Shingle Beaches Research Articles

Understanding bimodal seas, shingle beach response and flood risk at Hayling Island, UK

Beach management through nourishment and annual recycling has been applied for over 37 years to manage flood and coastal erosion risk to 1700 properties at Eastoke, Hayling Island, UK. This form of natural flood risk management has proved successful in avoiding the annual flooding that blighted this area previously. However, there have been unexpected storm events that have caused beach erosion and localised flooding. Using long-term nearshore wave datasets and state-of-the-art statistical methods, new multi-variate extreme wave conditions were derived and applied to assess beach performance. Eastoke beach was found to meet its original design criteria of a 0.5% AEP standard of protection for unimodal wave conditions. However, it experiences greater rollback erosion, wave overwash and therefore flood inundation under certain (but not all) bimodal wave conditions, causing uncertainty around the future standard of protection. Communicating these inconsistencies to practitioners and a non-specialist audience is challenging as we tend to oversimplify, despite every beach and storm being unique. Better understanding of mixed beaches, both in situ and through parametric and numerical models, would reduce uncertainty to ensure communities are resilient to climate change.

Cosmogenic surface exposure (10Be) dating of raised beaches in Marguerite bay, Antarctic Peninsula: Implications for relative sea-level history

Understanding the dynamics of ice mass loss in polar regions is crucial for deciphering climate change and Glacio Isostatic Adjustment patterns. This study focuses on Marguerite Bay, located in the south-central Antarctic Peninsula. We dated raised beaches to investigate relative sea-level changes using the cosmogenic surface exposure (10Be) method. Previous studies have provided valuable insights into the region's glacial history, but limitations in dating techniques and age estimates necessitate further investigation. By analysing raised shingle beaches in Gaul Cove of Horseshoe Island and the southern coast of Calmette Bay, this research aims to contribute relative sea-level change history for these areas. In Horseshoe Island's Gaul Cove, raised beaches clustered on prominent steps reveal a 15 m relative sea-level change over the last 3.31 ka. Differently, Calmette Bay exhibits a 36 m relative sea-level fall over the last 7.29 ka. These findings indicate significant and differential glacial-isostatic adjustments in both regions during the middle and late Holocene. Additionally, our data reveal accelerated sea-level fall periods corresponding to Holocene deglaciation and glacial advance events, indicating the shorelines' relative sea-level change sensitivity to climate change.

Habitat-associated genomic variation in a wall lizard from an oceanic island.

The lizard Teira dugesii exhibits morphological divergence between beach and inland habitats in the face of gene flow, within the volcanic island of Madeira, Portugal. Here, we analysed genomic data obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing, which provided 16378 SNPs from 94 individuals sampled from 15 sites across Madeira. Ancient within-island divergence in allopatry appears to have mediated divergence in similar species within other Atlantic islands but this hypothesis was not supported for T. dugesii. Across all samples, a total of 168 SNPs were classified as statistical outliers using pcadapt and OutFLANK. Redundancy analysis revealed that 17 of these outliers were associated with beach/inland habitats. The SNPs were located within 16 sequence tags and 15 of these were homologous with sequences in a 31Mb region on chromosome three of a reference wall lizard genome (the remaining tag could not be associated with any chromosome). We further-investigated outliers through contingency analyses of allele frequencies at each of four pairs of adjacent beach-inland sites. The majority of the outliers detected by the redundancy analysis were confirmed at two pairs of these matched sites. These analyses also suggested some parallel divergence at different localities. Six other outliers were associated with site elevation, four of which were located on chromosome five of the reference genome. Our study lends supports to a previous hypothesis that divergent selection between grey shingle beaches and inland regions overcomes gene flow and leads to the observed morphological divergence between populations in these adjacent habitats.

Nagisavelia hikarui, a new genus and species of Mesoveliinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Mesoveliidae) inhabiting shingle beaches in Japan.

