Coastal Segments Research Articles

Current condition of coastal protection structures of Meulaboh, Westcoast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Meulaboh is coastal city that has tourism potential. The city has been facing coastal erosion hazard since a long time from high energy wave activity coming from Indian Ocean. To protect the coast from the erosion hazard, a coastal defence structures were built along the city’s coast overlooking the Indian Ocean. Before the 2004 tsunami, hard structures built on the coast that open to waves from the Indian Ocean were damaged by daily wave activity. This study assess effectiveness of the current coastal protection structures protect coastline in the three coastal segments of the city, namely the Padang Seurahet, Ujung Karang and Kampung Pasir, in order to find out if the construction of the structures is the right choice. Related to the tourism potential of Meulaboh City also studied the possibility to expand the function of the structures. The coastal protection structures data for this study were mainly obtained from field observations in June 2021. Effectiveness of the structures protecting coastline were analysed based on technical criteria. Meanwhile, possibility to expand the function of the structures were analysed according to environmental condition of the coastal segments and types of tourism activity. The results of this study show that the hard structure that now exists on Meulaboh coast can protect the city’s coast from the hazard of erosion without negatively impacting the surrounding coastline. In addition, the structure is considered to be expandable to support the development of tourism potential of Meulaboh City. Thus it can be conclude that the choice of hard structure for coastal protection in most of Meulaboh coastline is appropriate.

Adaptation strategy to coastal erosion by rural communities: Lessons learned from Ujunggebang village, Indramayu, West Java, Indonesia

Coastal hazard due to wave activity, in the form of coastal erosion, has long been a problem in the coastal area of Ujunggebang. Loss of coastal land in the coastal area has removed a lot of rice fields, settlements, and public facilities. Efforts to maintain the coastline along 3,300 m of the coastal area, by building coastal defense structures (CDS), have been carried out by the central government since 2006 but, until 2015, the CDS that has been built is still only around 1782 m long, in some places the structure is damaged due to wave activity, and in general the structure is not enough to prevent overtopping. Meanwhile, unprotected coastal segments with CDS have experienced significant erosion. The idea of land use change as an effort to adapt coastal hazards, which was conveyed through an idea socialization approach and through showing examples of coastal area management practices to villagers, gave birth to the idea of developing a coastal tourism area in the village as a complementary measure for the existing coastal defense structure. Although the main problem faced- coastal erosion- has not been resolved, the development of the tourism area has been recognized by the local government as successfully changing the life of the village community.

Coastal Vulnerability Index for Kuwaiti Coast

Kuwait is investing significantly for the development of coastal infrastructures in many of its coastal areas. It is essential to know the vulnerability of the coast of Kuwait for the future sea level rise and other physically influencing parameters. For this purpose, a detailed study is carried out and the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) is established for the Kuwaiti coast including the coasts of Islands. The CVI is assessed based on the data on coastal geomorphology, historical shoreline change rate, landward side of the coastal slope, mean significant wave height, mean tidal range and the particle size of the sediments along the beach. The total Kuwaiti coastline of 499 km is divided into two groups with a total of 162 coastal segments. The group 1 contains 138 segments and covers the mainland, Boubyan and Failaka Island. The group 2 contains 24 locations and covers Umm Al-Maradim, Qaru and Kubbar Islands. Field data collection is carried out for all these segments. From this study it is found that 5% of the Kuwaiti coastal area in group 1 are very low vulnerable; 34% low vulnerable; 31% moderately vulnerable; 18% highly vulnerable and 12% are very highly vulnerable. Similar results are obtained for group 2 coastal segments. The results of this study will be useful while preparing the Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan for Kuwaiti coast and for its sustainable coastal infrastructure development.

