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A study by the Institution of Engineering and Technology indicates a perilous skills shortage: only 7% of engineering companies in the UK with a sustainability strategy say they have the skills needed to fulfil it. This paper presents the work of Engineers Without Borders UK in tackling the skills gap in the engineering sector, through the global responsibility competency compass. Developed with the support of the Royal Academy of Engineering and endorsed by the Engineering Council, the compass aims to support practitioners from multiple disciplines working in engineering towards the capabilities they will need to stay relevant in the context of today's challenges. It provides users with practical ways to develop themselves so that they can respond effectively to this age's complexity, uncertainty and challenges. Engineers are uniquely placed to tackle global challenges, improve quality of life, protect the environment and increase resilience to risk. Furthermore, the sector is being called on to develop and apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours that reflect the broader impacts that its decisions have on society and the environment. This paper also discusses the role and relevance of global responsibility and the compass to the application of coastal defence as an example. [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]

Featured Application: coastal change analysis, coastal land cover/land use analysis, coastal bio-environment analysis, human–nature interaction on coastal land use. Coastal land use represents the combination of various land cover forms in a coastal area, which helps us understand the historical events, current conditions, and future progress of a coastal area. Currently, the emergence of high-resolution optical satellite images significantly extends the scope of coastal land cover recognition, and deep learning models provide a significant possibility of extracting high-level abstract features from an optical satellite image to characterize complicated coastal land covers. However, recognition systems for labeling are always defined differently for specific departments, organizations, and institutes. Moreover, considering the complexity of coastal land uses, it is impossible to create a benchmark dataset that fully covers all types of coastal land uses. To improve the transferability of high-level features generated by deep learning to reduce the burden of creating a massive amount of labeled data, this paper proposes an integrated framework to support semantically enriched coastal land use recognition, including foundation model-powered multi-label coastal land cover classification and conversion from coastal land cover mapping into coastal land use semantics with a vector space model (VSM). The experimental results prove that the proposed method outperformed the state-of-the-art deep learning approaches in complex coastal land use recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Future sea level rise and changes in extreme weather will increase the frequency of flooding and intensify the risks for the millions of people living in low‐lying coastal areas. Concerns about coastal adaptation have been broadened due to societal awareness of the threat from rising seas, leading to a large set of potential adaptation users with diverse needs for adequate sea level projections in coastal areas beyond the current state of the art regional projections. In this paper, we provide an overview of the potential steps for improvement of regional sea level projections along the global coastline, with specific focus on the contribution from ocean dynamics to seasonal‐decadal variability of coastal sea level, and its implications for changes in frequency and magnitude of extreme sea levels. We discuss the key gaps in our knowledge and predictive capability of these dynamics as they relate to sea level variability on seasonal to decadal timescales, and conclude by suggesting ways in which these knowledge gaps could be addressed. Plain Language Summary: In the next few decades sea level rise and changes in extreme weather will increase the frequency of flooding and intensify the risks of inundation for the millions of people living in low‐lying coastal areas. The sustainable future of coastal communities in small settlements and populous megacities alike will depend on the efficacy of new coastal defense infrastructure and adequate decisions about adaptation options. The planning for these management solutions is fundamentally based on local sea level projections. Providing sea level projections at the coast is a complex task, because sea level in coastal areas is impacted by numerous local drivers (e.g., wind, bathymetry, and limited connection with the open ocean), changing water motion in time and space. We highlight several potential research avenues to improve simulations of sea level changes in coastal areas that are urgently required for improved localized sea level projections for effective coastal management in a changing climate. Key Points: There exist diverse sea level projection requirements in coastal areas beyond current state of the art regional projectionsOcean dynamics across scales is crucial in linking open ocean to shelf sea to coastal sea level variability and changeSteps for improvement of sea level projections along the global coastline are proposed, focusing on seasonal‐decadal variability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal environments are complex systems that are influenced by a combination of natural processes and human activities. Scientific interest in the effects of coastal erosion/accretion and climatic change-related processes has greatly increased in recent decades due to the growing human development along coastal areas. This paper investigates the state and evolution of beach–dune systems for the 1977–2001 and 2001–2019 periods of the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia (Spain) using two different proxies: the dune toe line, which was used to track foredunes evolution, and the high-water line, which was used to assess shoreline evolution. Results showed a general erosional behavior of the studied beach–dune systems and identified cases where the main trend was altered through human interventions. During the 1977–2001 period, foredunes essentially showed erosion (54%), accretion (24%), and stability (22%) and shorelines showed accretion (40%) and erosion and stability (34% each). During the 2001–2019 period, foredunes essentially showed erosion (42%), stability (30%), and accretion (28%), and shorelines showed erosion (40%), accretion (34%), and stability (26%). Combining the evolution classes of each proxy (dune toe/shoreline) allows the behavior of both shoreline proxies to be assessed together and provides insights additional to those derived from the use of a single proxy. In this regard, Erosion/erosion (EE) and Accretion/accretion (AA) were the most frequent behaviors in the first and second periods. The results obtained provide additional insights on the nature and drivers of coastal change that aid local coastal managers and administrations in understanding erosion processes. The method can be applied to other areas around the world where a similar database is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 15 years, microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a possible solution to mitigate coastal erosion. To date, most MICP soil treatments that have been studied involve column injection using a pump. In recent years, MICP application through surface percolation has gained traction as an alternative technique, but data using this technique are limited. More recently, a new treatment recipe/technique was developed, and this technique was termed bioslurry. Like most MICP studies, research with bioslurry has concentrated on the column injection method, and surface percolation has received very limited attention. This paper discusses the treatment of Florida beach sand by surface percolating bioslurry. Researchers experimented with variations of the bioslurry recipe to optimize erosion resistance, which was assessed using a pocket erodometer combined with physical measurements. In addition, treated specimen morphology was preliminarily examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that erosion resistance was maximized when 15% to 25% of the specimens' pore volumes were filled with bioslurry and that this erosion resistance may be sufficient to withstand worst-case storm events after only one treatment. In addition, previous researchers always used a relatively long (i.e., ∼12 h) stir time when preparing bioslurry. Results presented here show that it may be possible to produce comparable data with much shorter stir times (i.e., 1 to 2 h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal dunes, formed and shaped by aeolian sediment transport, play a crucial role in ecosystem services and act as natural flood and coastal erosion defenses. This paper delves into theoretical equations and numerical models predicting sediment transport. Numerical models like cellular automata, XBeach-DUNA, the coastal dune model, and others are analyzed for their ability to simulate dune morphology, erosion processes, and vegetation impacts accurately. Evaluated are field observation and measurement techniques, such as sand traps, impact sensors, and optical sensors, for their precision in quantifying aeolian dynamics. Further examined is the effectiveness of vegetation and fencing in dune stabilization, noting species-specific responses and the influence of fence design on sediment