A process-based hypothesis for the barchan-parabolic transformation and implications for dune activity modelling

The introduction of vegetation to bare barchan dunes can result in a morphological transformation to vegetated parabolic dunes. Models can mimic this planform inversion, but little is known about the specific processes and mechanisms responsible. Here we outline a minimalist, quantitative, and process-based hypothesis to explain the barchanparabolic transformation. The process is described in terms of variations in the stabilization of wind-parallel cross-sectional dune slices. We hypothesize that stabilization of individual dune slices is the predictable result of feedbacks initiated from colonization of vegetation on the slipface, which can only occur when slipface deposition rates are less than the deposition tolerance of vegetation. Under a constant vegetation growth regime the transformation of a barchan dune into a parabolic dune is a geometric response to spanwise gradients in deposition rates. Initial vegetation colonization of barchan horns causes shear between the anchored sides and the advancing centre of the dune, which rotates the planform brinkline angle from concave- to convex-downwind. This reduces slipface deposition rate and allows vegetation to expand inward from the arms to the dune centre. The planform inversion of bare barchans dunes into vegetated parabolic dunes ultimately leads to complete stabilization. Our hypothesis raises several important questions for future study: (i) are parabolic dunes transitional landforms between active and vegetation-stabilized dune states? (ii) should stabilization modelling of parabolic dune fields be treated differently than linear dunes? and (iii) are stabilized parabolic dune fields armoured against re-activation? Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.