A new genus and species of Mesoveliinae, Nagisavelia hikarui n.gen. and n.sp., is described from rocky intertidal beaches in Japan. The new taxon is compared to the other 10 genera of Mesoveliinae, and a character matrix for the identification of eight genera is provided. A key to facilitate the identification of the seven species of Mesoveliidae now reported from Japan is also provided.

Life on a beach leads to phenotypic divergence despite gene flow for an island lizard

Limited spatial separation within small islands suggests that observed population divergence may occur due to habitat differences without interruption to gene flow but strong evidence of this is scarce. The wall lizard Teira dugesii lives in starkly contrasting shingle beach and inland habitats on the island of Madeira. We used a matched pairs sampling design to examine morphological and genomic divergence between four beach and adjacent (<1 km) inland areas. Beach populations are significantly darker than corresponding inland populations. Geometric morphometric analyses reveal divergence in head morphology: beach lizards have generally wider snouts. Genotyping-by-sequencing allows the rejection of the hypothesis that beach populations form a distinct lineage. Bayesian analyses provide strong support for models that incorporate gene flow, relative to those that do not, replicated at all pairs of matched sites. Madeiran lizards show morphological divergence between habitats in the face of gene flow, revealing how divergence may originate within small islands.

Aeolization on the Atlantic coast of Galicia (NW Spain) from the end of the last glacial period to the present day: Chronology, origin and evolution of coastal dunes linked to sea‐level oscillations

AbstractThe Atlantic coast of Galicia (NW Spain) is a high‐energy environment where shingle beaches are currently developing. These coarser sediments alternate with sandy deposits which are also considered as beaches typical of a low‐energy environment. The physical association of both types of sediment with contrasted sedimentary significance raises problems of interpretation. The study of four outcrops of fossil aeolianites on this coast has allowed us to reconstruct their evolution from the end of the Upper Pleistocene to the present day. Their chronology, estimated by optically stimulated luminescence between 35 and 14 ky at the end of the last glaciation (MIS2), coincides with a local sea level 120 m below the present one. This implies a coastline shifted several kilometres from its current location and the subaerial exposure of a wide strip of the continental shelf covered by sands. The wind blew sand to form dunes towards the continent, covering the coastal areas, which then emerged with no other limitation than the active river channels. Sea‐level rise during the Holocene transgression has progressively swamped these aeolian deposits, leaving only flooded dunes, relict coastal dunes and climbing dunes on cliffs up to 180 m high. The aeolian process continued as long as there was a sandy source area to erode, although accretion finished when the sea reached its current level (Late Holocene). Since then, the wind turned from accretion to erosion of the dunes and sand beaches. This erosion exposes the older shingle beaches (probably of Eemian age) buried under the aeolian sands, as well as old, submerged forest remains and megalithic monuments. The destruction of sand beaches and dunes currently observed along the Galician coast is linked, according to most researchers, to anthropogenic global warming. However, their management should consider these evolutive issues.

Analysis of the effect of unsteady reservoir flow and sand excavation on the channel conditions of the Yangtze River (Yibin-Chongqing)

This paper systematically describes the current research methods for analyzing unsteady flows in an open channel. In particular, it focuses on elaborating a discrete method to solve the one-dimensional Saint–Venant equations for unsteady flow in an open channel, compares the advantages and disadvantages of different discrete methods, and proposes a new implicit iterative mathematical model applicable to the calculation of the multiwavelength unsteady flow in the Yangtze River from Yibin to Chongqing. This paper also simulates three typical unsteady flow processes and analyzes the effect of sand excavation on the water level in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River from Yibin to Chongqing considering flood, normal-water, and low-water conditions. The spreading characteristics of the daily adjusted unsteady flow were obtained in the Shuifu-Chongqing river reach. Under the conditions of the daily minimum unsteady discharge flow rate, the designed water level of the reach from Yibin to Chongqing increases by 0.19 m compared to the natural water level. With the increase in concentrated sand excavation in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, a large number of shingle beaches have disappeared, and the riverbed has been drastically lowered. Affected by the excessive and unordered sand excavation in the river channel, the water level of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River from Chongqing to Yibin has decreased by 0.5–2.0 m.