accumulation. These tools offer insights into optimizing aeolian sediment management for coastal protection. By conducting a systematic review and connecting theoretical, empirical, and modeling findings, this study highlights the complex challenge of measuring and managing aeolian sediment transport and proposes integrated strategies for enhancing coastal dune resilience against the backdrop of climate change and erosion. This study's objectives to bridge gaps in current understanding are met, highlighting the need for a multidisciplinary approach to coastal dune management and conservation, especially combining wind- and wave-driven processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models of rocky-coast erosion help us understand the physical phenomena that control coastal morphology and evolution, infer the processes shaping coasts in remote environments, and evaluate risk from natural hazards and future climate change. Existing models, however, are highly complex, are computationally expensive, and depend on many input parameters; this limits our ability to explore planform erosion of rocky coasts over long timescales (thousands to millions of years) and over a range of conditions. In this paper, we present a simplified cellular model of coastline evolution in closed basins through uniform erosion and wave-driven erosion. Uniform erosion is modeled as a constant rate of retreat. Wave erosion is modeled as a function of fetch, the distance over which the wind blows to generate waves, and the angle between the incident wave and the shoreline. This reduced-complexity model can be used to evaluate how a detachment-limited coastal landscape reflects climate, sea-level history, material properties, and the relative influence of different erosional processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion is a growing problem worldwide and seriously threatens coastal infrastructure ecosystems and communities, particularly in areas where urban development has encroached on natural shorelines. Salty urbanism, an approach to urban design that incorporates natural features and works in harmony with coastal environments, offers a promising solution to this problem. This review explores strategies for coastal erosion reduction, particularly emphasizing community participation within the context of salty urbanism. By investigating the advantages of incorporating salty urbanism and community engagement in coastal management through a literature study, this paper explores a case study-Paradeep, a coastal city in India. The aim is to comprehend how salty urbanism principles have been assimilated into coastal erosion initiatives in Paradeep and to identify potential opportunities for further integration to maximize benefits. The results emphasize the importance of integrating salty urbanism and community participation into coastal erosion management strategies, especially in coastal areas where these principles are either lacking or only minimally incorporated, often without a clear recognition of the term "salty urbanism" itself. Utilizing a mixed-methods research approach, the study integrates primary data from case studies and interviews, along with inferences from literature studies to gain valuable insights from coastal community residents and stakeholders. The findings will provide a significant contribution to advancing strategies and initiatives that advocate for sustainable coastal development and management by suggesting ways to incorporate a community participation-based salty urbanism approach in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces an innovative method employing the Canny edge detector for automatic and precise coastline extraction, aiming to analyze spatial and temporal variations in the Oman coastline from 2000 to 2022 using GIS and remote sensing (RS) techniques. Focusing on both multi-decadal and short-term periods, the study aims to detect accretion and erosion rates through the observation and interpretation of coastal changes. Utilizing the Digital Shoreline Analysis System and LANDSAT imageries, Shoreline changes have been quantitatively evaluated using three distinct approaches: Linear Regression Rate (LRR), End Point Rate (EPR), and Net Shoreline Movement (NSM). The dynamic nature of the Oman coastal region necessitates a comprehensive understanding of its evolving coastline. Our investigation applies digital shoreline analysis to discern shifts in the coastline's position, employing a multiple regression approach for quantifying the rate of coastal change. To facilitate automatic shoreline extraction, various methods were experimented with, ultimately determining the Canny Edge algorithm's superiority in yielding precise results. The paper outlines the monitoring procedures for the coastal area and analyzes coastline changes using geospatial techniques. This analysis provides valuable insights for the planning and management of the Oman shore. Furthermore, the proposed model's applicability is rigorously tested against other generic edge detection algorithms, including Sobel, Prewitt, and Robert's techniques. The conclusive findings demonstrate that our model outperforms these alternatives, particularly excelling in the accurate detection of the coastline. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of coastal dynamics and offers a robust methodology for coastal monitoring, with implications for effective planning and management strategies in the Oman shore region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion in Thailand is severe due to the deforestation of mangrove forests, which naturally dissipate waves, making it necessary to establish how to reproduce mangrove forests of a suitable size. First, a survey of mangrove forests was performed in 2012--2013 along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, where mangrove vegetation has been affected by human activities. The survey showed that tentacle-root mangroves (Rhizophora mucronata) accounted for the largest proportion of the mangrove trees in the area. The distribution characteristics of the root number per mangrove tree and the diameters of root systems and main trunks were also clarified. The parametric results were used to make replicas of mangrove vegetation. Hydraulic experiments were carried out in a wave tank in 2014, and a calculation diagram for obtaining the wave transmission ratio was constructed, which was improved over 2015--2018. Moreover, experimental data of eight existing papers were used to increase the value and reliability of this diagram. As a result, a wave transmission ratio can be obtained as a function of the density of mangrove vegetation and the ratio of the incident wavelength to the offing direction width of a mangrove forest. Next, the wave transmission ratio of existing detached breakwaters made of geotextile sandbags was evaluated by simulation using the numerical model [V. T. Ca: VNU J. Sci., Earth Sci. 23 (2007) 160], then the required width of a mangrove forest for it to have the same effect as an existing detached breakwater was estimated. The wave transmission ratio of this breakwater was 0.33, and the offing direction width of the tentacle-root mangrove forest was 250 m with a tree density of 0.8 (the number of trees/m²). By performing verification simulations using experimental data, the high reproduction accuracy of the topographical changes obtained by the numerical model of Ca et al. was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, due to climate change and increased rates of coastal erosion, along with the need to protect sensitive habitats, there is an increasing requirement for a sustainable approach which considers both the effect of the marine environment on critical infrastructure and the impact of that infrastructure on the local environment. This paper presents a methodology for assessing the impact of a marine structure on longshore dynamics and shoreline evolution by using an external coupling of the phase-resolving ARTEMIS wave model and the shoreline evolution model, UNIBEST. The methodology can be applied at any coastal location, but for this study, it was applied to Sizewell Bay on the east coast of England to assess the impact of a shore-normal jetty on a gently curving stretch of shoreline with relatively complex offshore geomorphology. Results from simulating 22 years of shoreline evolution have shown that, at the jetty location, the shoreline at Sizewell will migrate seaward up to 45 m compared with the no-jetty case. Immediately south of the jetty, the shoreline was predicted to retreat landward by about 15 m. This behaviour is similar to observed changes at other locations, and the predicted longshore transport rates are in agreement with findings from previous studies, validating the methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical and climatic variables such as Tree Canopy coverage, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Distance to Roads, Distance to the Coast, Impervious Surface, and Precipitation can affect land surface temperature (LST). This paper examines the relationships using linear regression models and explores LST trends in the Miami Statistical Area (MSA) between 2002 and 2021. This study evaluates the effect of dry and wet seasons as well as day and night data on LST. A multiscale investigation is used to examine LST trends at the MSA scale, the individual county level, and at the pixel level to provide a detailed local perspective. The multiscale results are needed to understand spatiotemporal LST distributions to plan mitigation measures such as planting trees or greenery to regulate temperature and reduce the impacts