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Coasts are highly dynamic and geomorphologic complex systems that evolve under the increasing pressure of climate change and anthropogenic activities, having direct or indirect impacts on the coastal environment. Among the major adverse effects, coastal erosion represents one of the most pressing global issues, especially in flat and low-lying coastal areas that appear to be particularly susceptible to beach erosion and related shoreline retreat. This Special Issue collects a set of twelve papers on "Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion". Of course, this collection of papers does not cover all the broad number of topics concerning the dynamics and spatial-temporal evolution of shorelines and beach systems, but, in our opinion, they contribute to the growing body of knowledge. Coastal systems of variable complexity located in different geographic and climatic contexts are investigated from various points of view by using multi- and interdisciplinary approaches, as well as new experimental ones. The major topics covered concern the morphodynamics and hydrodynamics of coastal systems, the driving factors of coastal erosion, and the use of models/indexes to study coastal vulnerability and the mitigation of human/natural pressures affecting coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1971, remote sensing techniques have been used to map and monitor phenomena and parameters of the coastal zone. However, updated reviews have only considered one phenomenon, parameter, remote data source, platform, or geographic region. No review has offered an updated overview of coastal phenomena and parameters that can be accurately mapped and monitored with remote data. This systematic review was performed to achieve this purpose. A total of 15,141 papers published from January 2021 to June 2023 were identified. The 1475 most cited papers were screened, and 502 eligible papers were included. The Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched using all possible combinations between two groups of keywords: all geographical names in coastal areas and all remote data and platforms. The systematic review demonstrated that, to date, many coastal phenomena (103) and parameters (39) can be mapped and monitored using remote data (e.g., coastline and land use and land cover changes, climate change, and coastal urban sprawl). Moreover, the authors validated 91% of the retrieved parameters, retrieved from remote data 39 parameters that were mapped or monitored 1158 times (88% of the parameters were combined together with other parameters), monitored 75% of the parameters over time, and retrieved 69% of the parameters from several remote data and compared the results with each other and with available products. They obtained 48% of the parameters using different methods, and their results were compared with each other and with available products. They combined 17% of the parameters that were retrieved with GIS and model techniques. In conclusion, the authors addressed the requirements needed to more effectively analyze coastal phenomena and parameters employing integrated approaches: they retrieved the parameters from different remote data, merged different data and parameters, compared different methods, and combined different techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality is a technological development that, among others, has revolutionized Earth sciences. Its advantages include an opportunity to examine places otherwise difficult or impossible to access and it may also become an important component of education, fostering a better understanding of processes and landforms, geohazard awareness, and an appreciation of geoheritage. This paper reports on the GeoVT project, which aims to create a platform to build and disseminate Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) focused on geomorphology, natural hazards associated with geomorphological processes, and geoheritage sites. To put the GeoVT project in context, an overview of applications of VR in geosciences is provided. This paper subsequently proceeds with a presentation of the project and the GeoVT Authoring application, which is an innovative platform designed to help teachers and students, followed by brief presentations of a number of VFTs developed within the project. They address themes such as fluvial landforms and valley development, coastal landforms, evidence of past glaciation, coastal erosion, wildfire effects, mud volcanoes, and landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive approach to forecasting hydro–meteorological changes in a marine area, i.e., in large bodies of water, from open water to coastal zones. First, hydro–meteorological factors, their interactions, and their implications for marine ecosystems are described. In addition, an analysis is outlined specifically for the Baltic Sea area. Next, the procedure for forecasting expected changes in major hydro–meteorological parameters in the sea is presented and a series of steps is accurately described. An extensive prognosis is provided for the southern Baltic Sea region using historical data obtained from the Polish National Institute of Water Management and Meteorology. The procedure is applied for seven measurement points which were assigned to four sub-areas for examining trends in wind regimes and wave height patterns using the authors' own written software and statistical methods for data analysis. The model was validated within the southern Baltic Sea region. This paper also highlights the significance of forecasting for human beings, the environment, and critical infrastructure by proposing adaptive strategies and integrated coastal zone management in mitigating risks and enhancing resilience. Finally, future directions for research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mid-twentieth century, growing North American textile and ready-to-wear industries vigorously appropriated Native American aesthetics to cultivate a commercial and design identity apart from Europe. Most studies of the circulation of Indigenous idioms in these industries focus on Southwestern or South Pacific regionalisms, and scholarship on studio and commercial fabric and fashion design from the Northwest Coast in the twentieth century is limited. This paper contributes by raising Indigenous and non-Indigenous use of Northwest Coast design forms during the politically turbulent 1940s–1960s and analyzing the impact of this aesthetic vocabulary within broader North American textiles and fashion. Throughout, I engage with the approaches of critical fashion theory and multiple modernisms, considering the frictions of property and power relations within settler-colonial states, then and now. Drawing from study of objects, periodicals, and archival materials as well as first-person perspectives, I contextualize these representations within entangled art, museum, and design worlds in the Northwest Coast, New York City, and the Southwest. My examination illustrates that Northwest Coast artists and art ideas asserted a peripheral but locatable role in mid-century textiles and fashion, facilitating the development of today's robust Indigenous fashion network on the Northwest Coast and its cultural politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the concept of ribāṭ and its practice have been the subject of intense debate. Recent summary papers on the eastern Mediterranean, Ifrīqiya, al-Maghrib al-Aqṣà, and al-Andalus, among others, have made it possible to compare different realities that express strong links with their local historical contexts. In this paper, we present the results of a new study that analyses the specific case of Northern Sharq al-Andalus, where the practice and institutionalisation of ribāṭ took shape from the early 9th century. There are three elements that lead us to corroborate this hypothesis: the documented presence of numerous individuals and groups voluntarily involved in the active and passive defence of the furthermost frontier of al-Andalus; the confirmation of a construction programme with homogeneous characteristics aimed at building fortified enclosures along the coast, and, lastly, the founding, in the early 9th century, of the Ribāṭ Kashkī centre at the mouth of the Ebro, a building were these practices would become centralised. In conclusion, we propose a much more complex scenario than that proposed previously, which enables us to characterise local forms of armed spirituality and sacralisation of the land that globally enriches the historical reading of ribāṭ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new approach for delineating river coastlines in RGB close-range nadir aerial imagery acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aimed at facilitating waterline detection through the reduction of the dimensions of a colour space and the use of coarse grids rather than pixels. Since water has uniform brightness, expressed as the value (V) component in the hue, saturation, value (HSV) colour model, the reduction in question is attained by extracting V and investigating its histogram to identify areas where V does not vary considerably. A set of 30 nadir UAV-acquired photos, taken at five different locations in Poland, were used to validate the approach. For 67% of all analysed images (both wide and narrow rivers were photographed), the detection rate was above 50% (with the false hit rate ranged between 5.00% and 61.36%, mean 36.62%). When the analysis was limited to wide rivers, the percentage of images in which detection rate exceeded 50% increased to 80%, and the false hit rates remained similar. Apart from the river width, land cover in the vicinity of the river, as well as uniformity of water colour, were found to be factors which influence the waterline detection performance. Our contribution to the existing knowledge is a rough waterline detection approach based on limited information (only the V band, and grids rather than pixels). