Abstract

                               The sand dunes in coastal regions of Cuddalore are important ecosystems because of their small size, the rare species found in this habitat, and the beautiful landscapes they create. This study investigated the current vegetative status of sand dunes on Cuddalore district and the communities living close to the coastal sand dunes. A study of sand dune flora along coastal sand dune areas was done from January, 2016 to March, 2017. About, 38 species belonging to 37 genera and 25 families were identified at different distances from the shoreline. Coastal dune constitutes a variety of habitats wide varieties of diverse habitats and ecosystems are essential for the maintenance of food webs, migration routes and increase productivity. Such unique sensitive systems have to be protected from habitat exploitation in order to protect their native biodiversity and ecological functions.

Key words : Ecological functions, Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Food web, Habitat, Sand dunes