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Ecological Approaches to Coastal Risk Mitigation

Citation

Hoggart, S and Hawkins, SJ and Bohn, K and Airoldi, L and van Belzen, J and Bichot, A and Bilton, DT and Bourma, TJ and Colangelo, MA and Davies, AJ and Ferrario, F and Firth, LB and Galvan, C and Hanley, M and Heurtefeux, H and Lara, JL and Rodriguez, IL and Maza, M and Eizaguirre, BO and Rundle, SD and Skov, MW and Strain, EM and White, A and Zhang, L and Zhu, Z and Thompson, RC, Ecological Approaches to Coastal Risk Mitigation, Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate, Elsevier Inc., B Zanuttigh, R Nicholls, JP Vanderlinden, HF Burcharth and RC Thompson (ed), United Kingdom, pp. 171-236. ISBN 9780123973108 (2015) [Research Book Chapter]

Copyright Statement

Copyright 2015 Elsevier Inc.

DOI: doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-397310-8.00004-X

Abstract

Natural coastal habitats play an important role in protecting coastal areas from sea water flooding caused by storm surge events. Many of these habitats, however, have been lost completely or degraded, reducing their ability to function as a natural flood defense. Once degraded, natural habitats can potently be destroyed by storm events, further threatening these systems. Much of the loss of coastal habitats is caused by increased human activity in coastal areas and through land claimed for urban, industrial, or agricultural use. As a result, some coastal habitats have become rare and threatened across much of Europe and the world. An associated problem is that of sea level rise, which has the combined impact of both increasing the risk of flooding in coastal ecosystems and increasing the severity of storm surge events. This chapter addresses two key topics: (1) the use of natural habitats as a form of coastal defense focusing on the required management and how to restore and/or create them and (2) ecological considerations in the design of hard coastal defense structures. The habitats that play a role in coastal deface and considered here are: (1) saltmarshes, (2) sand dunes, (3) seagrass meadows, and (4) biogenic reefs, including Sabellaria reefs, oyster beds, and mussel beds. As part of coastal habitat restoration and management, the process of saltmarsh creation, either through seaward extension or managed realignment is discussed focusing on potential benefits. Finally, key cumulative stressors that can hinder ecological approaches to coastal risk mitigation are reviewed.

Item Details

Item Type:Research Book Chapter
Keywords:anthropogenic stressor, beach, biogenic reef, breakwater, groins, habitat heterogeneity, managed realignment, mussel bed, oyster bed, sabellaria reef, saltmarsh, sand dune, seagrass, seawall
Research Division:Biological Sciences
Research Group:Ecology
Research Field:Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
Objective Division:Environmental Management
Objective Group:Marine systems and management
Objective Field:Assessment and management of benthic marine ecosystems
UTAS Author:Strain, EM (Dr Beth Strain)
ID Code:141442
Year Published:2015
Deposited By:Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration
Deposited On:2020-10-20
Last Modified:2020-11-10
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