UAV PHOTOGRAMMETRY-BASED MAPPING OF SICILIAN POCKET BEACHES: FIRST APPROACH

The Pocket Beaches (PBs) are widespread throughout the Mediterranean coast and the characteristics of their landscape make them very attractive for tourists. Along the Sicilian coast there are several Pocket Beaches. However, they have no univocal behaviour. Numerous detailed studies on Pocket Beaches have been carried out in recent years; they suggested that geometric physical parameters provide useful information for characterization of embayed coasts. These parameters allow for the analysis of coastal segments exposure to the incident waves and are usually extracted from old dataset or from hazardous fieldworks. In this study, we propose a UAV- photogrammetry-based mapping approach to study the PBs located on the coast of Sicily. With the aid of new technologies, we used drones equipped with very high-resolution camera to acquired orthophotos and 3-D representation of Sicilian PBs. The data obtained by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles were supported by Ground control Points acquired using RTK GPS which helped refine their geo-referencing precision. Computer-assisted approach was adopted to retrieve geometric parameters and eventually coastal geomorphological elements of the PBs.

Deteksi Perubahan Garis Pantai Menggunakan Teknik Geospasial, Studi Kasus Kecamatan Tejakula


 
 
 
 The coastal area in Tejakula Subdistrict has many potential benefits for local people and the development of the region. Regarding its economic perspective, marine biodiversity can be utilized for tourism development. In terms of culture and history, this area has many archaeological findings ranging from prehistory until the colonial period. However, the recent study from Balai Arkeologi Bali stated the objects were sunk into underwater at a depth of 1-2 meters due to the abrasion process. Therefore, this research discussed the changes of shoreline in the Tejakula Subdistrict area as a preliminary study to protect and preserve its potential values. This research, both in terms of economy, culture, and history. The calculation of shoreline changes is using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) application with Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) and End Point Rate (EPR) methods. The results showed that the coastal segment in Tejakula District experienced an abrasion change with an abrasion rate of 0.89 m/year based on the SPOT satellite image analysis and 0.17 m/year from Landsat satellite imagery.
 
 
 

Can climate change and geological past produce enhanced erosion? A case study of the Hel Peninsula, Baltic Sea, Poland

The paper explores a possible negative interplay of climate change and sedimentary structure along the Hel Peninsula, located on the Baltic Sea coast of Poland. Greater wave energy fluxes in winter, driven by climate change and the heterogeneous sedimentary structure underneath the peninsula, may lead to direct exposure of weaker sediments to water motion, their depletion, and accelerated erosion. Thus, a possible disequilibrium between harsher hydrodynamics and weaker nearshore sediments (silty sands, silts, and organic soils) can be interpreted as a potential underlying factor in future intensive erosion. This emerging coincidence was not accounted for in previous studies, which focus on sea level rise and storm surges alone as the main drivers of erosion of mostly sand-saturated beaches. In contrast, this study showcases possible climate change-related consequences for a morphologically precarious system, once its built-in vulnerability is activated by more energetic environment. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that many coastal segments built upon weaker earlier geological deposits, relatively stable under current hydrodynamic regimes, can become exposed to enhanced degradation under harsher hydrodynamics.

Analysis of the Makran Coastline of Iran’s Vulnerability to Global Sea-Level Rise

The SE coast of Iran is of great economic and environmental importance. Global climate change affects this coastline through sea level rise (SLR), compounded by a decrease in sediment budgets in coastal areas. This study developed a Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) for the SE coast of Iran using satellite, instrumental and field data. Eight risk variables were defined: coastal slope, regional coastal elevation, mean tidal range, mean significant wave height, rate of relative sea-level change, rate of shoreline change, environmental sensitivity and socio-economic sensitivity. The coast was divided into 27 segments based on geomorphic, environmental and socioeconomic traits. Coastal segments were categorized based on their vulnerability to each risk factor using a CVI. The resulting maps highlighted the vulnerability of each coastal segment to SLR. Approximately 50% of the coast is comprised of mostly rocky shores, which are less vulnerable to SLR. Approximately 33% of the coastal length, including sandy beaches, tidal flats and mangrove forests, were determined to be highly vulnerable to SLR. Approximately 12% of the coastline was determined to be moderately vulnerable. Population centers and infrastructure were ranked as highly-to-moderately vulnerable to SLR. This study highlighted the high vulnerability of low-lying areas, such as lagoons and mangroves, in the western part of the Iranian coast of Makran. Proper coastal management and mitigation plans are essential in the future to protect coastal societies and environments.