of surface urban heat islands. The results indicate that LST values are rising in the MSA with a positive trend throughout the 20-year study period. The rate of change (RoC) for the wet season is smaller than for the dry season. The pixel-level analysis suggests that the RoC is primarily in rural areas and less apparent in urban areas. New development in rural areas may trigger increased RoC. This RoC relates to LST in the MSA and is different from global or regional RoC using air temperature. Results also suggest that climatic explanatory variables have different impacts during the night than they do in the daytime. For instance, the Tree Canopy variable has a positive coefficient, while during the day, the Tree Canopy variable has a negative relationship with LST. The Distance to the Coast variable changes from day to night as well. The increased granularity achieved with the multiscale analysis provides critical information needed to improve the effectiveness of potential mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue carbon has been proposed as a nature-based solution for climate change mitigation; however, a limited number of published works and data and knowledge gaps hinder the development of small island developing states' (SIDS) national blue carbon resources globally. This paper reviews the blue carbon ecosystems of Seychelles as a case study in the context of SIDS, comparing estimations by the Blue Carbon Lab and recent blue carbon (mangrove and seagrass) evaluations submitted to the Seychelles national government. Mangroves (2195 ha, 80% in Aldabra Atoll) and seagrasses (142,065 ha) dominate in Seychelles, with coral reefs having the potential for carbon sequestration (169,000 ha). Seychelles is on track to protecting its blue carbon, but these systems are threatened by rising sea levels, coastal squeeze, erosion, severe storms, and human activities. The importance of carbon inventories, accounting institutions, and continuous monitoring of blue carbon systems is discussed. Blue accounting is necessary for accurate accounting of carbon sequestration and carbon storage, generating carbon credits, and representing impactful reductions in greenhouse gases for NDCs. Challenges and opportunities include policy legislation regarding ownership rights, accreditation and certification for carbon credits, sustainable financing mechanisms like natural asset companies and blue tokens, local engagement for long-term success, and carbon market dynamics following COP27. The restoration and regulation of blue carbon resources for optimal ecosystem services delivery, carbon inventories, and blue carbon policy are recommended development priorities. Blue carbon ecosystems have the potential to contribute to NDCs of SIDS while simultaneously offering sustainable development pathways for local communities through the multiple ecosystem services they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology to detect the coastal erosion and progradation effects in the 'Atrato River' delta, located in the Gulf of Urabá in Colombia, using SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) images. Erosion is the physical–mechanical loss of the soil that affects its functions and ecosystem services while producing a reduction in its productive capacity. Progradation is the deposition of layers in the basinward direction while moving coastward. Other studies have investigated these two phenomena using optical images, encountering difficulties due to the persistent presence of clouds in this region. In order to avoid the cloud effects, in this study, we used 16 Sentinel 1 SAR images with two different polarizations between 2016 and 2023. First, each image was rescaled from 0 to 255, then the image was despeckled by a deep learning (DL) model. Afterwards, a single RGB image was composed with the filtered polarizations. Next, a classifier with 99% accuracy based on Otsu's method was used to determine whether each pixel was water or not. Then, the classified image was registered to a reference one using Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) descriptor. Finally, a multitemporal analysis was performed by comparing every image to the previous one to identify the studied phenomena, calculating areas. Also, all images were integrated to obtain a heatmap that showed the overall changes across eight years (2016–2023) in a single image. The multitemporal analysis performed found that the newly created mouth is the most active area for these processes, coinciding with other studies. In addition, a comparison of these findings with the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) showed a relative delayed coupling to the erosion process and a coupling of progradation with dry and wet seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion is caused by various factors, such as harbor development along coastal areas and climate change. Erosion has been accelerated recently due to sea level rises, increased occurrence of swells, and higher-power storm waves. Proper understanding of the complex coastal erosion process is vital to prepare measures when they are needed. Monitoring systems have been widely established around a high portion of the Korean coastline, supported by several levels of governments, but valid analysis of the collected data and the following preparation of measures have not been highly effective yet. In this paper, we use a drone to obtain bed material images, and an analysis system to predict the representative grain size of beach sands from the images based on artificial intelligence (AI) analysis. The predicted grain sizes are verified via field samplings. Field bed material samples for the particle size analysis are collected during two seasons, while a drone takes photo images and the exact positions are simultaneously measured at Jangsa beach, Republic of Korea. The learning and testing results of the AI technology are considered satisfactory. Finally, they are used to diagnose the overall stability of Jangsa beach. A beach diagnostic grade is proposed here, which reflects the topography of a beach and the distribution of sediments on the beach. The developed beach diagnostic grade could be used as an indicator of any beach stability on the east coast of the Republic of Korea. When the diagnostic grade changes rapidly at a beach, it is required to undergo thorough investigation to understand the reason and foresee the future of the beach conditions, if we want the beach to function as well as before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion and sea level rise has become a significant threat to coastal heritage due to climate change. Management bodies are monitoring the risks posed by undertaking studies, ranging from Rapid Coastal Zone Assessments to much larger government and research council funded studies. These studies have incorporated varying techniques and datasets such as environmental sampling, LiDAR, GPS, and UAV surveys. However, these approaches rarely combine study of historic shoreline change with physical susceptibility modeling. This paper presents a combined methodology, utilizing LiDAR and survey data collected by the Climate, Heritage, Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands (CHERISH) project, along with historic mapping and aerial photography to produce a risk assessment for the heritage assets located on Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island), North Wales. By constructing an Historic Erosion Model and an Erosion Susceptibility Model using ESRI's ArcGIS 10.5.1. with the DSAS Plugin and combining them with the LiDAR-derived spatial extents of archaeological features on the island, this project has shown that using both methodologies alongside each other can create a more complete overview of coastal environment change for the creation of vulnerability indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal hazards threaten properties, infrastructure, and cultural sites around Aotearoa New Zealand's (hereafter Aotearoa) coastline and sea-level rise (SLR) will escalate this problem. At present it is unclear how archaeological sites will be affected by future coastal erosion and inundation. In this paper we combine national-scale archaeological and environmental datasets to provide a first-pass overview of archaeological heritage at risk in Aotearoa. Two key national-scale datasets are utilized: (1) coastal sensitivity index (CSI) developed by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; and (2) ArchSite, Aotearoa's archaeological site database. The integrated datasets produce insights into the sensitivity of coastal archaeology to SLR and associated hazards, which are vital to planning for the loss of coastal archaeological sites. More than half (∼55%) of recorded coastal archaeological sites around Aotearoa are midden (n = 4938) and about 25% (n = 2271) are earthworks. In total, ca. 12% (9054) of all known archaeological sites are within 1000 m of soft shore shorelines. Of this total, only about 3% (302) of sites are burials, but the loss of these 302 burial sites would have very high cultural impact. Coastal erosion is a particularly important threat to archaeology as it would permanently remove sites, whereas the risk of site removal by coastal flooding inundation is lower. Our results show that about 22% (1954) of coastal archaeological sites are located on landforms that are sensitive to SLR-driven erosion: 29% (2660) of archaeological sites are located on foredune barrier beaches, 23% (2059) on foredune barrier plains, 14% (1283) on beaches, and 9% (808) on beach ridge barriers. This work draws attention to the scale of coastal archaeology