RESISTANCE OF DANISH COASTAL VEGETATION TYPES TO HUMAN TRAMPLING

Five coastal communities under influence of human trampling, i.e. a natural salt marsh, a natural dune, a man-made dune, and two man-made coastal grasslands, were studied. The vegetation of five paths (one in each community) created and sustained by human trampling was analysed with respect to floristic composition and species cover. The total number of vascular plant species, species diversity, and the total vegetation cover were significantly reduced. The therophytes and hemicryptophytes were significantly reduced, while the geophytes were indifferent to the impact of human trampling. Man-made and natural dunes were most vulnerable, coastal grasslands were intermediate, and the salt marsh was the most resistant to human trampling.