Characterizing the Relationship between the Sediment Grain Size and the Shoreline Variability Defined from Sentinel-2 Derived Shorelines

Sediment grain size is a fundamental parameter conditioning beach-face morphology and shoreline changes. From remote sensing data, an efficient definition of the shoreline position as the water–land interface may allow studying the geomorphological characteristics of the beaches. In this work, shoreline variability is defined by extracting a set of Satellite Derived Shorelines (SDS) covering about three and a half years. SDS are defined from Sentinel 2 imagery with high accuracy (about 3 m RMSE) using SHOREX. The variability is related to a large dataset of grain-size samples from the micro-tidal beaches at the Gulf of Valencia (Western Mediterranean). Both parameters present an inverse and non-linear relationship probably controlled by the beach-face slope. High shoreline variability appears associated with fine sands, followed by a rapid decrease (shifting point about medium/coarse sand) and subsequent small depletions as grain sizes increases. The relationship between both parameters is accurately described by a numerical function (R2 about 0.70) when considering samples at 137 open beaches. The definition of the variability is addressed employing different proxies, coastal segment lengths, and quantity of SDS under diverse oceanographic conditions, allowing to examine the effect they have on the relation with the sediment size. The relationship explored in this work improves the understanding of the mutual connection between sediment size, beach-face slope, and shoreline variability, and it may set up the basis for a rough estimation of sediment grain size from satellite optical imagery.

Assessing the Spatial and Temporal Relationship between Coastal Runoff and Chlorophyll-a in the Philippines Using Gridded Datasets

Custado, M.J.G. and David, C.P.C., 2021. Assessing the spatial and temporal relationship between coastal runoff and chlorophyll-a in the Philippines using gridded datasets. Journal of Coastal Research, 37(4), 726–736. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Publicly available gridded datasets were used in examining the relationship between long-term temporal patterns in runoff rates and chlorophyll-a within the coastal areas of the Philippines. Temporal plots generated from remotely sensed chlorophyll-a data and runoff from the Global Runoff Reconstruction dataset illustrated variabilities in seasonal patterns across coastal segments and climate types. The linear correlation analysis performed on the datasets revealed a characteristic distribution of negative coefficients within the internal seas of the archipelago and positive coefficients in open coasts and embayments. Riverine-influenced sites with positive correlation coefficients (r = 0.33–0.62, p < 0.00001) were mostly associated with delivery of excess nutrients from land-use activities. The distribution of these coefficients was demonstrated to be affected by the physical nature of the coast. Moreover, seasonal changes in total suspended solids adjacent to a river discharge site were discussed, demonstrating how high sediment load can dampen productivity because of limited light penetration in marine waters. The analysis of publicly available datasets in this study provided assessments that can be used to complement coastal management efforts, particularly in the context of increasing anthropogenic stress and climate change.

A Global Ecological Classification of Coastal Segment Units to Complement Marine Biodiversity Observation Network Assessments

A new data layer provides Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) labels for global coastal segments at 1 km or shorter resolution. These characteristics are summarized for six US Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) sites and one MBON Pole to Pole of the Americas site in Argentina. The global coastlines CMECS classifications were produced from a partitioning of a 30 m Landsat-derived shoreline vector that was segmented into 4 million 1 km or shorter segments. Each segment was attributed with values from 10 variables that represent the ecological settings in which the coastline occurs, including properties of the adjacent water, adjacent land, and coastline itself. The 4 million segments were classified into 81,000 coastal segment units (CSUs) as unique combinations of variable classes. We summarize the process to develop the CSUs and derive summary descriptions for the seven MBON case study sites. We discuss the intended application of the new CSU data for research and management in coastal areas.

Lithophyllum rims as biological markers for constraining palaeoseismic events and relative sea-level variations during the last 3.3 ka on Lopud Island, southern Adriatic, Croatia

