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Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion
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Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 47115

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gianluigi Di Paola

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Guest Editor
Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso CB, Italy
Interests: coastal Geomorphology; coastal evolution; beach erosion; beach monitoring; GIS analysis; coastal risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Germán Rodríguez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35001 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain
Interests: coastal hydrodynamics; wind and wave climate; environmental data analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Carmen M. Rosskopf

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso CB, Italy
Interests: coastal geomorphology; cartography; historical shoreline change; short-mid term shoreline evolution; drivers of beach erosion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coasts are highly dynamic and geomorphologic complex systems with fragile balance that are now under increasing threat from climate change and anthropogenic activities that impact the coastal systems directly or indirectly. Among the major adverse impacts that can result, coastal erosion represents one of the most pressing global environmental issues, especially where it concerns flat and low-lying coastal areas that appear particularly susceptible to beach erosion and related further shoreline retreat.

In this Special Issue, we expect to collect a set of contributions providing new experimental results and methodological approaches on “shoreline dynamics” and “beach erosion”, general themes that leave ample room for in-depth analyses of various types. In fact, based on the specific purposes and geographic/climate context, the investigation of a coastal system can lead to face a number of questions and objectives. Therefore, we would like to invite you to submit articles about your research or case studies, regarding the following topics:

  • beach characterization and related suitable approaches/methods;
  • reconstruction of shoreline changes, recent trends and future scenarios;
  • hydrometeorological extreme events and their impact on coastal morphology;
  • assessment of causal factors of coastal erosion (from climate to anthropogenic drivers);
  • beach erosion vs anthropization and defences of the coast;
  • geological, physical and engineering-based approaches for beach erosion remediation and coastal risk assessment.

Besides studies based on classical geomorphological methods and analyses, contributions that include the use of modern technologies (such as GPS, Drones, Digital photogrammetry, etc.) and GIS analysis are particularly welcome.

Dr. Gianluigi Di Paola
Prof. Germán Rodríguez
Prof. Carmen M. Rosskopf
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geosciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Morpho-sedimentological characterization
  • Coastal system analysis and modeling
  • Hydro-meteorological extremes
  • Sea level rise
  • Coastal hydrodynamics
  • Beach erosion drivers
  • Coastal susceptibility and risk
  • Coastal dune and beach management
  • Coastline defense and anthropization.

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 501 KiB  
Editorial
Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion
by Gianluigi Di Paola, Germán Rodríguez and Carmen M. Rosskopf
Geosciences 2023, 13(3), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13030074 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2722
Abstract
Coasts are highly dynamic and geomorphologic complex systems that evolve under the increasing pressure of climate change and anthropogenic activities, having direct or indirect impacts on the coastal environment. Among the major adverse effects, coastal erosion represents one of the most pressing global [...] Read more.
Coasts are highly dynamic and geomorphologic complex systems that evolve under the increasing pressure of climate change and anthropogenic activities, having direct or indirect impacts on the coastal environment. Among the major adverse effects, coastal erosion represents one of the most pressing global issues, especially in flat and low-lying coastal areas that appear to be particularly susceptible to beach erosion and related shoreline retreat. This Special Issue collects a set of twelve papers on “Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion”. Of course, this collection of papers does not cover all the broad number of topics concerning the dynamics and spatial-temporal evolution of shorelines and beach systems, but, in our opinion, they contribute to the growing body of knowledge. Coastal systems of variable complexity located in different geographic and climatic contexts are investigated from various points of view by using multi- and interdisciplinary approaches, as well as new experimental ones. The major topics covered concern the morphodynamics and hydrodynamics of coastal systems, the driving factors of coastal erosion, and the use of models/indexes to study coastal vulnerability and the mitigation of human/natural pressures affecting coastal ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

22 pages, 36729 KiB  
Article
Shoreline Evolution and Erosion Vulnerability Assessment along the Central Adriatic Coast with the Contribution of UAV Beach Monitoring
by Gianluigi Di Paola, Antonio Minervino Amodio, Grazia Dilauro, Germàn Rodriguez and Carmen M. Rosskopf
Geosciences 2022, 12(10), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12100353 - 22 Sep 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2391
Abstract
Coastal erosion and its impacts on the involved communities is a topic of great scientific interest that also reflects the need for modern as well as cost and time-effective methodologies to be integrated into or even to substitute traditional investigation methods. The present [...] Read more.