Tripleurospermum maritimum from a coastal shingle beach: nitrophilic status, tolerance to salinity and heavy metals

Tripleurospermum maritimum from a coastal shingle beach: nitrophilic status, tolerance to salinity and heavy metals

Four-Dimensional Investigation of Gravel Beach Ridge Accretion and 50 Years of Beach Recharge at Dungeness, UK, Using Historic Images, GPR and Lidar (HIGL)

Dungeness is a cuspate foreland on the south coast of England that is the largest shingle feature in Europe and includes hundreds of beach ridges. It is also the location of two nuclear power stations that were constructed in the 1960s. The dominant southwest waves cause longshore drift from west to east, eroding the southwest side of Dungeness, accompanied by accretion on the east side. A record of this eastward movement and sediment accretion is preserved by the shingle beach ridges. The power stations are located on the eroding southwestern side of the ness, and a system of beach recharge has been used to move shingle from the downdrift, east-facing shore to the updrift, southwest-facing shore to protect the power stations from coastal erosion. We use a novel combination of historic images, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and Lidar (HIGL) to investigate accretion and beach ridges at Dungeness during the past 80 years. We report changes in accretion along the coast and use GPR to determine the thickness of beach gravels. The amount of accretion, represented by the width of the backshore, decreases downdrift from south to north. The number of beach ridges preserved also decreases from south to north. By combining the shingle thickness from GPR with elevation data from Lidar surveys and records of beach accretion measured from aerial images, we estimate the volume and mass of gravel that has accumulated at Dungeness. Historic rates of beach accretion are similar to recent rates, suggesting that the 55 years of beach recharge have had little impact on the longer-term accretion downdrift.

SUBMERGED GROYNES FOR BEACH STABILISATION

Typically, rubble mound groynes are constructed by end tipping from trucks for which the roadway level must be above high tide. Some adverse effects of such surface piercing groynes include the generation of rips along their trunks (Fleming 1990; Scott et al., 2016), which can transport sand off the beach and out of the groyne compartment. Further, rubble mound groynes have large footprints that may smother benthic habitat. A submerged groyne may obviate such potential adverse impacts. Submerged groynes are used in England to stabilise shingle beaches (Simm et al., 1996). The groyne extends offshore but underwater, protruding far enough above the seabed to arrest alongshore transport of littoral drift. However, scale modelling (Jensen 1997) showed that groynes remaining below the water surface allow for the expansion of rip currents and, hence, a reduction in their velocity and their capacity to transport littoral drift offshore and beyond the groyne compartment. Further, submerged groynes can comprise sheet piling, which may be timber (as used in UK), fibre-reinforced plastic, steel or concrete, which present a negligible footprint, having a minimal impact on benthic habitat.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/UbmLhdXCVj0