in Aotearoa that needs adequate documentation, preservation, and potentially protection in the face of SLR. Robust coastal erosion and inundation datasets are needed to more deeply understand potential SLR-driven impacts on coastal archaeology and provide a scientific foundation for considering future adaptation options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal tourism is crucial for the development of sustainable coastal cities, since it depends on the interaction of natural resources and critical infrastructure. However, handling the complex issues brought on by changing coastal ecosystems and increased visitor expectations calls for a thorough grasp. The Sungai Karang area in Pahang, Malaysia, is used in this paper as a case study to analyze the development phases and transformational effects of coastal resort expansion. Our goal is a detailed assessment of land-use changes brought on by the growing coastline tourist industry. We examine data from 1966 to 2013 using a thorough technique that combines Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with patch analysis. The main findings show dramatic changes in land-use dynamics, with built-up areas increasing by 23.76% and forest cover increasing by 19.35%. Along with an increase in recreational places, utilities and infrastructure also saw a rise of 18.57%. Contrastingly, agricultural regions had a significant decline of 15.43%. These discoveries highlight the significant alteration of the local environment related to beach tourism. Planning effectively and developing coastal cities sustainably need careful observation of the wide-ranging effects that tourist expansion has on the environment, the economy, and society. In conclusion, our study promotes a comprehensive strategy for coastal city government that smoothly integrates with regional goals. This strategy emphasizes quantifiable goals, active community involvement, and preserving both natural and cultural heritage. It highlights the crucial part that careful planning plays in preventing environmental degradation while also acknowledging the difficulties brought on by the tourist industry's explosive growth. In the end, our research highlights the unavoidable necessity of supporting sustainable coastal city development among the varied effects of coastal tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change disproportionately impacts coastal residents in the United States. Existing studies document institutional efforts to adapt to sea level rise through projects like seawalls, beach nourishment, and property acquisitions to protect communities from rising seas. Such studies capture institutional adaptations, but do not include ad hoc adaptations by homeowners impacted by climate change. How are homeowners adapting to climate hazards? This paper analyzes ethnographic and interview data from 100 households in two coastal counties in North Carolina, a state with one of the most climate vulnerable shorelines in the country. This analysis of homeowner response considers ad hoc adaptations along the North Carolina coast. Results show that homeowners recognize climate hazards and regularly adapt on their own within the context of institutionally maintained flood protection infrastructure and transportation access to the places where they live. Residents are aware of and attempt to access support for home adaptations when programs or funds are available to them after disasters and do so with varying levels of success, though the more pervasive adaptations to chronic stress are not supported by government programs or insurance mechanisms. Ad hoc adaptations may provide short-term protection from climate hazards but have questionable long-term efficacy as sea levels rise and storm strength and frequency increases. Leaving communities and households to adapt on their own as chronic climate hazards outpace institutional response exacerbates existing inequalities by relying on residents with different levels of resources and agency to adapt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, within the built environment, railway infrastructures play a key role to sustain national policies oriented toward promoting sustainable mobility. For this reason, national institutions and infrastructure managers need to increase their awareness in relation to the current and future climate risks on their representative systems. Among climate change impacts, preventing the effects of sea-level rise (SLR) on coastal railway infrastructures is a priority. The first step in the climate change adaptation policy cycle is the development of an ad hoc climate risk assessment. In this view, this research develops a vulnerability and a risk assessment metric to identify the hotspots within a national coastal railway due to the SLR impacts. The proposed methodology required different steps to quantify the SLR projections and the vulnerability characteristics of the assets, in terms of sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The investigated case study is the coastal railway infrastructure in Italy, thanks to an initial approach of co-design participative processes with the national Infrastructure Manager: Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI). The results of this application, although not included in the paper due to confidential reasons imposed by the infrastructure manager — led to a clear identification of the areas and the coastal railway sections which are exposed to high levels of risks and of the places which require priority actions for urgent adaptation in a view of climate proof infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing the primary field data collected concerning bathymetry, topography, and ocean parameters, a numerical simulation analysis (DELFT-3D) was conducted. A comparison between the numerical model of outcomes and the existing field data suggests a reasonable alignment regarding hydrodynamic factors. Several mitigation strategies were tested during the simulation study, taking into account their effectiveness, cost-efficiency, durability, and ease of installation. After careful consideration, the 'perched beach' concept has been selected as the most suitable options. This mitigation measure consists of three key elements. Creation of a perched beach stretch of desired width along Ramakrishna Beach Road was carried out by sand nourishment. This nourishment can be sourced from Catamaran Beach Bund, where the required quantity of sand is presently available and is likely to be replenished naturally during NE monsoon. The transport of sand from catamaran beach to RK beach stretch can be done by a land-based pipeline. Installation of a 2 km long 'Sill' is required to retain the nourished sand from sliding into steep slopes in surf-zone. This shall be a geo-synthetic tube filled with sand to act as retaining structure up to 2 m depth. This operation is season-independent as the sill can be installed from land-based pumping of slurry. Installation of 2 km long submerged artificial reef to reduce the wave energy incident on the beach will aid in beach building process over the seasons. This shall be made up of artificial concrete blocks like tetrapod laid over a width of 12 m and a height of 2 along 3 m depth contour and smaller in shallow waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hazard zone methodology: The paper employs a hazard zone methodology, typically used for managing erosion risk to modern infrastructure, to assess and manage the risk to coastal archaeological heritage. • Coastal archaeological heritage at risk: Coastal archaeological heritage in Aotearoa/New Zealand is under threat from coastal erosion, with accelerated risk due to rising sea levels. • Projected sea-level rise impact: The study predicts that a relatively modest 20 cm of sea-level rise, expected by 2040, may put around 8 % (155) of coastal archaeological sites at risk, and a more significant 1 m of sea-level rise could threaten approximately 19 % (356) of sites. • Connection to indigenous communities: The coastal archaeological heritage is closely tied to Māori, the indigenous ancestral communities of Aotearoa/New Zealand. • Adaptive planning pathways: Scenarios are presented to assist stakeholders in assessing heritage risk, providing an opportunity for coastal managers to incorporate heritage considerations into adaptive planning pathways. Coastal archaeological heritage is in danger of being lost to coastal erosion, the risk of which is amplified by accelerating sea-level rise (SLR). In Aotearoa/New Zealand, coastal archaeological heritage is closely associated with indigenous ancestral communities, but our understanding of the spatiotemporal variability in coastal erosion risk for cultural heritage is limited. Coastal erosion hazard zones have typically been implemented to manage erosion risk to modern infrastructure at regional scales. In this study, we applied a hazard zone methodology in the context of coastal archaeological heritage for a selected region of Aotearoa (Te Tai Tokerau/Northland). Historical coastal change analyses reveal that most beaches in the region have been stable or slightly accretionary over the past ∼80 years, but a reversal of this trend is likely under the projected SLR, which is expressed in the coastal erosion hazard zones. Our analyses indicate that ∼8 % (155) of coastal archaeological sites in Te Tai Tokerau/Northland may be at risk of erosion with a relatively modest 20 cm of SLR, which is expected for the region by 2040, and ∼19 % (356) of sites are threatened by 1 m of SLR. Scenarios are presented that should assist a broad range of stakeholders to assess heritage risk