Surveys of coastal foredune topography and vegetation abundance, U.S. North Carolina Outer Banks, 2016-2018

These datasets include paired measurements of beach and foredune topographic profiles
and dune vegetation surveys along the North Carolina Outer Banks, collected from October 2016
to June 2018. In October 2016, we conducted topographic and vegetation surveys at 55 transect
locations along the southern Outer Banks (Shackleford Banks, South Core Banks, and North Core
Banks) that were approximately 2 km apart. We then surveyed an additional 34 transect
locations along the northern Outer Banks (Ocracoke Island, Hatteras Island, Pea Island, Bodie
Island, and False Cape) that ranged from approximately 2-20 km apart in June 2017. In October
2017 and June 2018, we repeated these surveys at the same transect locations. At each
cross-shore transect, we measured elevation and position using an RTK GPS and plant species
abundance and dune grass density (within 0.25 m2 quadrats) every 5 m from the foredune toe to
the foredune heel. We measured the areal percent cover of all plant species found within each
quadrat and counted the live and dead shoot density of four native Atlantic Coast dune
building grasses (Uniola paniculata, Ammophila breviligulata, Panicum amarum, and Spartina
patens).