울릉도ㆍ독도 국가지질공원의 자원 만족도 평가를 반영한 개발계획 방향에 대한 연구

This study was the first in Korea to be certified as a national geological park, and through May 2025, due to the completion of the airport in Sadong Port, Ulleungdo, it is expected that the number of tourists will increase rapidly. The main purpose was to propose a desirable development direction for the park. The summary of the study is as follows. The summary of the study is as follows. Among the 12 satisfaction indicators, transportation convenience, convenience facilities and road conditions were low. Next, as a result of conducting multiple regression to find out the factors affecting the overall satisfaction of users using Ulleungdo and Dokdo, the development of Ulleungdo and Dokdo centered on significant indicators such as accommodation, tourism resource experience, and transportation convenience.A direction of development plan was proposed. The accommodation was selected around the coast of Hyeonpo1ri and the mountainous area of Taeha1ri. In the tourism and experience, the hiking trail connecting Hyeonpori and Taehari, the Cheonpori and Ulleungeup was presented as a mountain sports space. Also presented are National Geopark's attractions belt, geological trekking belt, Ulleung old road, coastal landscape belt. Lastly, the road suggested road extension and road maintenance around Jukan Shingle Beach, Guam Tunnel, Namyang~ Namtong Tunnel, Tongumi Terminal Expansion, and road extension in he village around Tongumi Meter. As such, this study is judged to have high utilization value as a basic data for devising a development plan based on factors affecting visitor satisfaction, rather than an existing supplier-oriented development plan. In addition, in the future, it is considered that it is necessary to prepare a specific development plan that reflects the opinions of not only the users but also the residents who actually live.

The life cycle of the Atlantic Beach-Cricket, Pseudomogoplistes vicentae Gorochov, 1996

The Atlantic Beach-Cricket, Pseudomogoplistes vicentae, inhabits shingle beaches, with a range that extends from the UK to the Canary Islands. Little is known about the natural history of this species, which is listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable. In the present study, a combination of field sampling (by pitfall trapping and direct searching) in spring, summer, autumn and late winter at two different sites in the UK, together with culturing eggs and nymphs in captivity, was used to determine the life cycle. Eggs laid in August in captivity showed no visible embryonic development until May and hatched the following July. There was no difference in the time taken to hatch between eggs maintained over winter at either 4 or 11 °C. Nymphal instars present in the field indicated that the majority of eggs hatch from June to early August. From October to February in the field, the majority of nymphs were estimated to be at the 7th instar. Development appeared to resume by April and nymphs reached adulthood by July to August in the field, two years after the eggs from which they hatched were likely to have been laid. The number of nymphal instars ranged from 10 to 11 (mode: 11) in males and 11 to 13 (mode: 12) in females. In captivity, most adult males died by the end of November, while 35% of females survived until March. Females preferred to oviposit in driftwood rather than in sand in the laboratory. This fact, together with the early embryonic diapause, suggests that the species might be able to disperse by rafting at the egg stage.

A GIS approach to sediment displacement in mixed sand and gravel beach environments

Mixed sand and gravel beaches pose special management issues as they are morphologically distinct from either pure sand or shingle beaches. On the mixed sand and gravel beaches of the Canterbury Bight, New Zealand, displacement of sediments operates within a two-part sediment transport system. The large sediments are retained in the beaches, while the fine sand, silt, and mud are transported offshore to the continental shelf. While the susceptibility of sediments to size-reduction is dependent on the textural mixture of sediments, the actual size-reduction takes place during sediment transport, or displacement, in the active surf zone of the beach. The authors outline a method that incorporates the sediment reduction susceptibility of beach sediments from the textural mixture, twenty years of wave-hindcast data, and sediment tracer experiments to model sediment displacement in mixed sand and gravel beach environments of the Canterbury Bight. Results show that the textural mix of the sediments influences not only the rate of loss to size-reduction but also the time taken for sediment to be transported along a beach continuum within the surf zone. The authors modelled time-frames to achieve three target percentages of sediment displacement: (1) ten percent, (2) fifty percent, and (3) a range of zero to one hundred percent. Ten percent displacement of sediments was predicted to take between four and eighty-eight weeks, fifty percent displacement between one and sixteen years, and a hundred percent displacement up to two-hundred and thirty years, depending on the textural composition of sediments along the coast based on the actual wave action occurring along this coastline.

Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa): its invasion and colonisation of the Sefton Coast, north Merseyside, UK

A spiny shrub native to north-west Pacific coasts, Rosa rugosa Thunb. (Japanese Rose) was introduced into Britain in the 19th century as a garden plant. It has since become a well-established and widespread naturalised alien, especially on sand-dunes, shingle beaches and other dry coastal habitats. The plant is also considered invasive on coasts of many other countries in Northwest Europe. Mounting concern about its recent spread on the internationally important sand-dune system of the Sefton Coast, north Merseyside, led to a volunteer survey being organised in 2014, involving 47 participants. They searched most of the 27 km-long coastal zone, recording almost 500 patches with a total area of nearly 6 ha. R. rugosa occurred especially on younger calcareous dunes (soil pH 5.6 – 8.2) near the sea and close to roads and human habitation. Few patches were found on older, more acidic duneland, or on a 5 km erosion front around Formby Point. This pattern of occurrence accords with that reported elsewhere for R. rugosa, indicating that the sea is implicated in the dispersion of propagules and that the species also establishes from anthropogenic sources, including ornamental plantings. It is concluded that the plant is a threat to dune habitats and species on the Sefton Coast. Control measures are discussed and the early stages of patch removal are described.

Experimental Study on Toe Scouring at Sloping Walls with Gravel Foreshores

Sea defences, such as urban seawalls can fail due to the development of a scour hole at the toe of the structure. The scour depth or the information on ground levels at the structure toe is required for the sustainable management of coastal defences, due to its influence on the structural performance. This research reports and summarises the main findings of a new laboratory study on toe scouring at a smooth sloping wall with permeable gravel foreshore. A set of small-scale laboratory experiments of wave-induced scouring at sloping seawalls were conducted. Two gravel sediments of prototype d50 values of 13 mm and 24 mm were used to simulate the permeable 1:20 (V:H) gravel beach configurations in the front of a smooth 1 in 2 sloping wall. Each experiment comprised of a sequence of around 1000 random waves of a JONSWAP energy spectrum with a peak enhancement factor of 3.3. The relationship of the scour depth with toe water depth, Iribarren number, and wall slope were investigated from the test results of this work and through a comparison with available datasets in the literature. The results of this study showed that the relative toe water depth and Iribarren number influence the relative toe scour depth at a sloping structure on a shingle beach. Within the experimental limitations, the maximum toe scour depths were observed for the experiments under spilling and plunging wave attack.

The prevalence and species richness of spiders associated with marine strandlines on different shore types around Banks Peninsula, New Zealand

ABSTRACTMarine strandlines provide habitat for a variety of littoral and terrestrial invertebrates, including arachnids. In this study we recorded spiders in strandlines at 35 sites on Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. On average, only 1.5 named species were recorded per thirty-minute hand search, and many sample visits (30%) recorded no spiders. Species accumulation curves suggested further species could be recorded with further sampling, but these may be tourist species rather than strandline residents. Thirty-eight species were recorded in total, with the introduced theridiid Steatoda capensis being the most common (30 records) and widespread (17 locations). The New Zealand endemic species Otagoa nova (25 records) (Toxopidae), Anoteropsis litoralis (15) and Anoteropsis hilaris (15) (Lycosidae), and the introduced Tenuiphantes tenuis (24) (Linyphiidae), were also common. Spiders were more frequent in strandlines on boulder beaches compared with shingle beaches, although there was no statistical differences in the numbers of species recorded on the different beach types.

Importance of shingle beaches as habitat for Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum

We carried out surveys to clarify how the density (no. of individuals/m2) and condition factor (CF) of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum differ between estuarine tidal flats and shingle beaches in the Bisan-Seto Strait, Seto Inland Sea, Japan. The density of Manila clams in estuarine tidal flats has been decreasing since around 2008. In contrast, Manila clams are found at considerably higher densities in some shingle beaches. Moreover, the CFs for clams inhabiting the shingle beaches are higher than those for clams inhabiting the tidal flats, indicating that shingle beaches provide a more suitable environment for Manila clams than tidal flats. Chlorophyll a concentrations in the bottom layer of seawater, used as an indicator of the amount of food available to clams, were similar in both habitats. The seawater temperature, and mud temperature, at low tide in summer were 4–6 °C higher for the tidal flat than for the shingle beach. The maximum seawater and mud temperatures for the tidal flats reached 34.1 °C and 35.4 °C, respectively, showing that Manila clams inhabiting these areas are exposed to critically high temperatures. These results indicate that shingle beaches are an important habitat for Manila clams.