and provide an opportunity for coastal managers to include heritage within adaptive planning pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea defence policy in England has proven contentious in the early twenty-first century, with government willing to defend the coast only where it is considered cost effective and not minded to compensate people for any resulting abandonment of homes. Additional focus is brought to this position by the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which reflect a growing emphasis on climate change effects and other environmental hazards, and the wellbeing of the current generation and those to come. This requires policy makers to seek to balance economic, social and environmental dimensions, and to tackle inequalities; with a central commitment of the goals to "leave no one behind". Subsequent to publication of the SDGs, England was promised a revolution in the government's approach to Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM). This paper seeks to understand the nature of this revolution with particular regard to extant issues around just governance. It finds that policy fails to deal with issues over the local acceptability of proposals for change and the bearing of risk, and instead lies principally in the elevation of the problematic concept of resilience and an accompanying ambivalence towards ideas of sustainability and sustainable development. International agreement that compensation should be paid to those countries suffering the worst effects of climate change, including sea level rise, suggests that adoption of a similar approach to vulnerable homeowners might be the more appropriate revolution and bring policy more into line with the aspirations of the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erosion and accretion occuring in coastal areas are indications of changes in the coastline's position. The beach areas in Bali have high economic value as tourist attractions; yet, the condition of the beaches in several places on the island is very concerning. Monitoring shoreline changes can be accomplished using remote sensing technology which is more efficient than the conventional methods. This paper describes the results of changes in the coastline from 2014 to 2021 with remote sensing for all coastal areas of the island of Bali surveyed in the field. This research has successfully detected changes in coastlines throughout the coastal areas of Bali Island by remote sensing method and verified by field survey. The survey results also show that remote sensing method has met the survey from previous studies specifically in Gianyar Regency and Jembrana Regency. Hence, it is applicable for further use in other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing demands for precise water resource management, there is a growing need for advanced techniques in mapping water bodies. The currently deployed satellites provide complementary data that are either of high spatial or high temporal resolutions. As a result, there is a clear trade‐off between space and time when considering a single data source. For the efficient monitoring of multiple environmental resources, various Earth science applications need data at high spatial and temporal resolutions. To address this need, many data fusion methods have been described in the literature, that rely on combining data snapshots from multiple sources. Traditional methods face limitations due to sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances and other environmental factors, resulting in noise, outliers, and missing data. This paper introduces Hydrological Generative Adversarial Network (Hydro‐GAN), a novel machine learning‐based method that utilizes modified GANs to enhance boundary accuracy when mapping low‐resolution MODIS data to high‐resolution Landsat‐8 images. We propose a new non‐saturating loss function for the Hydro‐GAN generator, which maximizes the log of discriminator probabilities to promote stable updates and aid convergence. By focusing on reducing squared differences between real and synthetic images, our approach enhances training stability and overall performance. We specifically focus on mapping water bodies using MODIS and Landsat‐8 imagery due to their relevance in water resource management tasks. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of Hydro‐GAN in generating high‐resolution water body maps, outperforming traditional methods in terms of boundary accuracy and overall quality. Plain Language Summary: This study addresses the imperative challenges of water resource management, including coastal zone oversight, detecting sea border shifts due to rising waters, and erosion tracking. Satellite data currently offers a choice between high spatial detail with infrequent updates or lower spatial detail with more frequent updates, presenting a trade‐off between data precision and frequency. To efficiently monitor environmental resources like water bodies, we require data with both high spatial detail and frequent updates. To meet this need, we introduce the Hydrological Generative Adversarial Network, a novel machine learning tool that enhances data clarity, particularly in outlining water bodies. In testing, we employed images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite, providing less detailed images, and the Land Remote‐Sensing Satellite, offering highly detailed imagery. In essence, this study enhances water resource management by effectively combining data from multiple sources, even in adverse conditions, potentially advancing environmental protection and management efforts. Key Points: Remote sensing data augmentation for improving the accuracy of environmental assessments can be achieved using adversarial networksHigh spatiotemporal resolution of water bodies data enhances the precision of their areal forecastingShape and areal accuracies play an important role for efficient spatiotemporal data interpolation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the environmental changes and evolution rule of coastal zones in Dalian City in the last 40 years, the paper uses GIS technology to extract and analyze the coastline information during 1984-2018 based on the historical images from Google Earth. The results show that the coastline has grown in three stages: low-high-low, separated by the years of 2004 and 2014. The growth rate of sea reclamation is highly correlated to the GDP growth curve. Spatially, the coastline changes are mainly distributed in the bay and estuary areas, with the main types of land reclamation and sea mariculture. The land reclamation area is mainly concentrated in the central and southern coast of municipal district and Changxing Island Development Zone, while the sea reclamation area is scattered in Wafangdian, Pulandian and Zhuanghe areas in the north and east. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the methodology used for the data collection and calculation of erosion rates and presents the recent results for the period 2001-2019 for all the beaches of the Andalusian shoreline. This period is divided into two subperiods (2001-2011 and 2001-2019) to detect possible trend changes during the study years. The proxy corresponding to the internal limit of the backshore has been used, which is very useful for medium to long-term coastal erosion rates. The results show the rates calculated for this proxy, which reveal a high presence of artificially stabilised sectors where the inward migration of the shoreline associated with it is hindered, together with an intensification of the retreat rates in natural sections. Similarly, there is a clear differentiation between a relatively dynamic Atlantic façade with a higher percentage of erosive sectors and a Mediterranean façade highly conditioned by anthropic presence, with a lower percentage but a higher intensity in their values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, emphasizes the importance of using high-resolution observation methods to better understand the effects and mechanisms of coastal eutrophication, deoxygenation, and acidification. The coastal ocean is facing environmental challenges due to climate change and human activities, and traditional sampling methods are insufficient to fully comprehend these issues. The editorial highlights several studies that employ high-resolution methods to investigate topics such as submarine groundwater discharge, terrigenous particle transportation, seasonal oxygen depletion, and the driving forces behind ocean acidification. These studies offer valuable insights into the impacts of these environmental problems and contribute to our understanding of coastal ecosystems. It is important to note that the claims made in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their affiliated organizations or the publisher. Additionally, the publisher does not guarantee or endorse any products or claims made by manufacturers. This article is particularly relevant to library patrons conducting research in the field of marine science. [Extracted from the article]