This study aims to discern the drivers of relative sea-level change at Lopud Island, distinguishing local tectonic from regional and global contributions. A detailed survey of sea-level markers ( Lithophyllum rims and tidal notches) allowed the distinction of a seismotectonically uplifted sector, approximately 1 km in length, along the southern coast of Lopud Island (Southern Adriatic). The established high-resolution algal rim geochronology based on 23 radiocarbon dates enables distinction between the Late Holocene transgression periods and the seismically triggered regression events. Consequently, we distinguish here local tectonic uplift and provide the first reconstruction of the assumed number, timing, and displacements of past seismic events. The most important uplift of around 0.42 ± 0.10 m occurred in 1667 CE Dubrovnik earthquake while the earlier one of 0.15 ± 0.10 m, occurred probably between ~800 CE and ~ 1100 CE. The uplift of this coastal segment was also evidenced in tidal notches which are today ~0.25 ± 0.15 m above mean sea-level. After correction for local coseismic displacements, the sea-level trends with full consideration of the available uncertainty were quantified using an Errors-In-Variables Integrated Gaussian Process model. The rates of RSL change vary between 0.2 and 0.7 mm/yr, with a mean of 0.4 mm/yr. The possibility of removing the local non-linear contribution, allows comparison of the obtained RSL curve with different glacio-isostatic model predictions. The obtained field based RSL records correspond well with the K33_j1b_WS9_6 model of Lambeck et al. (2011) . By distinguishing local non-linear RSL drivers (coseismic movements) from regional and global scale drivers we estimated a glacio-isostatic adjustment rate of ~0.34 mm/yr and a global common contribution of around 20 cm between 3.3 ka and 0.15 ka. This high-resolution study allows us to better approach the driving mechanisms of RSL change, thus providing new insight into the late Holocene sea-level history of this seismotectonically active sector of the Adriatic. Furthermore, this study reveals the precision of Lithophyllum rims in the studies of relative sea-level changes and demonstrates their potential in assessing palaeoearthquakes. • this study focuses on the most seismically active part of Croatia; • algal rims and tidal notches revealed coastal uplift of Lopud island; • the 1667 CE Dubrovnik earthquake was evidenced in the algal rim stratigraphy; • 23 new relative sea-level index points from the Adriatic cover the past 3.3 ka; • the drivers of relative sea-level change have been distinguished.

Coastal Migration due to 21st Century Sea‐Level Rise

AbstractRising mean and extreme sea‐levels and induced increased coastal flooding are expected to lead to massive coastal migration if coasts are not protected. Using a wide range of sea‐level rise (SLR) scenarios, socioeconomic pathways and discount rate assumptions, 21st century coastal migration is assessed at global scale assuming local cost‐benefit optimal protection decisions for about 12,000 coastal segments with homogeneous coastal and socioeconomic characteristics. Costs considered include investment and maintenance cost for protection, migration cost in the case of no protection, and expected annual damage to assets by extreme sea‐level events that over‐top existing protection. Robust decisions in favor of protection over all scenarios are found for about 3% of the global coastline, covering 78% of global coastal population and 92% of global coastal floodplain assets. For the remaining 97% of global coastline cumulative 21st century land loss ranges from 60,000 to 415,000 km2 and coastal migration ranges from 17 to 72 million people. Big countries with long uninhabited coastlines suffer the biggest land losses. In absolute terms big countries in South and South‐east Asia account for the highest coastal migration, while in relative terms small island nations suffer most. Global cost of 21st century SLR can be lowered by factor two to four if local cost‐benefit decisions also consider, next to protection, coastal migration as an adaptation option.

Assessment of coastal inundation cost due to future sea level rise: A case study for Kuwait

A preliminary assessment on the economic loss due to 1.0 m sea level rise induced inundation for the Kuwait is carried out. Kuwaiti coast of 500 km is divided into 162 segments and landward slope of the coast was assessed based on field measurements of coastal profiles. The prevailing cost of coastal land for all coastal segments are used for economic impact assessment. It is found that 29% of the coastal land in Kuwait is in the very low inundation cost category (less than 20,000 Kuwaiti Dinar (KD)/m of coast length (1 KD = 3.3 US $)); 19% is in the low inundation cost category (20,000 to 50,000 KD/m of coast length); 16% is in the moderate inundation cost category (50,000 to 100,000 KD/m of coast length); 14% in the high inundation cost category (100,000 to 200,000 KD/m of coast length) and 22% is in the very high inundation cost category (greater than 200,000 KD/m of coast length). The total inundation cost due to permanent inundation of coastal land area for 1.0 m sea level rise is 58.726 Billion KD (i.e., 193.8 billion US $), which is equivalent to 3.58 years of income for Kuwait due to crude oil export.

