Beach Monitoring and Morphological Response in the Presence of Coastal Defense Strategies at Riccione (Italy)

The coastal area at Riccione, in the southern Emilia-Romagna littoral region, is exposed to erosive processes, which are expected to be enhanced by climate change. The beach, mostly composed of fine sand, is maintained through various defense strategies, including frequent nourishment interventions for balancing the sediment deficit and other experimental solutions for reducing coastal erosion. Artificial reshaping of the beach and “common practices” in the sediment management redefine the beach morphology and the sediment redistribution almost continuously. These activities overlap each other and with the coastal dynamics, and this makes it very difficult to evaluate their effectiveness, as well as the role of natural processes on the beach morphological evolution. Topo-bathymetric and sedimentological monitoring of the beach has been carried out on a regular basis since 2000 by the Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia-Romagna (Arpae). Further monitoring of the emerged and submerged beach has been carried out in 2019–2021 in the framework of the research project STIMARE, focusing on innovative strategies for coastal monitoring in relation with erosion risk. The aim of this study is to assess the coastal behavior at the interannual/seasonal scale in the southern coastal stretch of Riccione, where the adopted coastal defense strategies and management actions mostly control the morphological variations in the emerged and submerged beach besides the wave and current regime. The topo-bathymetric variations and erosion/accretion patterns provided by multitemporal monitoring have been related to natural processes and to anthropogenic activities. The morphological variations have been also assessed in volumetric terms in the different subzones of the beach, with the aim of better understanding the onshore/offshore sediment exchange in relation with nourishments and in the presence of protection structures. The effectiveness of the adopted interventions to combat erosion, and to cope with future climate change-related impacts, appears not fully successful in the presence of an overall sediment deficit at the coast. This demonstrates the need for repeated monitoring of the emerged and submerged beach in such a critical setting.

Download Full-text

Continental vs. Global Niche-Based Modelling of Freshwater Species’ Distributions: How Big Are the Differences in the Estimated Climate Change Effects?

Water ◽

10.3390/w13060816 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 816

Author(s):

Danijela Markovic ◽

Jörg Freyhof ◽

Oskar Kärcher

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Thermal Properties ◽

Safety Margin ◽

Thermal Response ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Freshwater Species ◽

Response Curves ◽

Preferred Temperature ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Management Actions

Thermal response curves that depict the probability of occurrence along a thermal gradient are used to derive various species’ thermal properties and abilities to cope with warming. However, different thermal responses can be expected for different portions of a species range. We focus on differences in thermal response curves (TRCs) and thermal niche requirements for four freshwater fishes (Coregonus sardinella, Pungitius pungitius, Rutilus rutilus, Salvelinus alpinus) native to Europe at (1) the global and (2) European continental scale. European ranges captured only a portion of the global thermal range with major differences in the minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax) and average temperature (Tav) of the respective distributions. Further investigations of the model-derived preferred temperature (Tpref), warming tolerance (WT = Tmax − Tpref), safety margin (SM = Tpref − Tav) and the future climatic impact showed substantially differing results. All considered thermal properties either were under- or overestimated at the European level. Our results highlight that, although continental analyses have an impressive spatial extent, they might deliver misleading estimates of species thermal niches and future climate change impacts, if they do not cover the full species ranges. Studies and management actions should therefore favor whole global range distribution data for analyzing species responses to environmental gradients.

Download Full-text

Climate Change — A Natural Hazard

Energy & Environment ◽

10.1260/095830503765184600 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 14 (2-3) ◽

pp. 215-232

Author(s):

William Kininmonth

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Developing Countries ◽

Natural Hazard ◽

Climate Extremes ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Loss Of Life ◽

Natural Processes ◽

Weather And Climate ◽

Do So

The impacts of weather and climate extremes (floods, storms, drought, etc) have historically set back development and will continue to do so into the future, especially in developing countries. It is essential to understand how future climate change will be manifest as weather and climate extremes in order to implement policies of sustainable development. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that natural processes have caused the climate to change and it is unlikely that human influences will dominate the natural processes. Any suggestion that implementation of the Kyoto Protocol will avoid future infrastructure damage, environmental degradation and loss of life from weather and climate extremes is a grand delusion.

Download Full-text

DATA ANALYTICS FOR CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE

International Journal of Big Data Mining for Global Warming ◽

10.1142/s2630534821500054 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 2150005

Author(s):

STAVROS DEMERTZIS ◽

VASILIKI DEMERTZI ◽

KONSTANTINOS DEMERTZIS

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Data Analytics ◽

Global Climate ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Atmospheric Science ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Rivers And Lakes ◽

Atmospheric Concentrations

Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner. Under these conditions, air pollution is likely to reach levels that create undesirable living conditions. Anthropogenic activities, such as industry, release large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing the atmospheric concentrations of these gases, thus significantly enhancing the greenhouse effect, which has the effect of increasing air heat and thus the speedup of climate change. The use of sophisticated data analysis methods to identify the causes of extreme pollutant values, the correlation of these values with the general climatic conditions and the general malfunctions that can be caused by prolonged air pollution can give a clear picture of current and future climate change. This paper presents a thorough study of preprocessing steps of data analytics and the appropriate big data architectures that are appropriate for the research study of Climate Change and Atmospheric Science.

