MORPHODYNAMIC BEACH AND FOREDUNE VEGETATION RELATIONSHIP OF SANTINHO BEACH, SANTA CATARINA ISLAND, BRAZIL

Abstract

Santinho beach is a small bay beach located in the east coast of Santa Catarina Island, Brazil. In this work three cross shore profiles were disposed in sectors south, central and north, each of them having an extension from the back of the foredune until the beach face. The general morphodynamic stage of Santinho beach is intermediate, with some variability between the three sectors: the northern one showing a clear dissipative trend. Wave height, width and foredune height increased from south to north sectors. The grain size was homogeneous with fine sands. A total of 14 families and about 28 species were surveyed in the vegetation cover of all sectors. Central sector has the greatest richness in species, the greatest diversity index (H=0.95), and also the greatest vegetation cover. Sectors north and south have H=0.80 and H=0.73, respectively. Sediment balance affected the total vegetal cover and species richness. In the central sector a great richness in species occurred in an intermediate stage, while in the north sector a smaller richness occurred in a dissipative stage. The south sector shows an intermediate stage, but with a less species richness, possible associated with an incipient dune and a high dominance of a shrub species.