298 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. VIII, No. 6, 
of sand binders, and numerous roots are sent out from all portions 
of the buried trunk. 
The initial stage of the succession under discussion mav be 
designated as follows: 
The Populus-Salix Dune Formation. 
Facies: Populus deltoides, 
Salix cordata (?). 
Secondary Species: 
Cakile edentula, Salix interior, 
Ammophila edentula. 
Fig. 2. Looking southward along the west side of sand ridge between 
the summer cottages and Lake Erie, north of the Breakers Hotel. Note 
the Populus forming the backbone of the ridge and the Ammophila and 
Salix being rapidly buried. 
The rapidly growing ridge along the Lake front north of the 
Breakers Hotel is a fine example of the young stage of this for¬ 
mation. (Ridge No. 8, Moseley). With the vertical growth of 
the ridge the willows are soon buried and then probablv the 
cottonwoods alone will not be able to offer a sufficient obstruc¬ 
tion to the sand to cause further vertical growth of the ridge. 
In fact the branches immediately above the top of the ridge 
may die and the sand, being thus exposed to the action of the 
wind, may be again blown away. Generally, however, there 
appears another plant which, to a certain degree, takes the place 
of the lower limbs of the cottonwoods or, upon the death of the 
trees, may itself preserve the integrity of the ridge. The vege- 
tational structure at this stage may be termed as follows: 