Coastal erosion and its impacts on the involved communities is a topic of great scientific interest that also reflects the need for modern as well as cost and time-effective methodologies to be integrated into or even to substitute traditional investigation methods. The present study is based on an integrated approach that involves the use of data derived from UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) surveys. The study illustrates the long- to short-term shoreline evolution of the Molise coast (southern Italy) and then focuses on two selected beach stretches (Petacciato and Campomarino beaches), for which annual UAV surveys were performed from 2019 to 2021, to assess their most recent shoreline and morpho-topographical changes and related effects on their coastal vulnerability. UAV data were processed using the Structure from Motion (SfM) image processing tool. Along the beach profiles derived from the produced DEMs, the coastal vulnerability of the selected beach stretches was evaluated by using the Coastal Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) approach. The results obtained highlight some significant worsening of CVA indexes from 2019 to 2021, especially for the Campomarino beach, confirming the importance of the periodic updating of previous data. In conclusion, the easy use of the UAV technology and the good quality of the derived data make it an excellent approach for integration into traditional methodologies for the assessment of short-term shoreline and beach changes as well as for monitoring coastal vulnerability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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10 pages, 12819 KiB  
Article
Geomorphologic Recovery of North Captiva Island from the Landfall of Hurricane Charley in 2004
by Emma Wilson Kelly and Felix Jose
Geosciences 2021, 11(9), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11090358 - 25 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3012
Abstract
Hurricane Charley made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida on 13 August 2004 as a category 4 hurricane, devastating North Captiva Island. The hurricane caused a breach to occur to the southern end of the island, which naturally healed itself over the [...] Read more.
Hurricane Charley made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida on 13 August 2004 as a category 4 hurricane, devastating North Captiva Island. The hurricane caused a breach to occur to the southern end of the island, which naturally healed itself over the course of three years. By 2008, the cut was completely repaired geomorphologically. LiDAR data analysis shows the northern half of the island has been subjected to persistent erosion from 1998–2018, while the southern half experienced accretion since 2004, including the complete closure of the “Charley cut”. The maximum volume of sediment erosion in the northern sector of the island (R71–R73) from 2004–2018 was −85,710.1 m3, which was the source of southern accretion. The breached area of the island (R78b–R79a) obtained 500,163.9 m3 of sediments from 2004–2018 to heal the cut made by Hurricane Charley. Along with LiDAR data analysis, Google Earth Pro historical imageries and SANDS volumetric analysis confirmed the longshore transport of sediments from the northern to the southern end of the island. Winter storms are mainly responsible for this southerly longshore transport and are hypothesized to be the main factor driving the coastal dynamics that restored the breach and helps in widening the southern end of North Captiva Island. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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22 pages, 46515 KiB  
Article
Storm Driven Migration of the Napatree Barrier, Rhode Island, USA
by Bryan A. Oakley
Geosciences 2021, 11(8), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11080330 - 5 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3774
Abstract
Napatree Point, an isolated barrier in southern Rhode Island, provides a case study of barrier spit migration via storm driven overwash and washover fan migration. Documented shoreline changes using historical surveys and vertical aerial photographs show that the barrier had little in the [...] Read more.