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic shifts in shorelines due to erosion and deposition have become a significant challenge in coastal zone management, particularly in the context of climate change and rising sea levels. This paper evaluates the shoreline protection and efficiency of various wave-reducing breakwaters in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. The delta exemplifies the coastal erosion issue faced by deltas worldwide. Landsat satellite images were used to establish a coastal development map for the period 2000 to 2022. The wave data in front and behind the breakwaters were analyzed to assess the wave reduction efficiency of various breakwater structures. Our results reveal that coastal erosion is deeply concerning, with almost 40% of the coastline experiencing severe erosion. Hotspot areas have been observed to reach annual erosion rates of nearly 95 m per year. The majority of provinces have adopted protective measures, with 68% of affected shorelines protected to some degree. Our results show breakwaters to be highly effective in reducing wave height, with a 62% reduction in waves reaching the shore. The process of creating offset has taken place in the area from the breakwater back to the mainland, with the rate of increase in compensation also quite fast at up to 3.1 cm/month. The stability of the pile–rock is very high; however, it is necessary to add rock to compensate for the settlement of the rock part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intricate interplay of oceanic-atmospheric variations has intensified erosive processes on sandy beaches in recent decades, with climate change expected to exacerbate these impacts in the future. Projections for the southern Atlantic and Pacific regions of continental Latin America predict increased extreme events and heightened impacts on sandy beaches, highlighting disparities in studies addressing coastal erosion and its causes. To address these risks, a systematic review is proposed to analyze historical trends and projections, aiming to inform local-level studies and management strategies for at-risk coastal communities. Reviewing 130 research papers, insights reveal the influence of climatic events like El Niño and La Niña on coastal dynamics, as well as the effects of storm intensification and extreme events such as high-intensity waves and storm surges on Latin American coasts, resulting in ecosystem, economic, and infrastructure losses. Projections indicate a rise in the population inhabiting Low Elevation Coastal Zones (LECZ) by the century's end, emphasizing the urgent need for effective management and planning. Community engagement in erosion monitoring and adaptation programs is crucial for addressing these challenges and developing robust, sustainable, long-term adaptation strategies. This study aims to enhance the understanding of coastal erosion in Latin American communities addressing future coastal risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexico is a well-known seismically active country, which is primarily affected by several tectonic plate interactions along the southern Pacific coastline and by active structures in the Gulf of California. In this paper, we investigate this seismicity using the classical Gutenberg–Richter (GR) law and a non-extensive statistical approach based on Tsallis entropy. The analysis is performed using data from the corrected Mexican seismic catalog provided by the National Seismic Service, spanning the period from January 2000 to October 2023, and unlike previous work, it includes six different regions along the entire west coastline of Mexico. The Gutenberg–Richter law fitting to the earthquake sub-catalogs for all six regions studied indicates magnitudes of completeness between 3.30 and 3.76, implying that the majority of seismic movements occur for magnitudes less than 4. The cumulative distribution of earthquakes as derived from the Tsallis entropy was fitted to the corrected catalog data to estimate the q-entropic index for all six regions, which for values greater than one is a measure of the non-extensivity (i.e., non-equilibrium) of the system. All regions display values of the entropic index in the range 1.52 ≲ q ≲ 1.61 , slightly lower than previously estimated ( 1.54 ≲ q ≲ 1.70 ) using catalog data from 1988 to 2010. The reason for this difference is related to the use of modern recording devices, which are sensitive to the detection of a larger number of low-magnitude events compared to older instrumentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unequivocal change in the climate system has put coastal regions around the world at increasing risk from climate-related hazards. Monitoring the coast is often difficult and expensive, resulting in sparse monitoring equipment lacking in sufficient temporal and spatial coverage. Thus, low-cost methods to monitor the coast at finer temporal and spatial resolution are imperative for climate resilience along the world's coasts. Exploiting such low-cost methods for the development of early warning support could be invaluable to coastal settlements. This paper aims to provide the most up-to-date low-cost techniques developed and used in the last decade for monitoring coastal hazards and their forcing agents via systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature in three scientific databases: Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect. A total of 60 papers retrieved from these databases through the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) protocol were analysed in detail to yield different categories of low-cost sensors. These sensors span the entire domain for monitoring coastal hazards, as they focus on monitoring coastal zone characteristics (e.g., topography), forcing agents (e.g., water levels), and the hazards themselves (e.g., coastal flooding). It was found from the meta-analysis of the retrieved papers that terrestrial photogrammetry, followed by aerial photogrammetry, was the most widely used technique for monitoring different coastal hazards, mainly coastal erosion and shoreline change. Different monitoring techniques are available to monitor the same hazard/forcing agent, for instance, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), time-lapse cameras, and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for monitoring coastal morphological changes such as beach erosion, creating opportunities to not only select but also combine different techniques to meet specific monitoring objectives. The sensors considered in this paper are useful for monitoring the most pressing challenges in coastal zones due to the changing climate. Such a review could be extended to encompass more sensors and variables in the future due to the systematic approach of this review. This study is the first to systematically review a wide range of low-cost sensors available for the monitoring of coastal zones in the context of changing climate and is expected to benefit coastal researchers and managers to choose suitable low-cost sensors to meet their desired objectives for the regular monitoring of the coast to increase climate resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas are dynamic and complex systems exposed to waves, high tides, and storm surges. Often, these areas are densely populated and have essential socio-economic values for the region and country. Any changes or disruptions can cause a tremendous social burden. Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) is one of the most used and straightforward methods to assess coastal vulnerability. This paper aims to analyse and summarise the current state of published coastal vulnerability indices. The analysis seeks to develop a regional vulnerability index for the eastern Adriatic coast, specifically for the Istrian peninsula. A total of 18 published papers were reviewed. A detailed survey was performed on three groups of variables that represent (a) the physical features of the coast, (b) the amount of influence of wave energy on the coast, and (c) exposed socio-economic factors. While choosing Physical and ecological variables is relatively straightforward, choosing Socio-economic variables is particularly challenging. The number of variables differs significantly from one author to another. As a result of the huge variety of global coastal characteristics and different research approaches, there is no universal CVI. Therefore, analysed indices are not suited for the calculation of the vulnerability of the Istrian coast without modification. A 5 × 5 m cell dimension was proposed as the most suitable for analysing the physical vulnerability of the Croatian coast of Istria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosiliceous sedimentation, closely related to carbon sedimentation in water, has a significant impact on the marine biogeochemical cycle. However, large-scale monitoring data are scarce due to the constraints of biosiliceous sedimentation flux (BSF) gathering methods. There are few reports on the spatiotemporal variation of BSF in estuaries and offshore waters. Additionally, few studies have used satellite remote sensing methods to retrieve BSF. In the paper, satellite images from 2000 to 2020 were used for the first time to estimate the BSF distribution of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) over the past 20 years, based on a remote sensing model combined with particulate organic carbon (POC) deposition data and water depth data. The results showed that the BSF ranged from 100 to 2000 mg/(m2 × d). The accuracy tests indicated that the correlation coefficient (R2) and significance (P) of Pearson correlation analysis were 0.8787 and 0.0018, respectively. The BSF value varied seasonally and increased every year. The BSF did not follow a simple trend of decreasing along the coast to open water. Shenzhen Bay (SZB) generally had a higher BSF value than the Dragon's Den Waterway (DDW). The BSF in autumn and winter was investigated using empirical orthogonal function analysis (EOF). In autumn, the BSF of the PRE's eastern bank showed little change, while the BSF of the western bank showed obvious differences. In winter, the BSF in Hong Kong waters and inlet shoals fluctuated less, whereas the BSF in DDW and Lingding Waterway (LW) fluctuated more. The grey correlation analysis (GRA) identified two factors affecting BSF: chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and total suspended solids (TSS). Most BSF were primarily affected by TSS during winter. In spring, the two effects were balanced. TSS affected the east coast in summer, and CDOM was the dominant effect in autumn. Four main parameters influencing the distribution of BSF in the PRE were analyzed: ecosystem, reef, flow field and flocculation. This study showed that using satellite remote sensing to estimate BSF has excellent potential, which is worthy of further discussion in terms of spatiotemporal resolution and model optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that the current double direction buffering algorithm is easy to use to seal the "bottleneck" area when simplifying coastlines, an adaptive simplification method for coastlines using a skeleton line "bridge" double direction buffering algorithm is proposed. Firstly, from the perspective of visual constraints, the relationship between the buffer distance and the coastline line width and the minimum recognition distance of the human eye is theoretically derived and determined. Then, based on the construction of the coastline skeleton binary tree, the "bridge" skeleton line is extracted using the "source tracing" algorithm. Finally, the shoreline adaptive simplification is realized by constructing a visual buffer of "bridge" skeleton lines to bridge the original resulting coastline and the local details. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively solve the problem that the current double direction buffering algorithm has, which can significantly improve the quality of simplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple datasets related to pond and marine aquaculture have been published using diverse remote sensing technologies, yet a comprehensive dataset detailing spatial distribution on both land and sea sides is lacking. Firstly, a meticulous comparison of datasets which we selected related to aquaculture ponds and marine, ensuring consistency in trends. Subsequently, the datasets published by our team were edited and integrated to illustrate aquaculture activities on both sides of China's coastal zone. Finally, a spatial differentiation of coastal aquaculture in major provinces was analyzed. This analysis also utilizes the types of coastline and statistical data, guiding coordinated resource management efforts. The results unveil a distinctive spatial distribution pattern, concentrating aquaculture in the northern regions—Bohai Sea, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Pearl River coasts in Guangdong. The provinces rich in aquaculture resources, such as Shandong, Guangdong, and Liaoning, exhibit extensive coastlines. However, remote sensing monitoring suggests an underestimation of Liaoning's marine aquaculture compared to statistical yearbook data. Furthermore, southern provinces like Guangdong and Fujian exhibit significantly higher aquaculture output than Liaoning. Zhejiang leads in fishing output. The paper outlines the future development direction of coastal aquaculture, emphasizing a strategic, integrated land–sea approach for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave-induced currents play a critical role in coastal dynamics, influencing sediment transport and shaping bottom topography. Traditionally, long- and cross-shore currents in coastal zones were analyzed independently, often with two-dimensional models for longshore currents and undertow being used. The introduction of quasi-three-dimensional models marked a significant advancement toward a more holistic understanding. Despite recent proposals for fully three-dimensional models, none have achieved widespread acceptance, primarily due to challenges in accurately capturing depth-dependent radiation stress. This paper presents an innovative analytical model advocating for comprehensive three-dimensional approaches in coastal hydrodynamics. The model, based on novel simplification rules, refines relationships governing turbulent stress tensors and provides valuable insights into wave-induced stresses. It offers analytical solutions for both homogeneous and general coastal zones, laying the foundation for future advancements in numerical modeling techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the littoralization process in mainland Portugal over a broad chronological framework. Littoralization is defined as the occupation and settlement of human communities along the coast. In this case, the analysis was based on the synchronic analysis of three chronologies: from the formation of Portugal to the settlement of the fountains (1096–1325); at the dawn of modernity, marked by the Portuguese expansion (1500–1524), with the first scientific census (1860); and in the present, with data from the last census (2021). The choice of chronology was dictated by the historical sources available and allowed us to check the trend of population dispersion both in terms of latitude and longitude, the latter being the analysis of the distance of the main population centers (counties) from the coast. In the first chronological segment, there is a "safety distance" from the exposed coastlines, which is gradually blurred over time until there is an impressive coastal demographic concentration in 2021, with around 80% of people settled within 50 km of the sea. So, the management of Portugal's territory is an unequivocal indicator of the Anthropocene even with the risks of the disappearance of some beaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the literature covering the period from 1965 to 2020 dedicated to the issue of artificial beach nourishment along the Polish coast, with a particular focus on the Hel Peninsula. The primary sources used in this work include 34 reports from unpublished case studies and projects implemented by the Department of Maritime Hydrotechnics, Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, between 1971 and 2020. This paper also presents detailed information about the total fill volume in cubic meters of dredged material deposited along the Polish coast and lagoon shores in 1980–2020. During these 40 years, approximately 40.5 million m3 of sediment was deposited along the Polish coast and lagoon shores. Particular consideration was given to beach fills along the Hel Peninsula, which was at actual risk of breaking in its basal and central sections after intense storms at the turn of 1988 and 1989. The survey materials collected enabled the assessment of the coastal morphodynamics of the peninsula under the Coastal Protection Program through the prism of changes in the fill volume along the coastal sections, which were replenished with material coming from submarine deposits. The peninsula's stability was also assessed, taking into account the ongoing climate change. Moreover, this article discusses the proposed rules and terms for protecting the Polish coast by way of artificial nourishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of cross-shore sediment transport for non-cohesive sediments in the coastal zone. The principles of sediment incipient motion are introduced. Formulations for the estimation of bedload transport are presented, for currents and combined waves and current flows. A method to consider the effect of