made primarily of evergreen shrubs. is vegetation stabilizes coastal sand dunes, and shelters inland vegetation from sea winds and consequent damages due to marine aerosol. Despite the large biodiversity characterizing the macchia vegetation, all plant species show ecological adaptations to the Mediterranean environmental conditions, which are characterized by hot and dry summers, mild and often rainy winters, recurrent exposure to salinity due to sea breeze and saline ground water table, and sandy soil with poor organic fraction and nutrients.
