| This thesis is an investigation of the nature of sedimentation of vegetated foredunes, at Greenwich Dunes, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Seasonal measurements of deposition and erosion and vegetation growth on the foredune were made at monitoring profiles of varying morphology and vegetation characteristics. Short term measurements of winds and saltation intensity were made on the beach and up the stoss slope of the foredune. Wind speed and direction measurements were made with arrays of cup anemometers and a 2-D sonic anemometer. Sediment transport intensity was measured using Sabatech omnidirectional saltation probes, which count the impact of saltating sand grains on a piezoelectric crystal. Measurements of winds and saltation were made on the stoss slope of a vegetated foredune with varying vegetation cover.; Long term monitoring of foredune development show distinct spatial and seasonal patterns of sedimentation related to wind climate, vegetation and morphology. The majority of sediment is deposited in the autumn season, from September to December, when strong, highly oblique winds out of the west and northwest are common. The greatest accumulations generally occur within 5 m either side of the foredune crest. The summer season has much lower accumulations, and these occur mainly at the toe and lower dune locations. The winter-spring period displays significant amounts of sediment deposition and erosion, with a tendency towards deposition in lee of the crest. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