Late Miocene - Quaternary forearc uplift in southern Peru: new insights from 10Be dates and rocky coastal sequences

We explore the coastal morphology along an uplifting 500 km-long coastal segment of the Central Andes, between the cities of Chala (Peru) and Arica (Chile). We use accurate DEM and field surveys to extract sequences of uplifted shorelines along the study area. In addition, we consider continental pediment surfaces that limit both the geographical and vertical extent of the marine landforms. We establish a chronology based on published dates for marine landforms and pediment surfaces. We expand this corpus with new 10Be data on uplifted shore platforms. The last 12 Ma are marked by three periods of coastal stability or subsidence dated ~12-11 Ma, ~8-7 Ma and ~5–2.5 Ma ago. The uplift that accumulated between these stability periods has been ~1000 m since 11 Ma; its rate can reach 0.25 mm/a (m/ka). For the last period of uplift only, during the last 800 ka, the forearc uplift has been accurately recorded by the carving of numerous coastal sequences. Within these sequences, we correlated the marine terraces with the sea level highstands (interglacial stages and sub-stages) up to MIS 19 (790 ka), i.e., with a resolution of ~100 ka. The uplift rate for this last period of uplift increases westward from 0.18 mm/a at the Peru-Chile border to ~0.25 mm/a in the center of the study area. It further increases northwestward, up to 0.45 mm/a, due to the influence of the Nazca Ridge. In this study, we document an unusual forearc cyclic uplift with ~4 Ma-long cycles. This periodicity corresponds to the predictions made by Menant et al. (2020) based on numerical models, and could be related to episodic tectonic underplating (subducting slab stripping) beneath the coastal forearc area.

Alongshore Classification and Morphometric Analysis of Coastal Belts: The State of Oregon, USA

Finkl, C.W. and Makowski, C., 2021. Alongshore classification and morphometric analysis of coastal belts: The state of Oregon, USA. Journal of Coastal Research, 37(2), 238–271. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Classification of the state of Oregon coastal belt (western United States) was based on the interpretation of satellite imagery using the Biophysical Cross-shore Classification System (BCCS). This seven-county, 480-km stretch was subdivided based on coastal archetypes that formed distinct bio-geomorphological and ecological sequences on both alongshore and cross-shore axes. Shore-parallel and shore-perpendicular units were concomitantly determined by cognitive inspection of satellite images, in which cross-shore archetypical sequences were observed in the first instance to have alongshore spread that could be secondarily codified in terms of alongshore catenas. Because shore-normal transects encompass marine, coastal, and terrestrial environments that have a shore-parallel width, it was possible to extrapolate cross-shore classificatory units into alongshore stretches called domains. Characterization of alongshore domains was based on conjoining archetypes into catenary sequences that typify coastal belts both alongshore and cross-shore from adjacent offshore areas to several kilometers inland. Compilation of coastal belt catenas showed that promontories and headlands, which are composed of resistant igneous and metamorphic rocks, function as anchor points along the shore and are interspersed by sedimentary (littoral) coastal belts that contain mainland and barrier beaches backed by dune, wetland, flat (estuaries), or upland archetypes. A consizement of several alongshore domain catenary sequences within a particular coastal segment thus formed an overarching super domain. Typical alongshore super domains consisted of the following sequences: Barrier-Beach-Dune (Ba-Be-Du), Barrier-Beach-Dune-Wetland (Ba-Be-Du-W), Beach-Dune-Upland (Be-Du-U), Beach-Dune-Wetland (Be-Du-W), Beach-Cliff-Upland (Be-Cl-U), Beach-Wetland-Flat (Be-W-F), and Rock-Cliff-Upland (R-Cl-U). Morphometric analysis of each county allowed the determination of specific characteristics for each super domain (e.g., alongshore length, percentage of the county coastal belt, and percentage of the Oregon coastal belt). Furthermore, archetype morphometrics were calculated to show which cross-shore archetypical features were most prevalent along the state's coastal belt. This examination of the Oregon coast showed that the alongshore classification of coastal belts on a regional scale, which is based on cross-shore biophysical interpretations, offers the opportunity to characterize offshore, inshore, and onshore eco-geomorphological features through the use of super domains and morphometric analysis. This approach to coastal classification thus serves as a blueprint for the comprehensive characterization of coastal belts worldwide.

