Coastal Dune Vegetation Zonation in Italy: Squeezed Between Environmental Drivers and Threats

The present work provides an overview of recent studies in coastal dune systems performed by the Plant Ecology Laboratory, Roma 3 University (Italy), highlighting major findings. In this review major habitat types along the sea-inland environmental gradient are described, emphasizing their ecological value in terms of biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity. A synthesis of major threats is also presented. Occupying transition zones between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, coastal dune systems are characterized by strong environmental gradients which determine the coexistence of different plant communities in a relatively small area. Despite the presence of numerous habitats which are considered priorities for international conservation goals, coastal dune ecosystems have undergone consistent transformations and are currently considered to be highly endangered. The understanding of major threats is a crucial step toward developing effective management strategies to safeguard coastal dune biodiversity, in the hope of preserving the functionality and uniqueness of these fragile ecosystems.