Coastal Morphodynamics and Climate Change: A Review of Recent Advances

Wright, Lynn Donelson; Thom, Bruce Graham

doi:10.3390/jmse11101997

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 131 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The intensity and destructiveness of tropical cyclones are expected to increase as the climate warms [109][110][111][112] and this will further accelerate geomorphic and ecologic instability. The combination of faster rates of sea level rise, increasing storminess, and ongoing anthropogenic alterations will surely increase the pace and scale of geomorphic, ecologic, and urban change towards 2050 [113,114]). This will create substantial new challenges to coastal zone practitioners, as the management and planning instruments of governance often lack the capacity to contextualize risk at the pace at which it is changing and the financial resources necessary to implement the plans that have already been accepted [115].…”

Section: Evidence Of Recent Changes and Likely Outcomes Of Faster Rat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomorphic Response of the Georgia Bight Coastal Zone to Accelerating Sea Level Rise, Southeastern USA

Parkinson,

Wdowinski

2023

Coasts

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Synthesis of geologic and chronologic data generated from Holocene sedimentary sequences recovered along the inner continental shelf, shoreface, and modern coastal zone of the Georgia Bight reveal a synchronous sequence of paleoenvironmental events that occurred in response to rate of sea level rise tipping points. During the early Holocene (11.7–8.2 cal kyr BP), the paleoshoreline was overstepped and submerged by rapidly rising seas that averaged ~5 mm yr−1. Rates of rise during the middle Holocene (8.2–4.2 cal kyr BP) averaged ~2 mm yr−1 and this deceleration resulted in the formation of coastal environments and sedimentary sequences that were subsequently reworked as the shoreface continued its landward and upward migration. The modern coastal zone emerged commensurate with the late Holocene (4.2–0 cal kyr BP), when the rate of sea level rise averaged <1 mm yr−1. Analysis of water level data collected at six NOAA tide gauge stations located along the Georgia Bight coast indicates the rate of relative sea level rise has increased from a historical average of 3.6 ± 0.2 mm yr−1 (<1972 to 2022) to 6.6 ± 0.8 (1993 to 2022) and during the 21st century it has averaged 9.8 ± 0.3 mm yr−1 (2003 to 2022). The current rate of sea level rise is nearly double the early Holocene rate of rise. Based upon a novel application of the principle of uniformitarianism (i.e., the past is the key to the future), the likely geomorphic trajectory of the Georgia Bight coastal zone under conditions of 21st century accelerating sea level rise will be one of increasing instability (e.g., coastal erosion) and flooding (e.g., overwash, breaching). Evidence of an emerging instability within the coastal zone has been previously reported throughout the region and supports the trajectory of geomorphic change proposed herein. This will ultimately result in the submergence of existing landscapes and replacement by estuarine and marine environments, which may hasten in pace and scale given the current rate of sea level rise is expected to continue accelerating throughout this century. These findings have not been previously reported and should be considered by coastal practitioners responsible for conceptualizing risk, as well as the formulation and implementation of adaptation action plans designed to mitigate threats to the built and natural environment induced by climate change.

show abstract

Section: Evidence Of Recent Changes and Likely Outcomes Of Faster Rat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomorphic Response of the Georgia Bight Coastal Zone to Accelerating Sea Level Rise, Southeastern USA

Parkinson,

Wdowinski

2023

Coasts

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The coastal stretch selected for adaptation presents fine and coarse sand beaches with rigid coastal infrastructure and impulsive storms, which condition adaptation capacity and criteria to rank actionable interventions [31,32]. The resulting adaptation pathways are steering adaptive management decisions, according to co-designed objectives that avoid tipping points and mainstream environmental values into coastal policies [33,34].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal Adaptation Pathways and Tipping Points for Typical Mediterranean Beaches Under Future Scenarios

Jr.,

Gracia,

Sánchez-Arcilla

2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coastal zones experience increasing climatic and human pressures, which lead to growing risks and tipping points (TPs) under future scenarios and natural resource scarcity. To avoid crossing TPs with irreversible coastal losses, this paper proposes the development of adaptation pathways based on advanced coastal oceanography and engineering knowledge that enables an objective assessment of evolving coastal risks. These pathways feature sequential interventions, combining conventional engineering works with nature-based solutions (NbS), steered by simulations and observations as a function of available coastal resources (space and sediment) and risks for infrastructure and socioeconomic assets. Such an adaptation has been developed for urban and peri-urban Mediterranean beaches, considering conventional coastal engineering together with NbS. Both types of interventions are assessed in terms of key physical variables, which serve to evaluate performance and estimate TPs. This analysis supports the new coastal protection and management plan promoted by the local government and the coastal adaptation plan of the central government. The approach and results illustrate the potential of adaptation pathways for beach sustainability, enhancing the compatibility between short/long-term coastal protection objectives under present/future climate and management scenarios. The adaptation pathways development underpins an increasing stakeholder cooperation to achieve shared decisions for coastal sustainability.

show abstract

“…The coastal stretch selected for adaptation presents fine and coarse sand beaches with rigid coastal infrastructure and impulsive storms, which condition adaptation capacity and criteria to rank actionable interventions [34,35]. The resulting adaptation pathways are steering adaptive management decisions according to co-designed objectives that avoid tipping points and mainstream environmental values into coastal policies [36,37].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal Adaptation Pathways and Tipping Points for Typical Mediterranean Beaches under Future Scenarios

Sánchez-Arcilla,

Gracia,

Sánchez-Arcilla

2024

JMSE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coastal zones experience increasing climatic and human pressures, which lead to growing risks and tipping points (TPs) under future scenarios and natural resource scarcity. To avoid crossing TPs with irreversible coastal losses, this paper proposes the development of adaptation pathways based on advanced coastal oceanography and engineering knowledge that enables a comprehensive assessment of evolving coastal risks. These pathways feature sequential interventions steered by simulations and observations as a function of available coastal resources (mainly space and sediment) and risks for infrastructure and socioeconomic assets. Such an adaptation has been developed for urban and peri-urban Mediterranean beaches, considering conventional coastal engineering together with nature-based solutions (NbS). Both types of interventions are assessed in terms of key physical variables, which serve to evaluate performance and estimate TPs. This analysis supports the new coastal protection and management plan promoted by the regional government of Catalonia and the coastal adaptation plan of the central government of Spain. The approach and results illustrate the potential of adaptation pathways for beach sustainability, enhancing the compatibility between short-/long-term coastal protection objectives under present/future climate and management scenarios. The development of adaptation pathways underpins increasing stakeholder cooperation to achieve shared decisions for coastal sustainability.

show abstract

Coastal Morphodynamics and Climate Change: A Review of Recent Advances

Cited by 8 publications

References 131 publications

Geomorphic Response of the Georgia Bight Coastal Zone to Accelerating Sea Level Rise, Southeastern USA

Geomorphic Response of the Georgia Bight Coastal Zone to Accelerating Sea Level Rise, Southeastern USA

Coastal Adaptation Pathways and Tipping Points for Typical Mediterranean Beaches Under Future Scenarios

Coastal Adaptation Pathways and Tipping Points for Typical Mediterranean Beaches under Future Scenarios

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About