Napatree Point, an isolated barrier in southern Rhode Island, provides a case study of barrier spit migration via storm driven overwash and washover fan migration. Documented shoreline changes using historical surveys and vertical aerial photographs show that the barrier had little in the way of net change in position between 1883 and 1939, including the impact of the 1938 hurricane. The barrier retreated rapidly between 1945 and 1975, driven by both tropical and extra-tropical storms. The shoreline position has been largely static since 1975. The removal of the foredune during the 1938 hurricane facilitated landward shoreline migration in subsequent lower intensity storms. Dune recovery following the 1962 Ash Wednesday storm has been allowed due to limited overwash and barrier migration over the last several decades. Shoreline change rates during the period from 1945–1975 were more than double the rate of shoreline change between 1939 and 2014 and triple the rate between 1883 and 2014, exceeding the positional uncertainty of these shoreline pairs. The long-term shoreline change rates used to calculate coastal setbacks in Rhode Island likely underestimate the potential for rapid shoreline retreat over shorter time periods, particularly in a cluster of storm activity. While sea-level rise has increased since 1975, the barrier has not migrated, highlighting the importance of storms in barrier migration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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20 pages, 8411 KiB  
Article
Vertical Land Motion as a Driver of Coastline Changes on a Deltaic System in the Colombian Caribbean
by Juan Felipe Gómez, Eva Kwoll, Ian J. Walker and Manoochehr Shirzaei
Geosciences 2021, 11(7), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11070300 - 20 Jul 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3016
Abstract
To face and properly mitigate coastal changes at a local level, it is necessary to recognize and characterize the specific processes affecting a coastline. Some of these processes are local (e.g., sediment starvation), while others are regional (e.g., relative sea-level change) or global [...] Read more.
To face and properly mitigate coastal changes at a local level, it is necessary to recognize and characterize the specific processes affecting a coastline. Some of these processes are local (e.g., sediment starvation), while others are regional (e.g., relative sea-level change) or global (e.g., eustatic sea-level rise). Long tide gauge records help establish sea-level trends for a region that accounts for global (eustatic, steric) and regional (isostatic) sea-level changes. Local sea-level changes are also the product of vertical land motion (VLM), varying depending on tectonic, sedimentological, and anthropogenic factors. We investigate the role of coastal land subsidence in the present-day dynamics of an abandoned delta in the Colombian Caribbean. Satellite images and synthetic aperture radar acquisitions are used to assess decadal-scale coastline changes and subsidence rates for the period 2007–2021. We found that subsidence rates are highly variable alongshore. Local subsidence rates of up to −1.0 cm/yr correspond with an area of erosion rates of up to −15 m/yr, but coastal erosion also occurs in sectors where subsidence was not detected. The results highlight that local coastline changes are influenced by multiple, interacting drivers, including sand supply, coastline orientation and engineering structures, and that subsidence alone does not explain the high rates of coastal erosion along the study area. By the end of the century, ongoing coastal erosion rates of up to −25 m/yr, annual rates of subsidence of about −1 cm/yr, and current trends of global sea-level rise are expected to increase flooding levels and jeopardize the existence of the deltaic barrier island. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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22 pages, 7890 KiB  
Article
Geomorphological Approach to Cliff Instability in Volcanic Slopes: A Case Study from the Gulf of Naples (Southern Italy)
by Giuseppe Di Crescenzo, Nicoletta Santangelo, Antonio Santo and Ettore Valente
Geosciences 2021, 11(7), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11070289 - 12 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3227
Abstract
This paper deals with the problem of cliff stability and proposes a geomorphological zonation of a cliff using a sector of the Posillipo promontory (named the Coroglio-Trentaremi sea cliff, Italy), in the Campi Flegrei coastal area, as a case study. A detailed geological [...] Read more.
This paper deals with the problem of cliff stability and proposes a geomorphological zonation of a cliff using a sector of the Posillipo promontory (named the Coroglio-Trentaremi sea cliff, Italy), in the Campi Flegrei coastal area, as a case study. A detailed geological and geomorphological analysis was carried out, by combining field work with analysis of detailed scale topographic maps, orthophoto, and stratigraphical data from deep boreholes. Field and borehole data, together with structural data collected in seven different stations along the cliff, allowed us to derive six geological cross-sections and to reconstruct the complex stratigraphical and structural setting of the cliff. Geomorphological analysis focused on the detection of the main geomorphological factors predisposing to cliff instability. We selected the most significant factors and divided them into two groups: factors influencing landslide intensity and factors influencing cliff instability. Then, by means of a heuristic approach, we constructed a matrix that was used to derive a map showing the geomorphological zonation of the sea cliff. This map may enable to development of a reliable scenario of cliff instability and consequent retreat, which may be useful either to plan intervention works in the most critical areas or to organize prevention plans aimed at risk mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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18 pages, 3617 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Variability of Extreme Wave Storms in a Beach Tourism Destination Area
by Daniel Guerra-Medina and Germán Rodríguez
Geosciences 2021, 11(6), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11060237 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2536
Abstract
This study explores the spatiotemporal variability of extreme wave storms around the Canary archipelago, with special focus on the southern coastal flank of Tenerife island, a strategic beach tourism destination of large socioeconomic importance. To this end, experimental and simulated data of winds [...] Read more.