sediment heterogeneity on transport, using the hiding–exposure coefficient and hindrance factor, is depicted. Total transport resulting from bedload and transport by suspension is also addressed. New research is encouraged to fill the knowledge gap on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolf Rock Lighthouse is a Victorian era masonry structure located in an extreme environment facing the fiercest Atlantic storms off the southwest coast of England whose dynamic behaviour has been studied since 2016. Initially, a modal test was used to determine modal parameters; then, in 2017, a monitoring system was installed that has operated intermittently providing response data for a number of characteristic loading events. These events have included wave loads due to storms, a small UK earthquake, helicopters landing on the helideck, and the grounding of a ship on the reef. This is believed to be the most extensive experimental campaign on any structure of this type. This paper briefly describes a unique project involving the characterisation and measurement of dynamic behaviour due to different forms of dynamic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses evidence-based applications of Remote Sensing for Sustainable and Precision Agriculture in the Northern Savanna Regions of Ghana for three decades (1990–2023). During this period, there have been several government policy intervention schemes and pragmatic support actions from development agencies towards improving agriculture in this area with differing level of success. Over the same period, there have been dramatic advances in remote sensing (RS) technologies with tailored applications to sustainable agriculture globally. However, the extent to which intervention schemes have harnessed the incipient potential of RS for achieving sustainable agriculture in the study area is unknown. To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the synergy between agriculture policy interventions and applications of RS towards optimizing results. Thus, this study used systematic literature review and desk analysis to identify previous and current projects and studies that have applied RS tools and techniques to all aspects of agriculture in the study area. Databases searched include Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, AoJ, and PubMed. To consolidate the gaps identified in the literature, ground-truthing was carried out. From the 26 focused publications found on the subject, only 13 (54%) were found employing RS in various aspects of agriculture observations in the study area. Out of the 13, 5 studies focused on mapping the extents of irrigation areas; 2 mapped the size of crop and pasturelands; 1 focused on soil water and nutrient retention; 1 study focused on crop health monitoring; and another focused on weeds/pest infestations and yield estimation in the study area. On the type of data, only 1 (7%) study used MODIS, 2 (15%) used ASTER image, 1 used Sentinel-2 data, 1 used Planetscope, 1 used IKONOS, 5 used Landsat images, 1 used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and another 1 used RADAR for mapping and monitoring agriculture activities in the study area. There is no evidence of the use of LiDAR data in the area. These results validate the hypothesis that failing agriculture in the study area is due to a paucity of high-quality spatial data and monitoring to support informed farm decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used to simulate Typhoon Rumbia in this paper. The sensitivity experiments were conducted with 16 different parameterization combination schemes, including four microphysics (WSM6, WSM5, Lin, and Thompson), two boundary layers (YSU and MYJ), and two cumulus convection (Kain–Fritsch and Grell–Freitas) schemes. The impacts of 16 parameterization combination schemes and the data assimilation (DA) of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) water vapor were evaluated by the simulation accuracy of typhoon track and intensity. The results show that the typhoon track and intensity are significantly influenced by parameterization schemes of cumulus and boundary layers rather than microphysics. The averaged track error of Lin_KF_Y is 104.73 km in the entire 72-h simulation period. The track errors of all the other combination schemes are higher than Lin_KF_Y. During the entire 72-h, the averaged intensity error of Thompson_GF_M is 1.36 hPa. It is the lowest among all the combination schemes. As for data assimilation, the simulation accuracy of typhoon tracks can be significantly improved by adding the GNSS water vapor. Thompson_GF_M-DA combination scheme has the lowest average track error of 45.05 km in the initial 24 h. The Lin_KF_Y-DA combination scheme exhibits an average track error of 32.17 km on the second day, 28.03 km on the third day, and 35.33 km during 72-h. The study shows that the combination of parameterization schemes and the GNSS water vapor data assimilation significantly improve the initial conditions and the accuracy of typhoon predictions. The study results contribute to the selection of appropriate combinations of physical parameterization schemes for the WRF-ARW model in the mid-latitude region of the western Pacific coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depth data and the digital bottom model created from it are very important in the inland and coastal water zones studies and research. The paper undertakes the subject of bathymetric data processing using reduction methods and examines the impact of data reduction according to the resulting representations of the bottom surface in the form of numerical bottom models. Data reduction is an approach that is meant to reduce the size of the input dataset to make it easier and more efficient for analysis, transmission, storage and similar. For the purposes of this article, test datasets were created by discretizing a selected polynomial function. The real dataset, which was used to verify the analyzes, was acquired using an interferometric echosounder mounted on a HydroDron-1 autonomous survey vessel. The data were collected in the ribbon of Lake Klodno, Zawory. Data reduction was conducted in two commercial programs. Three equal reduction parameters were adopted for each algorithm. The research part of the paper presents the results of the conducted analyzes of the reduced bathymetric datasets based on the visual comparison of numerical bottom models, isobaths, and statistical parameters. The article contains tabular results with statistics, as well as the spatial visualization of the studied fragments of numerical bottom models and isobaths. This research is being used in the course of work on an innovative project that aims to develop a prototype of a multi-dimensional and multi-temporal coastal zone monitoring system using autonomous, unmanned floating platforms at a single survey pass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal regions, increasingly threatened by floods due to climate-change-driven extreme weather, lack a comprehensive study that integrates coastal and riverine flood dynamics. In response to this research gap, we conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and thorough visualization and mapping of studies of compound flooding risk in coastal cities over the period 2014–2022, using VOSviewer and CiteSpace to analyze 407 publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database. The analytical results reveal two persistent research topics: the way to explore the return periods or joint probabilities of flood drivers using statistical modeling, and the quantification of flood risk with different return periods through numerical simulation. This article examines critical causes of compound coastal flooding, outlines the principal methodologies, details each method's features, and compares their strengths, limitations, and uncertainties. This paper advocates for an integrated approach encompassing climate change, ocean–land systems, topography, human activity, land use, and hazard chains to enhance our understanding of flood risk mechanisms. This includes adopting an Earth system modeling framework with holistic coupling of Earth system components, merging process-based and data-driven models, enhancing model grid resolution, refining dynamical frameworks, comparing complex physical models with more straightforward methods, and exploring advanced data assimilation, machine learning, and quasi-real-time forecasting for researchers and emergency responders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few decades, an increasing economic and social flooding damages trend has been recorded worldwide. Although this situation was initially associated with climate change, recently different institutions and scientific papers have related this trend to two main reasons: (i) a human population increase and (ii) the number of assets located in floodable areas. In this regard, this paper analyses evolutions in flood damages and their causes in a Mediterranean area, the provinces of Alicante and Murcia, between 1996 and 2016. The duration of this period, from a flood risk management policy point of view, is very important because it encompasses one of the most important