Table 1. List of the six ecological zones within the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system recognized in the present study and the corresponding ecological zones identified by Holland et al. (1995), Barkemeyer (1994, 1995), and Ardö (1957).
| Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3a | Zone 3b | Zone 4 | Zone 5 | Zone 6 | |
| Coastal Strand and Active Coastal Dunes | Central Coast Foredunes (Pioneer Dunes) | Active Interior Dunes | Central Coast Dune Scrub | Coastal Dune Riparian Woodland | Coastal Dune Swale | Coastal Dune Freshwater Marsh and Ponds | |
| Holland et al., 1995 | Coastal Strand and Active Coastal Dunes | Central Coast Foredunes (Pioneer Dunes) | Central Coast Dune Scrub with Active Interior Dunes | Central Coast Dune Scrub with Active Interior Dunes | Coastal Dune Riparian Woodland | Coastal Dune Swale | Coastal Dune Freshwater Marsh and Ponds |
| Barkenmeyer, 1993, 1994, 1995 | Strand | Primärdune, “Strandwall” | Secondärdünen, Weißendünen | Tertiärdünen, Graudünen, “Ruderal-Calluna-Fäche” | “Waldnähe,” “Baumgruppen” | “langgestrecktes Dünental,” “feuchten Dellen” (Kibitzdelle, Waterdelle) | Sußwasserteich |
| Ardö, 1957 | Fore Shore + High Beach, High Shore | Fore Dune (“white dune,” “dune vivante”) | Dune Ridge (First Dune Range, Sea Dune) | Dune Heath | Dune Wood | Dune Heath, depression | dune lakes |
| Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf, 1995 | Sand-verbena - beach bursage series | Dune lupine - goldenbush series, Coyote brush series | Arroyo willow series, Aspen Series, Coast live oak series | Sedge series | Bullrush - cattail series | ||