Researchers from ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Lab are using innovative techniques to investigate the ecological functions of a natural dune system to see how those functions play a role in dune stability.

For the first time ever, the team used a specially designed container to collect and transport a living dune sample to the lab to be tested in a controlled environment.

By testing a section of a living dune from the field where it’s been able to go through its natural growth cycle, the team hopes of learning more about coastal dune resiliency to help better inform coastal management strategies.