legislative periods at a national and European level. As a main result, this paper establishes a temporal and spatial pattern related to increases in flood damages and their main influence on coastal areas, respectively, due to certain economic, spatial and temporal factors. As a conclusion, these trends demonstrate the inefficiency of flood risk management policies, especially those connected with spatial planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive accumulation of big data, along with the development of a high-performance platform, bridge the gap between the previous inability to provide long-term time series and broad-scale coastal zone monitoring and risk warnings with remote sensing techniques. Based on 20 years of Landsat images from the Google Earth Engine platform, the time series land cover in the coastal zone of the Yangtze River Delta in China was classified. Then, a spatiotemporal clustering method based on grid segmentation was proposed to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution details of artificial surface expansion and the risks of cropland loss and ecological degradation caused by this. The results showed that significant changes have taken place in the quantitative structure and spatial morphology of coastal land use in the past 20 years. The artificial surface maintained a growth trend, increasing by 229%, while cropland decreased by 19%. Natural land showed a fluctuation pattern of "up→down→up". The spatiotemporal details of land use obtained through 1km grid segmentation and clustering analysis were more significant. The artificial surface mainly underwent a progressive spatial expansion along the central urban area and important transportation axes (types III and IV), with the most dramatic changes occurring from 2010 to 2013. Type III cropland loss was the most significant, falling from 75.02% in 2000 to 38.23% in 2020. At the same time, the change in type III water body corresponds to the newly increased area of reclamation, which has decreased by 17% in the past 20 years, indicating that the degradation of coastal natural wetlands was significant. This paper provided a comprehensive diagnosis of coastal land use change, which could help policy makers and implementers to propose more targeted and differentiated coastal development and protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal managers, policymakers, and scientists use shoreline accretion/erosion trends to determine the coastline's historical evolution and generate models capable of predicting future changes. Different solutions have been developed to obtain shoreline positions from Earth observation data in recent years, the so-called Satellite-Derived Shorelines (SDS). Most of the methodologies available in the literature use multispectral optical satellite imagery. This paper proposes two new methods for shoreline mapping at the subpixel level based on PRISMA hyperspectral imagery. The first one analyses the spectral signatures along defined beach profiles. The second method uses techniques more commonly applied to multispectral image analysis, such as Spectral Unmixing algorithms and Spatial Attraction Models. The results obtained with both methodologies are validated on three Mediterranean microtidal beaches located in two different countries, Italy and Greece, using image-based ground truth shorelines manually photointerpreted and digitised. The obtained errors are around 6 and 7 m for the first and second methods, respectively. These results are comparable to the errors obtained from multispectral data. The paper also discusses the capability of the two methods to identify two different shoreline proxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Despite a long research history of fish parasites in the Azov–Black Sea region, the helminth community structure among fish populations remains poorly understood. Until recently, only a few articles considering the helminth communities of mullet fish from this region have been published. In the present paper, the data on the species diversity and the structure of the helminth communities of 12 common fish species are presented for coastal waters off Crimea. These communities are characterized by low species richness and relatively low diversity indices. Component communities are more diverse than infracommunities. Although these parameters correspond to unbalanced, immature communities, the modern helminth communities of Crimean marine fish are well-aggregated and follow a "core–satellite" distribution, indicating their balanced structure. There are no negative inter-specific relationships in most of the component communities. Obtained data expand the current knowledge regarding the organization of parasite communities in the region and may have important implications for the further monitoring and proper management of local fish stocks. In this paper, we analyzed the diversity and structure of helminth communities of 12 common fish species from the coastal zone of Crimea. A total of 53 helminth species were found. The total number of parasite species per host fish ranged from 3 to 18. Species richness at the infracommunity and component community levels were from 1.4–4.2 to 1.7–7, respectively. The Brillouin index for the infracommunites was 0.1–1, while the Shannon index for the component communities was 0.3–1.2. Component communities demonstrated a bi- or tri-modal distribution of the parasite prevalence and positive correlations between the prevalence and log-transformed abundance indices, thus following the "core–satellite" conception. Overall, the prevalence and abundance index of the dominant parasite in the component communities ranged from 18 to 80% and from 0.6 to 61.5 ind. per fish, respectively. The structure of the helminth component communities demonstrated good accordance with the nestedness mode where the rarest species occurred in the most diverse infracommunities, while the poorest infracommunities were composed of a few dominating species. More than two-thirds of the studied helminth species had an aggregated distribution indicating well-structured and developed communities. Our data provide a basis for further research and may be used for fish resource monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flash floods are one of the most common and destructive natural hazards, and recent flood events show their severe impact on Saudi Arabia. Flash floods are increasing year by year in duration and intensity, resulting in huge destructive impacts for the nation concerned. Anticipating the spatial patterns and occurrence of rainfall-induced floods is in high demand. Recent technique-based studies and their comprehensive results aid in understanding the flood potential of the drainage basins and in minimizing the risks of a threat to humans and of economic damage. Jeddah City is located at the western coast of the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia and is one of the most important coastal cities in the Arabian Kingdom. It has experienced several destructive flash flood events, particularly in 2009 and 2011, causing serious damage and significant loss of life. An analysis of the morphometric parameters using geospatial techniques provides significant insights into the hydrological response of the drainage basins to major heavy rainfall events. In this paper, two relative flood susceptibility scenarios were produced: drainage basin levels and very accurate pixel-level conditions. The morphometric comparison levels suggest that basins 1 and 7 are very high, whereas the other basins have moderate and low levels. The derived flood susceptibility map was integrated with the topographic position and wetness algorithms (TPI and TWI) through overlay processing. The integration analysis aids in realizing the relationship between the general basin morphometric characteristics and the in situ relief for producing the flood susceptibility spots over the entire basins. Thus, the method of this paper can be applied to evaluate the site-specific plan minimizing the effects of flash flood risks in similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing urbanisation, understanding the variety of historical experience with water in the urban context becomes all the more relevant. Apart from representing an economic and environmental necessity, the physical and sensory access to freshwater is universally understood as socially desirable, pleasing and valued. The history of the East African coast is especially relevant as water scarcity is not a modern phenomenon in the region—in fact, precolonial towns situated on the oceanfront flourished in relatively arid environments too. This paper presents the insights achieved with a 3D scanning survey of the preserved heritage in the now-deserted town of Jumba la Mtwana, located 20 km north of Mombasa, Kenya. Although all of the buildings are partially collapsed, various wells, cisterns and reservoirs have been documented. Considering this archaeological site and other examples of (pre)colonial Swahili towns, this paper adopts multidisciplinary perspectives in analysing and interpreting the distribution of constructed features associated with water, with particular focus on