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Fisheries-based livelihood activities constitute an essential means of income and well-being for the majority living in coastal areas. This paper examines vulnerability of fisheries-based livelihoods caused by climate variability and change. It focuses on three small pelagic fishers' communities including Kipumbwi, Kilindoni, and Kilwa-Kivinje, along the Tanzanian coast, as a case study. Little research has been done on the effect of climate variability and change on the livelihoods of small-scale fishing communities in developing countries, particularly along the Tanzanian coast. In collecting data, questionnaire, focused group discussion and an interactive governance approach were used. Results showed that the natural vulnerability issues include, reduced catches, and strong winds. Economic vulnerability, mentioned lack of credit facilities. For social vulnerability, respondents mentioned an increased number of fishers and fishing vessels On the aspect of technology, respondents mentioned lack of modern fishing methods. As findings suggest, these vulnerability aspects, are possibly associated with anthropogenic factors such as illegal fishing, may not be related to climate change, but climate change may intensify them. The findings further showed that climate variability has negatively affected the fisheries on which fisher communities depend for income and for food security thus affecting their local economy. Climate change has negatively affected small pelagic fishers. The decline in fish catches and economic- un-matching changes in fish prices have negatively affected the fishing community's income, employment, and food security. The recommended means for reducing vulnerability include reducing taxes and levies, availability of facilities for reducing post-harvesting loss and availability of reliable markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global changes in the coastal ecosystems of oceans and seas, influenced by natural environmental factors and anthropogenic load, have led to a shift in the sexual structure of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis , a species cultivated in many countries. This paper is the first to study the effects of steroid hormones on sex inversion and mortality in the M. galloprovincialis. A unidirectional pattern of sex change from females to males was observed. A 100% sex change of females was achieved under the influence of the hormone testosterone during the period of post-spring restructuring of the gonads. No sex change occurred when males and females were exposed to 17β-estradiol. The mortality of mollusks did not exceed 5%. • Under the influence of steroid hormones, males did not change sex. • Under the influence of testosterone, 100% sex change of females occurred. • No sex change was observed under the influence of 7β-estradiol. • The mortality of mollusks did not exceed 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study develops a disaster risk index (DRI) for assessing disaster risks in coastal communities. • Logit Boost ML model was found the optimal model for this research. • Gabura had the highest DRI value of 0.09, ahead of Southkhali (0.06) and Banishanta (0.04) unions. • The study underscores the importance of evolving from traditional approaches to advanced data-driven tools. Communities in disaster-prone coastal areas are more vulnerable to socioeconomic, environmental, and ecological problems. Knowing how disaster-prone coastal communities are, and, ideally, their resilience against current disaster risks, is an essential first step in reducing consequences. Therefore, this study aims to develop a disaster risk index (DRI) for assessing disaster risks in three coastal communities in southwest Bangladesh. Five machine learning (ML) models and holistic approaches were adopted to conduct the analysis. This study utilized ML-based feature selection methods and considered hazard, exposure, and vulnerability components to identify the most influential indicators for evaluating disaster risk. The researchers systematically developed six distinct feature sets using filter-based feature selection methods. Five ML models then evaluate these sets to determine the optimal set of features. Evaluation metrics were used to validate the performance of ML models, such as accuracy, precision, F-measure, recall, and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. Based on the Logit Boost ML model, the optimal feature set (set 3) had the best accuracy (0.997), precision (0.997), recall (0.997), F-measure (0.997), and ROC (0.996) compared to other feature selection sets. According to the findings, Gabura had the highest DRI value of 0.09, ahead of the Southkhali (0.06) and Banishanta (0.04) unions. The study underscores the importance of evolving from traditional approaches to advanced data-driven tools to understand disaster risks. The paper's findings can provide policymakers in coastal areas with new insight into the disaster risk differences among the inhabitants, leading to more effective disaster management practices and risk reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetlands have the capacity to trap and store large amounts of carbon and function as efficient blue carbon sinks—an essential nature-based approach for climate change mitigation. Owing to anthropogenic activities and sea level rise (SLR), coastal wetlands located at the land–sea interface are subject to severe deterioration, transformation, and loss. Assessing coastal wetland vulnerability to SLR serves as the foundation for developing climate change adaptation solutions and is critical for maintaining the stability and sustainability of coastal ecosystems. In this paper, we provide an overview of approaches for assessing coastal wetland vulnerability and find the following: (1) The Rod Surface Elevation Table–Marker Horizon (RSET–MH) method can provide accurate and repeatable measurements of local surface elevation changes; however, contrary to Relative Sea Level Rise (RSLR) recorded by long-term tide gauges, RSETs recording the current surface elevation changes of coastal wetlands provide short-period monitoring with uneven coverage. Hence, RSET monitoring needs to be further extended to obtain long-term broad-coverage data for more accurately assessing coastal wetland vulnerability. (2) Existing vertical accretion models for coastal wetlands account for important feedback mechanisms between SLR and sediment accretion; however, they do not account for the relationship between vertical accretion and climate change, i.e., elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. This omission may lead to a shift in the SLR threshold for the survival of coastal wetlands. (3) Human activities affect the stability of wetlands, and current studies on coastal wetland vulnerability do not consider the potential impacts of human activities on these areas, resulting in an incomplete assessment of wetland risk. Incorporating the effects of human activities into biophysical models of coastal wetland evolution is a major challenge that must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic pressures are increasing in coastal ecosystems globally, yet identifying robust indicators of change and managing coastal resources can be complicated by phenotypic plasticity and differential life-history responses of key organisms. We illustrate this using biogeochemical and sandprawn (Kraussillichirus kraussi) response metrics along a human recreation gradient (trampling, sandprawn harvesting) in a South African lagoonal ecosystem. Benthic compaction, oxygen depletion and high porewater ammonia concentrations were associated with greatest recreation intensity. Sandprawn abundance was similar across the recreation gradient and body condition was counter-intuitively greater in areas with maximum recreation, but with higher frequencies of embryonic aberrations and arrested development. These findings suggest different vulnerabilities of life-history stages of sandprawns to recreation, with embryonic stages being highly susceptible. We suggest that embryonic aberrations and developmental changes in endobenthic crustaceans may be sensitive bioindicators of recreation-induced changes in sedimentary systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates non-migration of fishermen communities living adjacent to the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. While analysing the regular livelihood patterns of these communities, this article explores a symbiotic relationship among livelihoods, risks, and natural resources in understanding fishermen's choice of locations in the vulnerable areas. We have adopted a mixed method approach in conducting questionnaire survey, interviews, and focus group discussion at household level. We have employed a triangulation system in the study, i.e. collected data from different sources to compare and then used diverse methods to check whether the information was consistent. Upon analysing the data obtained from field investigation, it can be concluded that the critical relationships exist among livelihoods, risks, and immobility of fishermen community in the Sundarbans. Therefore, fishing households' non-migration can be explained in-between voluntary and in-voluntary decision-making process. The study claims that the decision-making process depends on a symbiotic relationship between livelihoods, vulnerability, and natural resources management. The findings reveal that fishing households utilise assets and opportunities to build a blended livelihood strategies including natural resource extraction; diversifying income sources; borrowing and investment; asset pooling; and building social capital. Finally, this study concludes that this process of combining and transforming different assets for livelihood strategies can be explained as an autonomous adaptation process in the face of climate change. Particularly, the study accomplishes that this autonomous adaptation process defines the nature and dynamics of non-migration strategies of fishing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of accelerating climate change and rising sea levels, quantifying surface elevation change dynamics in coastal wetlands