Present-day dune environment dynamics on the coast of the Świna Gate Sandbar (Polish West coast)

Since 1997 an increase of the new dune ridge on the still developing beach has been observed. Each year the beach is becoming wider and covered by larger number of plants. Plants lead to the development of new dunes and increase of the sandbar. The new foredune ridge consists of several hillocks joined into irregular ridge. This new first ridge is also shaped by storm waves but still becomes a real ridge. This development may be caused by continuous sand supply and by very strong north and west winds. A lot of different dune psammophyties on the beach are in favour of sand fixing on the increasing beach far from the first ridge. Only on part of spit with a tendency to erosion, accumulation of the dunes is not to be observed. Additionally, human activity stops aeolian accumulation and plant growth on the beach.