their design, density and spatial context, as well as social and sensory connotations. Its results highlight the socio-spatial role of the element of water in the precolonial built environment, which may be contrasted with later periods and potentially carry broader implications for current urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of coastal cities, environmental problems are becoming increasingly severe. Therefore, it is imminent to assess the environmental carrying capacity (ECC) of coastal cities. We take Yueqing City, China, as the study area and establish an ECC evaluation system. For the objectivity and scientificity of this study, the coefficient of variation-back propagation neural network (CV-BPNN) method is used to determine the weight of the indicators and a multi-temporal evaluation is conducted. This paper also explores the relationship between coastline changes and ECC variations for the first time. The results indicate: (1) The ECC of Yueqing City first decreased and then increased, and the inland ECC is better than the coastal area. The future trend is expected to rise. (2) The coastline is continuously extending seaward, and the natural coastline retention rate gradually declines. (3) The coupling coordination degree between the change in the ECC and the change in the coastline shows a trend of "first fluctuation, then stability, and then decline," and the ecological environment situation was still challenging. (4) Based on the above results, some suggestions are put forward to strengthen coastal ecological development and promote the sustainable development of coastal cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using buttons and beads sewn on wool and calico, Northwest Coast First Nations women fashion the robes and aprons essential to ongoing expressions of inherited prerogatives and rights. Each piece of regalia is carefully crafted to include signifying materials and motifs, telling of the origins or relations of their owners. These creations exist as part of a holistic system that integrates material artworks within ceremony, including song, dance, and oratory, which in turn uphold the laws expressed through potlatching. Shifting scholarly focus from Northwest Coast carving traditions, this paper recenters textile arts within a holistic, culturally focused context while addressing issues of gender, the effects of colonial practices, and the damage wrought by salvage anthropology as it fragmented cultural information across archives. Women's artistic productions embody long-held technical and aesthetic knowledge connected to oral histories and cultural practices. Restoring Indigenous perspectives connecting tangible and intangible cultural heritage counterbalances the aesthetic emphasis that has dominated Northwest Coast art history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal zone represents a unique interface between land and sea, and addressing the ecological crisis it faces is of global significance. One of the most fundamental and effective measures is to extract the coastline's location on a large scale, dynamically, and accurately. Remote sensing technology has been widely employed in coastline extraction due to its temporal, spatial, and sensor diversity advantages. Substantial progress has been made in coastline extraction with diversifying data types and information extraction methods. This paper focuses on discussing the research progress related to data sources and extraction methods for remote sensing-based coastline extraction. We summarize the suitability of data and some extraction algorithms for several specific coastline types, including rocky coastlines, sandy coastlines, muddy coastlines, biological coastlines, and artificial coastlines. We also discuss the significant challenges and prospects of coastline dataset construction, remotely sensed data selection, and the applicability of the extraction method. In particular, we propose the idea of extracting coastlines based on the coastline scene knowledge map (CSKG) semantic segmentation method. This review serves as a comprehensive reference for future development and research pertaining to coastal exploitation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simulation and prediction of coastline changes are of great significance for the development and scientific management of coastal zones. Coastline changes are difficult to capture completely but appear significantly periodic over a long time series. In this paper, the transformer model is used to learn the changing trend of the coastline so as to deduce the position of the coastline in the coming year. First, we use the distance regularization level set evolution (DRLSE) model for instantaneous waterline extraction (IWE) from preprocessed Landsat time-series images from 2010–2020 in Weitou Bay, China. Then, tidal correction (TC) is performed on the extracted instantaneous waterline dataset to obtain coastlines projected to a single reference tidal datum. Finally, the coastline datasets from 2010–2019 are used for model training, and the coastline in 2020 is used for accuracy assessment. Three precision evaluation methods, including receiver operating characteristic curve matching, the mean offset, and the root mean square error, were used to verify the predicted coastline data. The receiver operating characteristic curve was specifically designed and improved to evaluate the accuracy of the obtained coastline. Compared with the support vector regression (SVR) and long–short-term memory (LSTM) methods, the results showed that the coastline predicted by the transformer model was the closest to the accurate extracted coastline. The accuracies of the correct values corresponding to SVR, LSTM, and transformer models were 88.27%, 94.08%, and 98.80%, respectively, which indicated the accuracy of the coastline extraction results. Additionally, the mean offset and root mean square error were 0.32 pixels and 0.57 pixels, respectively. In addition, the experimental results showed that tidal correction is important for coastline prediction. Moreover, through field investigations of coastlines, the predicted results obtained for natural coastlines were more accurate, while the predicted results were relatively poor for some artificial coastlines that were intensely influenced by human activities. This study shows that the transformer model can provide natural coastline changes for coastal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic mapping with satellite images is an important basic task for polar environmental monitoring. Since the first Chinese marine satellite was launched in 2002, China has formed three series of more than 10 marine satellites in orbit. As global operational monitoring satellites of ocean color series, HY-1C and HY-1D have good coverage characteristics and imaging performance in polar regions, and they provide an effective tool for Antarctic monitoring and mapping. In this paper, Antarctic images acquired by the HY-1 satellite Coastal Zone Imager (CZI) sensor were used to study color matching in the mosaic process. According to the CZI characteristics for Antarctic imaging, experiments were carried out on the illuminance nonuniformity of a single image and color registration of multiple images. A gray-level segmentation color-matching method is proposed to solve the problem of image overstretching in the Antarctic image color-matching process. The results and statistical analysis show that the proposed method can effectively eliminate the color deviation between HY-1 Antarctic images, and the mosaic results have a good effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a major component of plastic debris in the environment, including coastal and littoral zones. EPS is widely used in various industries including fish farming and aquaculture, which poses a serious potential threat not only to cultured hydrobionts but also to all living organisms, including humans. This paper presents the results of experimental studies on the effects of EPS (0.024 m2/L) on marine mollusks Mytilus trossulus and Tegula rustica, which are typical inhabitants of the upper littoral of Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan), belonging to different systematic groups and differing in the type of nutrition. The results of biochemical marker analysis showed the development of oxidative stress processes. Thus, increasing malondialdehyde content relative to control values was registered in the digestive glands of M. trossulus and T. rustica. In the cells of the digestive glands of M. trossulus, integral antioxidant activity decreased more than 1.5 times compared with that of the control. The change in the concentration of protein carbonyls was unchanged in M. trossulus, whereas in T. rustica, there was a 1.5-fold increase. EPS exposure also resulted in significant DNA damage in the studied mollusks—the damage level increased 2.5-fold in M. trossulus and 1.5-fold in T. rustica relative to the control, indicating the genotoxic potential of EPS litters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present the result of commonly used extreme wave analysis distribution methods applied to a long-term wave hindcast at a point in the