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Restoration of coastal dunes following tropical storm events often requires renourishment of sand substrate dredged from offshore sources, although dredging has well‐described negative ecological impacts and high economic costs. As a potential solution, recycled glass sand (cullet) made from crushed glass bottles has been proposed as a potential replacement for dredging. However, glass sand substrates may have limited ability to provide support to coastal plant communities due to the absence of native soil microbial communities. To explore the potential use of glass sand as a substrate for dune plants in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, we compared the growth of Sea oats (Uniola paniculata), Beach morning‐glory (Ipomoea imperati), and Railroad vine (I. pes‐caprae) in glass sand to growth in live beach sand. To determine if inoculation of glass sand with native soil microbial communities improved survival, growth, and biomass production, we also tested plant growth in glass sand with native microbial amendments. Overall, we found no difference in the survival of the three dune species across three soil treatments and weak differences in plant growth and biomass production across our soil substrates. Our results suggest that glass sand substrates may be a viable option for coastal dune restoration, with limited differences between live beach sand, glass sand, and glass sand inoculated with native soil microbes. Restoration and replenishment of coastal dunes using glass sand as a substrate following tropical storms or sea‐level rise may allow coastal managers to reduce the economic and ecological damage associated with offshore sediment dredging.
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This content will become publicly available on July 28, 2026
Black mangrove growth and root architecture in recycled glass sand: testing a new substrate for coastal restoration
As coastal regions experience accelerating land loss, artificial substrates may be useful in restoration efforts to replenish sediment and facilitate plant colonization. Recycled glass sand is a potential artificial substrate for marsh building due to its sustainability, availability, and similarity to natural substrates. However, differences in texture and availability of microbiota necessitate investigating how it affects plant growth. We tested the effect of three substrates (conventionally used dredged river sand, recycled glass sand, and a mix) and inoculation with natural soil microbes on the biomass and root architecture of Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) in a greenhouse experiment. We found neither substrate nor inoculum affected biomass; however, survival was lower in mixed substrate compared to dredged and glass sand, and live inoculum increased survival from 70 to 93%. Substrate affected root architecture: mangroves grown in glass sand had 55% lower fine root length, 51% lower specific root length (length/mass), and 26% larger average root diameter than mangroves grown in dredged sand. Although an unintended fungal infection byGeotrichum candidumkilled nearly 90% of infected propagules before the experiment, surviving plants had 81% higher biomass than uninfected plants. These findings suggest that while glass sand does not affect biomass, it may affect root architecture in ways that compromise soil stability. Furthermore, inoculation with live soil may boost restoration planting success across substrates, likely by reintroducing mutualists. Overall, recycled glass sand may be a viable restoration strategy with the caveat that the developing root architecture may differ from that in more natural substrates.
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- PAR ID:
- 10635263
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Restoration Ecology
- ISSN:
- 1061-2971
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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