can help to develop a more complete understanding of the implications of sea-level rise on coastal wetland stability. The surface elevation table-marker horizon (SET-MH) approach has been widely used to quantify and characterize surface elevation change dynamics in coastal marshes and mangrove forests. Whereas past studies that utilized the SET-MH approach have most often quantified rates of surface elevation change using simple linear regression analyses, several recent studies have shown that elevation patterns can include a diverse combination of linear and non-linear patterns. Generalized additive models (GAMs) are an extension of generalized linear models (GLMs) that have previously been used to analyze a variety of complex ecological processes such as cyclical changes in water quality, species distributions, long-term patterns in wetland area change, and palaeoecological time series. Here, we use long-term SET data to demonstrate the value of generalized additive models for analyzing non-linear patterns of surface elevation change in coastal wetlands. Additionally, we illustrate how the GAM approach can be used to effectively quantify rates of elevation change at both landscape- and local site-level scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately estimating the return values of significant wave height is essential for marine and coastal infrastructure, particularly as climate change intensifies the frequency and intensity of extreme wave events. Traditional models, which assume stationarity in wave data, often underestimate future risks by neglecting the impacts of climate change on wave dynamics. Combining time series decomposition and recurrence analysis, the research develops a nonstationary framework to predict significant wave height. The stochastic component is modelled using a stationary probability distribution, while the deterministic component is predicted based on sea surface temperature projections from CMIP6 climate scenarios. The model evaluation demonstrates strong predictive capability for both stochastic and deterministic components. Application of the model to China's coastal waters reveals significant discrepancies between stationary and nonstationary return value estimates. Compared to conventional distribution models, the nonstationary model predicts substantial increases in extreme wave heights. These findings underscore the importance of adopting nonstationary models to more accurately assess future risks posed by extreme wave events in a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine pollution poses significant risks to both human and marine health. This investigation explores the limnological status of the Odisha and West Bengal coasts during the annual cruise program, focusing on the influence of riverine inputs on coastal marine waters. To assess this impact, physicochemical parameters such as pH, salinity, total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and dissolved nutrients (NO2-N, NO3-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, SiO4-Si, total-N, and total-P) were analyzed from samples collected along 11 transects. Multivariate statistics and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to the datasets, revealing four key factors that account for over 70.09% of the total variance in water quality parameters, specifically 25.01% for PC1, 21.94% for PC2, 13.13% for PC3, and 9.99% for PC4. The results indicate that the increase in nutrient and suspended solid concentrations in coastal waters primarily arises from weathering and riverine transport from natural sources, with nitrate sources linked to the decomposition of organic materials. Coastal Odisha was found to be rich in phosphorus-based nutrients, particularly from industrial effluents in Paradip and the Mahanadi, while ammonia levels were attributed to municipal waste in Puri. In contrast, the West Bengal coast exhibited higher levels of nitrogenous nutrients alongside elevated pH and DO values. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the seasonal dynamics and anthropogenic influences on coastal water quality in Odisha and West Bengal, highlighting the need for targeted conservation and management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the functioning and sustainability of coastal marshes and mangroves. Urbanized humans have a 7,000-year-old enduring relationship to coastal wetlands. Wetlands include marshes, salt flats, and saline and freshwater forests. Coastal wetlands occur in all climate zones but are most abundant in deltas. Mangroves are tropical, whereas marshes occur from tropical to boreal areas. Quantification of coastal wetland areas has advanced in recent years but is still insufficiently accurate. Climate change and sea-level rise are predicted to lead to significant wetland losses and other impacts on coastal wetlands and the humans associated with them. Landward migration and coastal retreat are not expected to significantly reduce coastal wetland losses. Nitrogen watershed inputs are unlikely to alter coastal marsh stability because watershed loadings are mostly significantly lower than those in fertilization studies that show decreased belowground biomass and increased decomposition of soil organic matter. Blue carbon is not expected to significantly reduce climate impacts. The high values of ecosystem goods and services of wetlands are expected to be reduced by area losses. Humans have had strong impacts on coastal wetlands in the Holocene, and these impacts are expected to increase in the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seagrass meadows are a significant blue carbon sink due to their ability to store large amounts of carbon within sediment. However, the knowledge of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from seagrass meadows is limited, especially from meadows in the tropical region. Therefore, in this study, CO2 and CH4 emissions and carbon metabolism were studied at a tropical seagrass meadow under various conditions. Methods: CO2 and CH4 emissions and carbon metabolism were measured using benthic chambers deployed for 18 h at Koh Mook, off the southwest coast of Thailand. The samples were collected from areas of patchy Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii, and bare sand three times within 18 h periods of incubation: at low tide at 6 pm (t0), at low tide at 6 am (t1), and at high tide at noon (t2). Results: Seagrass meadows at Koh Mook exhibited varying CO2 and CH4 emissions across different sampling areas. CO2 emissions were higher in patchy E. acoroides compared to patchy T. hemprichii and bare sand areas. CH4 emissions were only detected in vegetated areas (patchy E. acoroides and T. hemprichii) and were absent in bare sand. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in net community production across sampling areas, although seagrass meadows were generally considered autotrophic. Koh Mook seagrass meadows contribute only slightly to GHG emissions. The results suggested that the low GHG emissions from Koh Mook seagrass meadows do not outweigh their role as significant carbon sinks, with a value 320 t CO2−eq. This study provided baseline information for estimating GHG emissions in seagrass meadows in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the scientific community has increasingly focused on extreme events linked to climate change, which are leading to more intense and frequent natural disasters. The Mediterranean can be considered a hotspot where the effects of these changes are expected to be more intense compared to other regions of the planet. Italy is not exempt; in fact, with its extensive shoreline, it is particularly vulnerable, especially to high sea levels and coastal erosions. In this framework, from late October to early November 2023, six storm surges occurred in the Gulf of Trieste (NE Italy). These events, characterized by winds from 190°N to 220°N and the significant wave height, which reached up to 1.81 m nearshore—an uncommon meteorological condition in the northern Adriatic Sea—caused the occurrence of eight coastal sinkholes and substantial damages to man-made structures. Thanks to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and their derived products (high-resolution orthomosaics, Digital Elevation Models—DEMs, and point clouds), it was possible to study these features over time, enabling long-term coastal dynamics monitoring, which can be crucial for timely and effective response and restoration efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the effect of future weather and climate on municipal water demand in coastal communities with tourist-centric economies. To address this knowledge gap, we used an econometric model of monthly water demand that allowed for non-linear responses to weather variables to estimate temperature-response functions for demand from a sample of communities in the Oregon Mid-Coast. A main result is that local temperature was not a significant driver of variability in monthly water demand but that temperature in the Willamette Valley—the source of most tourists to the Oregon coast—was. We assumed that the increase in demand in response to higher Willamette Valley temperature arose from an increase in tourists escaping the heat in the Willamette Valley for cooler conditions on the coast. Applying the temperature response functions to scenarios of future climate to the year 2070 led to projected increases in water demand independent of other factors. Whether future tourism is either constrained by the local resident population that serves tourism or is constrained by the potential tourist population in the Willamette Valley, the climate-change