Discussion of: Karunarathna, H. and Reeve, D., 2008. A Boolean Approach to Prediction of Long-Term Evolution of Estuary Morphology.Journal of Coastal Research, 24(2B), 51–61.

Abstract

Karunarathna and Reeve (2008) recently presented what they refer to as an estuary simulator, based on a systems approach and Boolean logic (otherwise referred to by the authors as Boolean delay equation [BDE] modelling), which is meant to predict mediumto long-term morphological behaviour of estuaries in the event of global climate change and human interference (p.51). While this is a noble ambition, and a systems approach can certainly provide a convenient way of conceptualising the interactions between different geomorphological elements within estuaries {e.g.y banks, channels, tidal flats, salt marshes), a number of aspects require comment.