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Previous work on the US Atlantic coast has generally shown that coastal foredunes are dominated by two dune grass species,Ammophila breviligulata(American beachgrass) andUniola paniculata(sea oats). From Virginia northward,A. breviligulatadominates, whileU. paniculatais the dominant grass south of Virginia. Previous work suggests that these grasses influence the shape of coastal foredunes in species-specific ways, and that they respond differently to environmental stressors; thus, it is important to know which species dominates a given dune system. The range boundaries of these two species remains unclear given the lack of comprehensive surveys. In an attempt to determine these boundaries, we conducted a literature survey of 98 studies that either stated the range limits and/or included field-based studies/observations of the two grass species. We then produced an interactive map that summarizes the locations of the surveyed papers and books. The literature review suggests that the current southern range limit forA. breviligulatais Cape Fear, NC, and the northern range limit forU. paniculatais Assateague Island, on the Maryland and Virginia border. Our data suggest a northward expansion ofU. paniculata,possibly associated with warming trends observed near the northern range limit in Painter, VA. In contrast, the data regarding a range shift forA. breviligulataremain inconclusive. We also compare our literature-based map with geolocated records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and iNaturalist research grade crowd-sourced observations. We intend for our literature-based map to aid coastal researchers who are interested in the dynamics of these two species and the potential for their ranges to shift as a result of climate change.
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Infrastructure and authority at the state’s edge: The Border Crossings of the World dataset
The Border Crossings of the World (BCW) dataset explores state authority spatially by collecting information about infrastructure built where highways cross internationally recognized borders. This geolocated information is recorded using high-altitude imagery from 1993 to 2020. We describe how the data were collected, demonstrate the dataset’s utility, and offer advice and best practices regarding use of the data. These data present clear evidence of visible and long-term state investments in authoritative displays of states’ intention to ‘filter’ entry into and exit out of their national jurisdiction. Researchers can use these data to test theories on the causes and consequences of border hardening for security outcomes, border management cooperation, political violence, terrorism, trade and migration flows, transnational crime patterns, and human rights conditions. Because the data are precisely geolocated, they are easy to combine with existing spatial datasets.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1917573
- PAR ID:
- 10409627
- Publisher / Repository:
- SAGE Publications
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Peace Research
- Volume:
- 61
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0022-3433
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 500-510
- Size(s):
- p. 500-510
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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