Arabian Gulf near the coastline of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The wave data were hindcasted for a total period of 40 years, starting from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 2018. This analysis aims to support the design, repair, and maintenance of coastal structures near the Dubai coast. A 2.5 m threshold is selected using the Peak Over Threshold method to filter the storm data for the extreme wave analysis. Different distribution methods are used for this analysis such as Log-normal, Gumbel, Weibull, Exponential, and Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD). The significant wave heights are predicted for different return periods. The GPD distribution appears to fit the data best compared to the other distribution methods. Many coastal projects are being planned near the Dubai coastline. Hence, the analysis presented in this paper would be useful in designing safe and efficiently designed projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of a two-dimensional, basin-scale tidal model with waves and wave run-up to determine the inundation impacts on the Abu Dhabi coastline due to the combined effect of sea level rise, tidal flooding, storm surge and waves. The model combines a hydrodynamics model (DELFT3D), a spectral wave model (SWAN) and wave run-up. A high horizontal resolution (down to about 30 m) is employed in the vicinity of Abu Dhabi—a city built on a system of mangrove islands along the Arabian Gulf coast—to enable prediction of impact at the scale of the local infrastructure, such as individual highway links. The model confirms that, with a rise in sea level of 0.5 m, the islands along the outer coast of Abu Dhabi will experience inundation due to tidal flooding, wind, and high Shamal-induced waves. The incorporation of the wind and waves results in a prediction of more than double the area found underwater within the study area (from 82 to 188 km2). The inner water channel regions of Abu Dhabi, while mostly unaffected by wind-driven wave events, are still vulnerable to tidal flooding. Finally, the paper demonstrates the use of the model to predict whether protection of one segment of the city's coastline will adversely affect the inundation potential of nearby unprotected segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bangladesh, extreme weather events displace about one million people each year. The national government resettles these climate victims by allocating houses in so-called cluster villages. This paper examines how local disaster management officials manage the resettlement of climate victims in Bangladesh's coastal areas. For this paper, we conducted a preliminary field work, questionnaire survey, and informal phone interviews. The questionnaire survey was conducted from March to July 2020 among 70 central government civil servants who worked as disaster management officials and played a pivotal role in local decision making for climate victim resettlement. This paper first examines how national disaster response policies were implemented in local areas before, during, and after disasters. Our questionnaire survey results show five management challenges local officials faced in managing displaced people: (1) local officials' limited onsite experience, (2) varied impacts of natural disasters on islands and the mainland, (3) arbitrary engagement in disaster response actions, (4) lack of evacuation drills, and (5) weak coordination skills among relevant stakeholders. In particular, these challenges were acute among island officials. Our multiple regression analyses show that the respondents' age and onsite work experience (p < 0.05) significantly affected their perceptions. Overall, these findings suggest a need to drastically improve local disaster governance capacity. This study offers insights into how countries with similar challenges may respond to climate-induced displacement in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean ports feature complex layouts and exert important environmental pressures in squeezed coastal zones. They experience mild meteo-oceanographic conditions during part of the year, leading to water velocities that are close to the resolution limits of observation equipment. The paper addresses the challenge of characterising summer port hydrodynamics by designing intensive field campaigns, focused on hydrodynamic variables, such as harbour entrance fluxes. The approach was developed for three Spanish microtidal harbours with different domain sizes and one or two entrances. These elements play a key role in harbour exchanges through the entrance and the subsequent water renovation. The paper will present and discuss the meteocean data and inferred variables, such as renovation times, which is a key indicator of water quality. From this basis, the paper will discuss the changing estuarine circulation patterns and the role of upwelling and downwelling on observed water temperature peaks. The conclusions will address the role of harbour hydrodynamics in integrated coastal water quality and port engineering, particularly for ports' environmental impacts on adjacent beaches. To assess the full hydrodynamic domain, forecasting models are helpful. The continuous observations presented in this work would also help in the implementation and validation of these models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-lying coastal areas of the countries around the North Sea are exposed to flooding and the influence of sea level rise. The countries in the North Sea Region need to continue to adapt if the associated risk is to be well-managed into the future. In addition to reducing flood risk, adaptation measures can bring development opportunities for those same places. These opportunities, however, are unlikely to be achieved through a 'defence only' paradigm, and instead a new approach is needed that simultaneously reduces risk and promotes liveable places, ecosystem health and social well-being. The building blocks of this new approach are promoted here and are based on an adaptation process that is collaborative and takes a whole-system, long-term perspective. The approach developed through the Interreg funded project, C5a, brings together governments, practitioners and researchers from across the North Sea to share policies, practices and the emerging science of climate change adaptation and enabling sustainable development. The new approach reflects a Cloud to Coast management paradigm and emerged through a combination of knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning across seven case studies. Central to the case studies was a maturity analysis of existing capabilities across the North Sea countries and their ability to adopt the new approach. This paper presents the results of this analysis, including the common challenges that emerged and the methods and examples of good practice to overcome them. Building upon these findings, the paper concludes by presenting four priority policy directions to support the uptake of the Cloud to Coast approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes quasiperiodic upwellings and downwellings on the shelf and upper part of continental slope of the northeastern Black Sea. It is shown that these processes are related to changes in intensity and direction of alongshore current and the following geostrophic adjustment of the density field. The source of such changes is the meandering of the Black Sea Rim Current (RC). It leads to a quasiperiodic change in direction of the alongshore current, from northwestern (cyclonic RC meander) to southeastern (anticyclonic RC meander, or eddy). These cycles, or phases, have an average duration of about 10 days. During the northwestern phase, the permanent Black Sea pycnohalocline (hereafter pycnocline) and seasonal thermocline descend, their thickness increases, and so does the thickness of the upper mixed layer (UML). During the southeastern phase, both the pycnocline and seasonal thermocline ascend and become thinner, along with the UML, which also becomes thinner. In both phases, isopycnals in the pycnocline and isotherms in the thermocline demonstrate quasi-in-phase vertical oscillations, which have a good correlation with the speed and direction of the alongshore current. These correlations allow estimation of the magnitude of upwellings and downwellings in the shelf–slope area of the northeastern Black Sea using data series of current velocity profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the Simulation Management System for Operational Coastal Hydrodynamic Models, or SMS-Coastal, and its novel methodology designed to automate forecast simulations of coastal models. Its working principle features a generic framework that can be easily configured for other applications, and it was implemented with the Python programming language. The system consists of three main components: the Forcing Processor, Simulation Manager, and Data Converter, which perform operations such as the management of forecast runs and the download and conversion of external forcing data. The SMS-Coastal was tested on two model realisations using the MOHID System: SOMA, a model of the Algarve coast in Portugal, and BASIC, a model