This study explores the spatiotemporal variability of extreme wave storms around the Canary archipelago, with special focus on the southern coastal flank of Tenerife island, a strategic beach tourism destination of large socioeconomic importance. To this end, experimental and simulated data of winds and waves are used to study the severity, seasonality, and directionality of wave storms with considerable potential to cause significant impact on beaches. Furthermore, tidal experimental records are employed to test the joint occurrence of wave storms and significantly high sea levels. Long-term statistical analysis of extreme wave storms at different locations reveals a complex spatial pattern of wave storminess around the islands and in the southern flank of Tenerife, due to the intricacy of the coastline geometry, the presence of deep channels between islands, the high altitude and complex topography of the islands, and the sheltering effects exerted by each island over the others, depending on the directionality of the incident wave fields. In particular, south of Tenerife, the energy content and directionality of wave storms show substantial spatial variability, while the timing of extreme wave storms throughout the year exhibits a marked seasonal character. A specific extreme storm is examined in detail, as an illustrative case study of severe beach erosion and infrastructure damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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21 pages, 31235 KiB  
Article
Predicting Crenulate Bay Profiles from Wave Fronts: Numerical Experiments and Empirical Formulae
by Mariano Buccino, Sara Tuozzo, Margherita C. Ciccaglione and Mario Calabrese
Geosciences 2021, 11(5), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11050208 - 10 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2858
Abstract
For crenulate-shaped bays, the coastal outline assumes a specific shape related to the predominant waves in the area: it generally consists of a tangential zone downcoast and a curved portion upcoast. Many coastal engineers have attempted to derive an expression of the headland [...] Read more.
For crenulate-shaped bays, the coastal outline assumes a specific shape related to the predominant waves in the area: it generally consists of a tangential zone downcoast and a curved portion upcoast. Many coastal engineers have attempted to derive an expression of the headland bay shapes that emerge when a full equilibrium is reached (stable or dynamic). However, even though models for static equilibrium bays exist, they are merely of an empirical kind, lacking further insight on relationships between incident wave characteristics and beach shape. In addition, it is commonly believed that shoreline profiles tend to follow wave fronts, but this has been never fully verified. In this paper, we investigate a possible correlation between static equilibrium profiles and wave front shapes. Numerical experiments have been performed using the MIKE 21 Boussinesq Wave module, and the generated wave fronts have been compared to the hyperbolic-tangent equilibrium profile. A thoughtful analysis of results revealed that a single-headland equilibrium profile is merely the wave front translated perpendicularly to the wave direction at the headland tip, without any influence of wave period or in wave direction. A new function called the “wave-front-bay-shape equation” has been obtained, and the application and validation of this formula to the case-study bay of the Bagnoli coast (south-west of Italy) is described in the paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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21 pages, 4853 KiB  
Article
Influence of Wave Climate on Intra and Inter-Annual Nearshore Bar Dynamics for a Sandy Beach
by Nataliya Andreeva, Yana Saprykina, Nikolay Valchev, Petya Eftimova and Sergey Kuznetsov
Geosciences 2021, 11(5), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11050206 - 8 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2485
Abstract
The study investigates cross-shore outer sand bar dynamics in an open-coast non-tidal beach at the Bulgarian Black Sea due to wave climate. On seasonal to short-term (1–2 years) time scale, monthly field measurements of the outer bar profiles were related to respective modeled [...] Read more.
