This study examines the mode of foredune development along ~3,500 km of the west African and the Canary Islands coasts. Foredune modes are classified into either continuous and discontinuous ridges or nebkha (discrete dune mounds). The drivers determining foredune mode including temperature, winds, and sediment supply are investigated and rainfall is the principal driver. Continuous foredunes are found in the region where rainfall is above ~480–500 mm mean annual rainfall. Between around 340 mm and 480 mm the rainfall is not sufficient to sustain laterally continuous pioneer plant communities and discontinuous foredunes predominate. Below ~300 mm rainfall, xerophilous and halophilous shrub plants predominate and only nebkha occur. Our findings support the contention that climate, and particularly rainfall, plays a very significant role in driving foredune mode, and hence coastal morphological evolution.

这项研究考察了西非和加那利群岛沿岸约3500公里的沿岸地带发展的模式。Foredune模式分为连续和不连续的山脊或nebkha（离散沙丘）。确定包括温度，风和沉积物供应在内的前定点模式的驱动因素已得到调查，降雨是主要驱动因素。在年均降水量约480-500毫米以上的地区发现连续性干旱。在340毫米至480毫米之间，降雨不足以维持横向连续的先锋植物群落，而不连续的前兆占主导地位。降水量低于〜300 mm时，干性和嗜盐性灌木植物占主导地位，仅出现nebkha。我们的发现支持以下论点：气候，尤其是降雨，