of the Cartagena Bay in Colombia. The tool proved to be generic enough to handle the different aspects of the models, being able to manage both forecast cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the distribution, abundance and seasonal variation in blue whales (BWs) on the south coast of Sri Lanka, off Mirissa, where they are faced with anthropogenic threats. Data collection encompassed opportunistic sightings by whale-watching (WW) operations. This study revealed that large aggregations of BWs consistently overlapped with busy shipping lanes located between Dondra Head and Galle within important foraging and breeding regions on the south coast. Throughout 2015 (except June and July), 729 BWs were sighted over 177 sighting days. The sighting frequency was higher during the northeast monsoon and the first intermonsoon and lower throughout the second intermonsoon (n = 9) and latter part of the southwest monsoon. The highest frequencies of BW encounters per day occurred in April (n = 15) and December (n = 20), while the mean annual group size per sighting was 3.07 ± 0.24. From the January-to-April season, 13 mother–calf combinations and 1 pregnant cow were sighted off the southern coastline of Mirissa, suggesting the calving season peaks between the months of March and April in Sri Lanka. As this important habitat overlapped with the busiest shipping lanes, fishing and commercial whale-watching activities, the authorities have to take action toward the conservation of this ecosystem and whales as well as their safe navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal zone, situated at the sensitive interface between land and sea, serves as a pivotal area of human economic activities. As one of China's economic special zones, Xiamen exemplifies the comprehensive trajectory of coastal governance in China. However, there are still research gaps in the human ecological transitions in coastal governance. This study adopts the research approach of scale politics and the local state, with the purpose of explaining the governance model of the coastal zone transformation. Sources include interviews with fishers, direct observation, participant observation, and content analysis. The study demonstrates how local governments strive to maximize the profits of scenic tourism, by (1) appropriating the international scale, absorbing international aid and technical assistance; (2) confiscating the access rights of the coastal zone; and (3) vertically integrating all relationships from local to international organizations to create new governance patterns. Xiamen's coastal landscape not only presents the meltdown of human ecology under local state governance but also demonstrates a keen adaptation to the shifting dynamics of the international tourism market. From the theoretical perspective of the local state, this paper effectively points out the political characteristics of local government and bridges the loss of cultural ecology in the transformation of governance patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus is one of the most valuable crops in Syria, with the largest production areas being in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, where this study was performed. A companion paper reported on the basal crop coefficients derived from the field water balance and on the performance assessment of various irrigation methods used in a citrus orchard located in the same region. That study evidenced the need for the improved management of irrigation water, mainly reducing water applications and increasing productivity, thus leading to the current research. The main objectives consisted of (i) providing a set of reliable basal (Kcb) and average (Kc) crop coefficients to be used in practice in the citrus orchards of the Syrian coastal area, while accounting for the diversity of characteristics observed; (ii) to estimate the seasonal consumptive use of typical orchards under different climate-demand and deficit-irrigation scenarios; and (iii) to assess possible water savings and related yield reductions. The previously calibrated water balance model SIMDualKc was used for these purposes. The computed Kcb values for the mid-season and average demand for water ranged from 0.52, when the plant density was low, to 0.84, when plant density was very high. The corresponding Kc values, which further reflected the impact of drip irrigation on controlling soil evaporation, were 0.72 and 0.97, respectively. Overall, the consumptive use of water was estimated to range from 867 to 1573 mm. The assessed water-saving scenarios consisted of adopting increased management-allowed depletion (MAD) thresholds relative to the p depletion fraction for no stress: MAD = 1.05, 1.10, 1.20, and 1.30 p. For trees under a very high climatic demand, water savings ranged from 12 to 34%, but the yield losses induced by the water deficits ranged from 8 to 48%. Although the selection of optimal strategies should be based upon economic terms, these may only be used when the Syrian economy recovers from civil war and the current crisis. The present results show the feasibility of adopting such MAD thresholds for building an irrigation management platform. The data provided by the current study are valuable because they can be efficiently used to support of the irrigation management of Syrian citrus production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effectiveness of transplanted (either created or restored) seagrass meadows as a coastal protection measure is assessed through a five-step methodology. The analysis is focused on a stretch of the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean) which is a fetch-limited environment. The results show that even considering conservative values for the meadow parameters (plant diameter, meadow density and canopy height), significant reductions of the annual average wave heights reaching the beach may be obtained, reducing flooding and erosion risks. Therefore, the investment in the conservation and restauration of seagrass meadows for protecting coastal areas from erosion and flooding is a measure that must be considered, due to the multiple benefits that they provide including ecosystem services. In addition, the proposed methodology may be a useful tool for coastal managers to help them in the design of seagrass meadows for coastal protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living Labs are an innovative concept that combines research, governance, and citizens, using technology and knowledge. Using design thinking techniques as a method of approach, this innovative idea builds a bridge between decision makers and stakeholders, promoting a shared vision of growth and innovation at the community level. The coastal zone is an extremely dynamic area in terms of human and natural activities. This is a particularly sensitive area to climate change, necessitating ongoing adaptation and mitigating action. This paper aims to introduce the application of the Living lab concept in the management of the coastal area of Constanta (Romania). The concept of the Living Lab means involving citizens along with public bodies and research structures. This new coastal management model will use the design thinking approach and will consider the pressures that exist between the activities that occur in the examined coastal zone. In the study, "Multi-Criteria Analysis of the Mass Tourism Management Model Related to the Impact on the Local Community in Constanța (Romania)", published in MDPI Inventions on 28 June 2021, a coastal management model was built that took into consideration only the data given by the government. In this paper, the authors aim to expand their research by including data from independent sources, using the concept of a Living Lab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The main outcome and procedure described in this paper aim to equip Public Administrations with a tool that can provide on-demand support. Bathymetric information has become essential to help maintain and operate coastal zones. Traditional in situ bathymetry mapping using echo sounders is inefficient in shallow waters and operates at a high logistical cost. On the other hand, lidar mapping provides an efficient means of mapping coastal areas. However, this comes at a high acquisition cost as well. In comparison, satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) provides a more cost-effective way of mapping coastal regions, albeit at a lower resolution. This work utilises all three of these methods collectively, to obtain accurate bathymetric depth data of two pocket beaches, Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa, located in the northwestern region of Malta. Using the Google Earth Engine platform, together with Sentinel-2 data and collected in situ measurements, an empirical pre-processing workflow for estimating SDB was developed. Four different machine learning algorithms which produced differing depth accuracies by calibrating SDBs with those derived from alternative techniques were tested. Thus, this study provides an insight into the depth accuracy that can be achieved for shallow coastal regions using SDB techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]