A Review of Tsunami Hazards in the Makran Subduction Zone

The uncertain tsunamigenic potential of the Makran Subduction Zone (MSZ) has made it an interesting natural laboratory for tsunami-related studies. This study aims to review the recent activities on tsunami hazard in the Makran subduction zone with a focus on deterministic and probabilistic tsunami hazard assessments. While almost all studies focused on tsunami hazard from the Makran subduction thrust, other local sources such as splay faults and landslides can be also real threats in the future. Far-field tsunami sources such as Sumatra-Andaman and Java subduction zones, commonly lumped as the Sunda subduction zone, do not seem to pose a serious risk to the Makran coastlines. The tsunamigenic potential of the western segment of the MSZ should not be underestimated considering the new evidence from geological studies and lessons from past tsunamis in the world. An overview of the results of tsunami hazard studies shows that the coastal area between Kereti to Ormara along the shoreline of Iran-Pakistan and the coastal segment between Muscat and Sur along Oman’s shoreline are the most hazardous areas. Uncertainties in studying tsunami hazard for the Makran region are large. We recommend that future studies mainly focus on the role of thick sediments, a better understanding of the plates interface geometry, the source mechanism and history of extreme-wave deposits, the contribution of other local tsunamigenic sources and vulnerability assessment for all coastlines of the whole Makran region.

Pathological Findings in Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) During an Unusual Mortality Event in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2016

The leatherback sea turtle (LST; Dermochelys coriacea) is highly migratory and is primarily distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions. The LST populations found in Brazil are critically endangered. An unusual mortality event occurred between August and November 2016 with 23 LSTs stranded along a 100km coastal segment in Iguape, Ilha Comprida and Ilha do Cardoso in southern São Paulo state. This study investigated the pathological findings and most likely causes of death of 10 LSTs. Male (n=9) and adult (n=9) animals predominated. All but one animal was in good body condition and all were found dead. The most prevalent gross findings were suggestive of bycatch, namely cutaneous erosions, abrasions and/or lacerations around the neck and flippers (n=9), generalized congestion (n=8) and pulmonary oedema (n=6). Other prevalent gross findings were: cutaneous epibiosis by Stomatolepas elegans (n=7); ileocecal diverticulitis (n=7); distal oesophagitis (n=5); and fibrinous coelomitis (n=5). Microscopically, the most prevalent findings were: hepatic melanomacrophage centre hypertrophy or hyperplasia (n=9); interstitial pneumonia (n=8); multisystemic congestion (n=6); pulmonary oedema with or without aspirated material (n=5); adrenal coccidiosis (n=5) with variable multiorgan involvement; and multiorgan bacterial disease (n=5). Five animals had food ingesta (cnidarians, crustaceans) in the oesophagus or stomach; only one had evident plastic foreign bodies. Asphyxia due to entanglement in nets was the most frequently identified cause of death (n=8); a cause of death was not identified in two animals. Our findings provide evidence of the severe negative impact of entanglement in fishing nets in LSTs, raising concerns for conservation. These findings also contribute to knowledge of the pathology of LSTs in South American populations.

Influence of hard defence structures on shoreline erosion along Molise coast (southern Italy): a preliminary investigation

The 36 km long coastline of Molise region is part of the Central Adriatic coast and consists of two nearly independent physiographic sub-units separated by the rocky promontory of Termoli. The Molise shoreline has undergone significant erosion during the last 60 years that prevailingly affected the coastal segments including the major river mouths (Trigno and Biferno). Erosion has been faced mainly through engineering interventions and, nowadays, nearly 62% of the shoreline is covered by hard defence structures. In this study, the numerical model GENESIS is used to assess the potential shoreline trends, in order to evaluate the potential interference of hard defence structures. The wave climate has been reconstructed and the concept of Littoral Drift Rose (LDR) has been employed to achieve the wave parameters responsible for littoral transport. Results indicate that defence structures most likely have played a key role in shoreline recession whereby their removal could positively influence the Molise littoral regime.