contribution to projected water demand is generally of comparable magnitude to—if not greater than—the contribution from resident population change alone over the next 50 years. For communities where the population is projected to decline, the climate effect may more than offset the effect of declining population, resulting in a net positive change in demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetated coastal marine ecosystems are projected to expand northwards in the Arctic due to climate change, but the mechanisms for this expansion are complex and nuanced. Macroalgal biomass in the littoral areas of Svalbard has been increasing, but data at the glacier fronts are very scarce. In this study, we use hydroacoustics and video validation from an unmanned surface vehicle to survey macroalgal bed distribution along the coast of a High Arctic fjord (Billefjorden, Svalbard), including river bays and land- and sea-terminating glacier fronts, as well as oceanographic measurements to indicate physical drivers of macroalgal settlement. We found high variation of macroalgal coverage along the fjord coastline, with virtually no macroalgae in the river bays but abundant coverage in areas with little terrestrial runoff. Furthermore, the presence of kelp was found at the land-terminating glacier front which has recently retreated from the sea, which suggests the potential for rapid macroalgal establishment in newly available substrate following glacial retreat. These findings suggest large ecological implications throughout the Arctic, in which macroalgal expansion may lead to significant changes in the underwater coastal landscape and ecosystem. This study shows that the use of remote autonomous vehicles and hydroacoustic mapping with video validation has a high potential for sustainable and efficient ecological monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in natural disaster frequency, intensified by climate change, poses one of the greatest threats to coastal systems and low-lying areas worldwide. It is estimated that the Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL) could rise by approximately 2 m in the twenty-first century, alongside intensifying cyclonic events. Consequently, in Brazil, coastal natural disasters are likely to become more frequent and intense, especially in the southern region. Thus, this study aims to identify, map and discuss coastal natural disasters in municipalities exposed to the open ocean belonging to the coastal zone of Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil, between 1998 and 2020. A review and dating of coastal natural disasters were conducted using four official databases: The Civil Defense of Santa Catarina website, Integrated Disaster Information System (S2ID), Santa Catarina Atlas of Natural Disasters, and the Brazilian Atlas of Natural Disasters. The data were organized into spreadsheets and mapped using QGIS 3.16.0 software. The results and main conclusions indicate: (1) More coastal disasters occurred in the north, central-north, and central sectors of SC between 1998 and 2020; (2) the period between 2010 and 2020 was more impactful; (3) the municipalities with the most records of coastal disasters were Balneário Barra do Sul, Itapoá and Florianópolis (considering only Ilha de Santa Catarina), respectively; (4) the three fastest-growing sectors are the north, central-north, and central; and (5) the seasons of autumn, spring, and winter, respectively, are more impacting for the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetland ecosystems are critical due to their diverse ecological and economic benefits, yet they have been significantly affected by human activities over the past century. Understanding the spatiotemporal changes and underlying factors influencing these ecosystems is crucial for developing effective ecological protection and restoration strategies. This study examines the Tianjin–Hebei coastal wetlands using topographic maps from the 1940s and Landsat satellite imagery from 1975, 2000, and 2020, supplemented by historical literature and field surveys. The aim is to analyze the distribution and classification of coastal wetlands across various temporal intervals. The findings indicate an expansion of the Tianjin–Hebei coastal wetlands from 7301.34 km2 in the 1940s to 8041.73 km2 in 2020. However, natural wetlands have declined by approximately 44.36 km2/year, while constructed wetlands have increased by around 53.61 km2/year. The wetlands have also become increasingly fragmented, with higher numbers of patches and densities. The analysis of driving factors points to human activities—such as urban construction, cultivated land reclamation, sea aquaculture, and land reclamation—as the primary contributors to these changes. Furthermore, the study addresses the ecological and environmental issues stemming from wetland changes and proposes strategies for wetland conservation. This research aims to enhance the understanding among researchers and policymakers of the dynamics and drivers of coastal wetland changes, as well as the major challenges in their protection, and to serve as a foundation for developing evidence-based conservation and restoration strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanmen Bay (SMB) is one of the important harbors in Zhejiang Province. It is a semi-enclosed shallow bay that has undergone large-scale land reclamation activities. Long-term reclamation has changed the hydrodynamic conditions of SMB, such as tide, residual current, tidal prism, water exchange capacity, and tidal asymmetry. In this study, three typical periods of numerical models, based on historical charts and remote sensing, were established to investigate the influence of reclamation activities on the hydrodynamic conditions of SMB from 1971 to 2020. These model results reveal that the amplitude and phase of M2, the main tidal components in SMB, decreased by ~0.1-0.3 m and ~ 5°-15°, respectively, over the last half-century. Additionally, under the influence of ~200 km2 reclamation, many hydrodynamic conditions in SMB also changed. This includes the reduction of a residual current and tidal prism, an increase in residence time, and a change in tidal asymmetry characteristics. The residence time in nearby Xiayangtu exhibited a downward trend from 2003 to 2020, because land reclamation squeezed, and thus, enhanced the residual current eddy. The water-exchange capacity of the bay became weaker with the reduction of tidal prism to one-third and an increase in residence time. The tidal asymmetry characteristic of SMB changed from half of flood dominant to fully flood dominant by the influence of shoreline and bathymetry, which raised the flood risk. Research on the response of the hydrodynamic environment to reclamation activities in SMB reminds the local government to reassess the impact of land reclamation on the hydrodynamic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding long-term coastal changes requires comprehensive records of morphological data spanning extended periods, ideally over multiple decades. Nevertheless, significant challenges arise from the restricted availability and accessibility of reliable data, especially in the case of complex coastal systems dominated by wave-current dynamics, such as ebb-tidal deltas (ETDs). This study introduces a new dataset for Tagus ETD in central Portugal, from 1845 to 1985 based on historic nautical charts available for the area. The data includes: (1) high-resolution bathymetric surfaces of ETD configuration for years 1845, 1879, 1893, 1929, 1939, 1960 and 1985; (2) shoreline position of three different indicators (Low-Water Line, High-Water Line and foredune dune seaward limit) at the adjacent coast for the same years; (3) rates-of-change for shoreline position of the High-Water Line indicator. Data also includes an uncertainty assessment for hydrographical and shoreline position information estimated from historic nautical charts. These data provide a valuable resource for describing, understanding, and modelling the long-term behaviour of ETDs not covered by other currently available datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2004 tsunami affected the South Andaman coast, causing it to experience dynamic changes in the coastal geomorphology and making the region vulnerable. We focus on pre-and post-tsunami shoreline and land use–land cover changes from 2004, 2005, and 2022 to analyze the dynamic change in hazard. We used General Bathymetric Chart of the Ocean (GEBCO) data to calculate run-up [m], arrival times [min], and inundation [m] at a few locations using three tsunamigenic earthquake source parameters, namely the 2004 Sumatra, 1941 North Andaman, and 1881 Car Nicobar earthquakes. The Digital Shoreline Analysis System is used for the shoreline change estimates. Landsat data are used to calculate shoreline and land use–land cover (LULC) change in five classes, namely built-up areas, forests, inundation areas, croplands, and water bodies during the above period. We examine the correlation between the LULC changes and the dynamic change in shoreline due to population flux, infrastructural growth, and gross state domestic product growth. The Indian industry estimates the Andaman and Nicobar Islands losses exceeded INR 10 billion during 2004, which would today see a 5-fold increase in economic loss due to a doubling of built-up area, a 3-fold increase in tourist inflow, and population density growth. The unsustainable decline in the forest cover, mangroves, and cropland would affect sustainability during a disaster despite coastal safety measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]