BEACH The life process of one plant community replacing another over time that is so vividly displayed in the dunes is called "succession." An understanding of ecological succession begins at the beach…that ribbon of sand where land meets water…a zone of daily and seasonal extremes, a place where few things can live, only visit. Beach plants and animals must survive constant wind, temperature extremes, rapid evaporation and intense sunlight.     FOREDUNE Succession in the foredune begins with the pioneer grasses, such as marram and sand reed grass. Their fibrous root systems grow rapidly, binding sand together and stabilizing the dune. Plants of the foredune are specially adapted tot eh low soil fertility and lack of moisture. With summer daytime temperatures can reach as high as 120 degrees, stirring creatures large and small to burrow to cooler temperatures below. Fowler’s toads, the eastern hognose and wolf spiders venture out in the cooler evening and nighttime hours, leaving tracks as the only clues to their existence.     TROUGH Sheltered between the foredune and backdune is a low area called a "trough" or Interdunal Pond. Scoured to lake level by the wind, these low-lying depressions fill up with groundwater to cerate a pond. Interdunal ponds provide a sheltered aquatic habitat for dune as well as wetland plants and animals such as cattails, rushes, muskrats, mink, dragonflies, spring peepers and garter snakes.     BACKDUNE A short distance away, relief from the hot summer sun and sand can be found in the forested backdune. The dense canopy of the backdune provides cooler temperatures, moist fertile soils and valuable wildlife cover. All plants of the backdune get their nutrients from a thin layer of dark, rich humus that has accumulated slowly from the decay of leaves and other plant and animal matter.