Coastal Belt Linked Classification (CBLC): A System for Characterizing the Interface between Land and Sea Based on Large Marine Ecosystems, Coastal Ecological Sequences, and Terrestrial Ecoregions

Finkl, C.W. and Makowski, C., 2020. Coastal Belt Linked Classification (CBLC): A system for characterizing the interface between land and sea based on large marine ecosystems, coastal ecological sequences, and terrestrial ecoregions. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(4), 677–693. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The Coastal Belt Linked Classification (CBLC) is a novel approach based on interpretation of satellite images and assimilation of collateral data to characterize coastal belt segments that function as discrete interfaces between land and sea. This method is based on the formulation of concepts derived from the Biophysical Cross-shore Classification System (BCCS), the worldwide and regional-scale Large Marine Ecosystems (LME) classification, and the global distribution of terrestrial Ecoregions (ER). The coastal belt, a zone that extends across the shore from marine environments to inland terrestrial habitats, has recently been described in terms of cross-shore catenary sequences based on biophysical attributes of geomorphology and ecology. The CBLC formulates a cross-shore coastal classification by conjoining the Dominant Catenary Sequences (DCS) and Coastal Ecological Sequences (CES) with marine (LME) and terrestrial (ER) ecological systems; thus, a linkage is now provided between marine and terrestrial areas across coastal belts that function as transitional succession zones. This study proposes to combine the traditionally separated tripartite marine, coastal, and terrestrial delineations by melding them into a single descriptive code sequence that can be ascertained from interpretation of Google Earth satellite imagery and accessing collateral data via interactive LME and ER online platforms. Development of the CBLC is facilitated by the fact that LME and ER units are codified by numerals that are easily added to the formulated CES as prefixes and suffixes. The resulting combined alphanumeric code brings together a trove of information at different levels of investigation (Levels I – IV) that was heretofore not easily assimilated. This linkage of DCS and CES catenas with marine LME and terrestrial ER units brings added advantage to the interpretation of satellite imagery of the world's coasts, as it allows coastal belts to be viewed within the context of transitional interfaces between connected marine and terrestrial parameters. Recognition of coastal belts as interfacial bridges linking terrestrial and marine ecosystems into one codified descriptor sequence allows for cross-shore transects to be defined in the form of the Coastal Belt Linked Classification (CBLC) and provides an opportunity to fully comprehend the dynamic nature of coastal zones around the world.

Spatiotemporal Variability of Coastal Retreat Rates at Western Yamal Peninsula, Russia, based on Remotely Sensed Data

Belova, N.G.; Novikova, A.V.; Günther, F., and Shabanova, N.N., 2020. Spatiotemporal variability of coastal retreat rates at Western Yamal Peninsula, Russia, based on remotely sensed data. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 367–371. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The work aims at estimating coastal retreat at Western Yamal from 1972 to 2016, when significant climate change occurred in the Arctic. One fourth of the Kara Sea coasts are collapsing cliffs composed of permafrost, i.e. thermoabrasional coasts. Although these coasts are bounded by sea ice for most of the year, they retreat with rates comparable to those of temperate latitudes, but only during the short ice-free period. Permafrost cliffs are not only eroded by waves; they also get destroyed by melting of the ground ice bounding the sediments (thermo-denudation). Arctic coasts are sensitive to climate change, as rising summer air temperatures lead to deeper thawing of frozen sediments, and longer ice-free periods extend the time of the wave impact on the coast. At Western Yamal, in the area of Kharasavey gas condensate field, the average long-term coastal retreat rate is 1.3 m/yr (1972-2016) for 5.9 km of the coastline, reaching mean annual rates of 3 m/yr in some areas. The greatest retreat rates are typical for coastal segments composed of permafrost with high ice content. Based on the analysis of multitemporal aerial and space images, the coastal retreat rates for four time periods between 1972 and 2016 were estimated. The retreat rates were brought into context with data on sediment composition and type (grain size, ice content, presence of massive ice), reconstructed evolution of hydrometeorological parameters and the history of economic development of Kharasavey area. Unlike other Kara Sea sites of coastal dynamics' monitoring, the strongest coastal retreat rates at Kharasavey were observed earlier in 1977-1988, when the hydrometeorological stress was low, implying vulnerability of the coasts to significant anthropogenic impact at the beginning of the gas field development.