The study investigates cross-shore outer sand bar dynamics in an open-coast non-tidal beach at the Bulgarian Black Sea due to wave climate. On seasonal to short-term (1–2 years) time scale, monthly field measurements of the outer bar profiles were related to respective modeled nearshore wave data. Hereby, seaward-shoreward bar migration was examined depending on the wave forcing, wave non-linearity, wave transformation scenarios, storms and direction of wave incidence. Analysis revealed that intra-annually highly non-linear waves were responsible for outer bar displacement, while the direction of migration depended on wave period, duration of conditions with wave steepness >0.04, angle of approach and total duration of storms. Short-term bar evolution was mainly governed by wave height and storms’ parameters as the angle of approach and duration. The correlation between the outer bar location and wave height annual variations initiated the first for the explored Black Sea region examination of possible connection between wave height’s temporal fluctuations and the variability of climatic indices the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO), the East Atlantic Oscillation (EA), the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the East Atlantic-Western Russia (EA/WR) and the Scandinavian (SCAND) patterns. According to the results the inter-annual outer bar location may vary depending on periods of maximum annual wave fluctuations, which in turn predominantly depend on indices the EA (4–5, 10–11, 20–30 years), the EA/WR (2–4, 9–13 years) and the NAO (15 years). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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27 pages, 22267 KiB  
Article
Recent Shoreline Changes Due to High-Angle Wave Instability along the East Coast of Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines
by Takaaki Uda and Yasuhito Noshi
Geosciences 2021, 11(3), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11030144 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6365
Abstract
A small perturbation on the shoreline may develop under high-angle wave conditions, resulting in the formation of sand spits along the shoreline. Serizawa et al. explained the development of sand spits caused by the instability mechanism using the BG model (a model for [...] Read more.
A small perturbation on the shoreline may develop under high-angle wave conditions, resulting in the formation of sand spits along the shoreline. Serizawa et al. explained the development of sand spits caused by the instability mechanism using the BG model (a model for predicting 3-D beach changes based on Bagnold’s concept). However, examples of the development of sand spits caused by this mechanism in the field are limited in number. Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines has a large aspect ratio, so shoreline instability occurs along the coastline, significantly affecting the shore protection along the coast. In this study, the shoreline instability along the river delta coasts around the Balili and Aringay Rivers flowing into Lingayen Gulf and a sand spit were investigated using satellite images together with field observation. The shoreline changes observed south of the Aringay River mouth were compared with those observed in a previous study on the development of a sand spit by San-nami et al. The rate of longshore sand transport to form a sand spit at Santo Tomas in Lingayen Gulf was estimated to be approximately 1.3 × 105 m3/yr, which is in good agreement with the value measured on the Shimizu coast in Suruga Bay, with a comparable aspect ratio of 1.2 relative to 1.3 in Lingayen Gulf. It was concluded that shoreline undulations have evolved downcoast of two river deltas owing to high-angle wave instability along the east coast of Lingayen Gulf and the formation of a sand spit has occurred. A soft measure, such as sand bypassing, would be better to be adopted along the coasts in Lingayen Gulf instead of hard measures against erosion, to prevent rapid expansion of an artificial, protected coastline. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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21 pages, 4961 KiB  
Article
Beach Gravels as a Potential Lithostatistical Indicator of Marine Coastal Dynamics: The Pogorzelica–Dziwnów (Western Pomerania, Baltic Sea, Poland) Case Study
by Cyprian Seul, Roman Bednarek, Tomasz Kozłowski and Łukasz Maciąg
Geosciences 2020, 10(9), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10090367 - 16 Sep 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3138
Abstract
The petrographic composition and grain shape variability of beach gravels in the Pogorzelica–Dziwnów coast section (363.0 to 391.4 km of coastline), southern Baltic Sea, Poland were analyzed herein to characterize the lithodynamics and trends of seashore development. Gravels were sampled at 0.25 km [...] Read more.
