A note on the relation between vegetation and elevation in the dune areas of the Netherlands’ Wadden island Vlieland

Detailed vegetation maps, showing the distribution of five associations ( Violo-Corynephoretum, Polypodio-Empetretum. Festuco-Galietum maritimi. Polypodia-Salicetum. Empetro-Ericetum) in four study areas, together covering 64.6 ha of the sand dunes of Vlieland. were compared with contourmaps, giving the elevation (above Amsterdam ordnance datum) in 2.5 m intervals. A quantitative picture is presented of the associations over the four elevation classes: < 5.0 m, 5.0- 7.5 m, 7.5-10.0 m, and > 10.0 m and the results are briefly discussed. The preference of each association for a particular elevation range is clearly demonstrated.