A LABORATORY STUDY ON WAVE OVERTOPPING AT VERTICAL SEAWALLS WITH A SHINGLE FORESHORE

The existing empirical prediction formulae to determine the wave overtopping characteristics are mainly based on the laboratory measurements with the use of an impermeable foreshore slope in front of the structure. Recently, EurOtop (2016), an updated version of previous overtopping manual has been published with revised empirical equations to estimate mean overtopping discharge rates at plain vertical walls with and without foreshore.As past studies were mostly carried out at vertical seawalls on a fixed impermeable bed, little knowledge is available on the performance of these processes at coastal structures on a permeable shingle beach. This study presents the baseline overtopping characteristics at a plain vertical wall on an impermeable 1:20 foreshore slope, and compares the results with existing empirical predictions (EurOtop, 2016). In this paper, only the results on mean overtopping discharge and mean sediment rate at vertical walls are reported.

Wave overtopping and toe scouring at a plain vertical seawall with shingle foreshore: A physical model study

This paper describes a physical model study to investigate the wave overtopping and toe scouring at a plain vertical wall with a shingle foreshore. A matrix of 180 experimental test conditions were performed in a 2D wave flume, with an approximate scale of 1:50. The study investigates the baseline overtopping characteristics at a plain vertical wall on an impermeable 1:20 foreshore slope and compares the results with two permeable 1:20 shingle beach foreshores with prototype d50 values of 13 mm, and 24 mm respectively. For impulsive wave conditions, it was found that the mean overtopping rate was reduced by factor 3 for the d50 of 13 mm, and a factor of 4 for the d50 of 24 mm. For non-impulsive waves, the reduction factors were 1.5 for d50 of 13 mm and 2 for d50 of 24 mm. Prior to this study, limited design guidance was available to predict the mean overtopping discharges and mean sediment rates at vertical seawalls on permeable shingle foreshores. Therefore, a new set of prediction formulae are proposed in this study, based on the new laboratory test results, and a comparison with the available prediction methods in literature for vertical seawalls subjected to both impulsive and non-impulsive wave conditions.

Morphology of coast and textural characteristics of coastal sediments (NE Gökova Graben, SW Turkey)

This study examines the morphology, lithological characteristic and controlling factors of coastal sediments in the northeast Gokova Graben (southwest Turkey). The northeast Gokova Graben is located in a region with several human settlements and tourism activities, in the summer. The analysis used in the study is field observation, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) analysis, 18 sieve (including statistical evaluations) and 18 X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyses. Due to the boundary of normal faults, predominantly faulted-rocky coasts are expected. However, four different coast types were determined in the northeast Gokova Graben. Evolution of these coast types is dependent on orientation of the normal faults and also distribution of different coastal rocks and rivers. The predominant coast type, rocky coasts are formed by faulted, high-resistant Jurassic-limestone. Owing to reworking and short transportation via brooks and the force of gravity, narrow gravely shingle beaches are only observable in front of the Quaternary-conglomerate cliff. Perennial streams form two different coasts. Long stream formed the wide sandy beach in the eastern end of Gulf. While short streams, which obliquely cut the graben, formed the sandy-gravely beach at the western end of the study area. Recent beachrock, coastal rock staining and wave notches are indicators for a stable sea level in the study area. Past sea level indicators are the hanging beachrocks and wave notches located in the western part of the study area. Past activities of the interior faults within the graben are responsible for ancient sea level fluctuations. Moreover, global warming increases the risk of sea level rise. A possible rise in the future sea-level may destroy narrow-gravely beaches. This risk may also threaten the wide sandy beach as well as the settlement in the area.