The petrographic composition and grain shape variability of beach gravels in the Pogorzelica–Dziwnów coast section (363.0 to 391.4 km of coastline), southern Baltic Sea, Poland were analyzed herein to characterize the lithodynamics and trends of seashore development. Gravels were sampled at 0.25 km intervals, in the midpart of the berm, following an early-autumn wave storm and before beach nourishment. Individual variations in petrographic groups along the shore were investigated. Gravel data were compared and related to coastal morpholithodynamics, seashore infrastructure, and geology of the study area. The contribution of crystalline rock gravels (igneous and metamorphic) was observed to increase along all coast sections, whereas the amount of less resistant components (limestones, sandstones, and shales) usually declined. This effect is explained by the greater wave crushing resistance of igneous and metamorphic components, compared with sedimentary components. Similarly, the gravel grain shape (mainly elongation or flattening) was observed to change, depending on resistance to mechanical destruction, or due to the increased chemical weathering in mainly the limestones, marbles, and sandstones. Observed increase in contribution of discoid and ellipsoid grains is a potential indicator of depositional trends along the coast sections investigated. On the other hand, increased contents of spheroidal and spindle-shaped grains may be related to erosional trends, where intensive redeposition and mechanical reworking of gravels occurs. However, due to the great number of coastal embankments, the petrographic composition and shape parameters of beach gravels do not always clearly indicate the dominant direction of longshore bedload transport. Increased amount of eroded limestone located east of Pogorzelica indicate increased erosion of glacial tills. These sediments are deposited, building the shallow foreshore, with additional redeposition of morainic material towards the shore. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

21 pages, 62049 KiB  
Review
Understanding the Dynamics of a Coastal Lagoon: Drivers, Exchanges, State of the Environment, Consequences and Responses
by Samantha Chacón Abarca, Valeria Chávez, Rodolfo Silva, M. Luisa Martínez and Giorgio Anfuso
Geosciences 2021, 11(8), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11080301 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3878
Abstract
At present, many coastal ecosystems worldwide are highly affected by anthropic activities. La Mancha lagoon, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, is an important ecosystem due to the wide array of ecosystem services that it provides. In this paper, an analysis of the [...] Read more.
At present, many coastal ecosystems worldwide are highly affected by anthropic activities. La Mancha lagoon, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, is an important ecosystem due to the wide array of ecosystem services that it provides. In this paper, an analysis of the environmental balances of the lagoon is outlined, using the Drivers, Exchanges, State of the Environment, Consequences and Responses (DESCR) tool. The methodological framework considers the interrelationships between the natural systems and the forces of change that alter the performance of the natural environment, in order to provide an overview of actions that may reduce negative consequences. The study area has been impacted by anthropic development, such as changes in land use for agricultural and livestock activities, loss of mangroves due to logging and modifications, carried out by local fishermen, to the natural hydrodynamics of the lagoon that alter the salinity and affect the ecosystem dynamics. Following analysis of the area, using the DESCR tool, the responses proposed include long-term environmental impact evaluation, with the aim of preserving the local coastal ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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14 pages, 691 KiB  
Review
The Equilibrium Concept, or…(Mis)concept in Beaches
by Enzo Pranzini and Allan T. Williams
Geosciences 2021, 11(2), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11020059 - 29 Jan 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3876
Abstract
Beaches, as deposits of unconsolidated material at the land/water interface, are open systems where input and output items constitute the sediment budget. Beach evolution depends on the difference between the input/output to the system; if positive the beach advances, if negative the beach [...] Read more.
Beaches, as deposits of unconsolidated material at the land/water interface, are open systems where input and output items constitute the sediment budget. Beach evolution depends on the difference between the input/output to the system; if positive the beach advances, if negative the beach retreats. Is it possible that this difference is zero and the beach is stable? The various processes responsible for sediment input and output in any beach system are here considered by taking examples from the literature. Results show that this can involve movement of a volume of sediments ranging from few, to over a million cubic meters per year, with figures continuously changing so that the statistical possibility for the budget being equal can be considered zero. This can be attributed to the fact that very few processes are feedback-regulated, which is the only possibility for a natural system to be in equilibrium. Usage of the term “beach equilibrium” must be reconsidered and used with great caution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shoreline Dynamics and Beach Erosion)
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