“…Among other factors, sea level rise and more frequent intense storms are projected to have important effects on the geomorphological and ecological processes regulating barrier island dynamics [e.g., Moore et al ., ; Zinnert et al ., ; Duran Vinent and Moore , ]. In particular, vegetation plays a central role in engineering dune topography by trapping and stabilizing the sand, and thus exerts a first‐order control on barrier island dynamics [e.g., Short and Hesp , ; Hesp , ; Hesp , ; Psuty , ; Duran and Moore , ; Walker et al ., ]. Burial‐tolerant species, such as Ammophila breviligulata , are known to increase sediment accumulation in dune areas [ Godfrey , ; Disraeli , ], whereas species less tolerant to burial, such as Spartina patens , are considered to be important in stabilizing low‐elevation areas and in promoting dune recovery after overwash events [ Godfrey , ; Ritchie and Penland , ; Wolner et al ., ].…”