Download Full-text

Coastal Defense Strategies in the Wadden Sea Region: Coping with Climate Change

Natural Hazards Review ◽

10.1061/(asce)1527-6988(2009)10:4(126) ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 126-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anne Gydesen ◽

Klaus Wagner

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Wadden Sea ◽

Defense Strategies ◽

Coastal Defense

Download Full-text

Is Canada fulfilling its obligations to sustain marine biodiversity? A summary review, conclusions, and recommendations 1This manuscript is a companion paper to Hutchings et al. (doi:10.1139/a2012-011) and VanderZwaag et al. (doi:10.1139/a2012-013) also appearing in this issue. These three papers comprise an edited version of a February 2012 Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel Report.

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/er-2012-0049 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 353-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jeffrey A. Hutchings ◽

Isabelle M. Côté ◽

Julian J. Dodson ◽

Ian A. Fleming ◽

S. Jennings ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Well Being ◽

Companion Paper ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

Management Actions ◽

New Research ◽

Research Initiatives ◽

Developed Nations

Canada has made numerous national and international commitments to sustain marine biodiversity. Given current and potential threats to biodiversity from climate change, fisheries, and aquaculture, we provide a summary review of Canada’s progress in fulfilling its obligations to protect, conserve, recover, and responsibly exploit marine biodiversity. We conclude that Canada has made little substantive progress, when compared to most developed nations, in meeting its biodiversity commitments. Much of Canada’s policy and rhetoric has not been operationalised, leaving many of the country’s national and international obligations unfulfilled in some key areas, such as the establishment of marine protected areas and incorporation of the precautionary approach to fisheries management. We conclude that regulatory conflict within Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the absolute discretion exercised by the national Minister of Fisheries and Oceans contribute significantly to an unduly slow rate of policy and statute implementation. We recommend new approaches and measures to sustain Canadian marine biodiversity and new research initiatives to support scientific advice to decision-makers. Many recommendations focus on management actions required to meet existing commitments to biodiversity conservation. Overall, we conclude that the most effective strategy is to protect existing biological diversity and to rebuild depleted populations and species to restore natural diversity. By improving and protecting the biodiversity in Canada’s oceans, such a strategy will restore the natural resilience of Canada’s ocean ecosystems to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and other anthropogenic activities with consequent long-term benefits for food security and social and economic well-being.

Download Full-text

Applying opportunistic observations to model current and future suitability of the Kopet Dagh Mountains for a Near Threatened avian scavenger

Avian Biology Research ◽

10.1177/1758155920962750 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 175815592096275

Author(s):

Sayyad Sheykhi Ilanloo ◽

Ali Khani ◽

Anooshe Kafash ◽

Negin Valizadegan ◽

Sohrab Ashrafi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Human Activities ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Bearded Vulture ◽

The Future ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

Kopet Dagh ◽

Near Threatened

Many avian species are in danger of extinction due to anthropogenic activities and climate change. Human activities have led to eradication of many natural habitats and climate change has altered species distribution especially in mountainous habitats. In the present study, we used distribution records of a Near Threatened avian scavenger, bearded vulture ( Gypaetus barbatus) that were collected through 9 years of opportunistic observations and modeled its distribution in the Khorasane-Razavi Province in Iran. We also assessed the impacts of future climate change on the distribution of this species. Our results show that most suitable habitats for Bearded vultures are in the northern regions of the Khorasan-e-Razavi province. The most important variables affecting the distribution of the bearded vulture were the annual precipitation (37.5% contribution), landcover (22% contribution), and distance to road (16.2% contribution). Our results also showed that around 80% to 91% of the species’ suitable habitats will decrease due to climate change in the future. Suitable habitats of the species that are predicted to remain suitable in the future should be prioritized for conservation. Human activities like road expansion should be avoided in areas with high suitability for this species. This study stresses the need for action to conserve this vulture in the Khorasan-e-Razavi province, and beyond its borders.

Download Full-text

Attendance trends threaten future operations of America’s state park systems

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1902314116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (26) ◽

pp. 12775-12780 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jordan W. Smith ◽

Emily J. Wilkins ◽

Yu-Fai Leung

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Stochastic Frontier ◽

State Legislatures ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Average Annual Rate ◽

Management Actions ◽

The Future ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Operating Expenditures

This research examines how the operating expenditures of America’s state park systems will be affected by a continued growth in attendance consistent with observed trends as well as potential climate futures. We construct a longitudinal panel dataset (1984–2017) describing the operations and characteristics of all 50 state park systems. These data are analyzed with a time-varying stochastic frontier model. Estimates from the model are used to forecast operating expenditures to midcentury under four different scenarios. The first scenario assumes annual attendance within each state park system will continue to grow (or decline) at the same average annual rate that it has over the period of observation. The subsequent scenarios assume statewide annual mean temperatures will increase following the RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 greenhouse gas emissions trajectories. Operating expenditures under a scenario where annual growth in attendance stays consistent with observed trends are forecasted to increase 756% by midcentury; this is an order of magnitude larger than projected expenditures under any of the climate scenarios. The future climate change scenarios yielded increases in operating expenditures between 25% (RCP2.6) and 61% (RCP8.5) by 2050. Attendance is the single largest factor affecting the operations of America’s state park systems, dwarfing the influence of climate change, which is significant and nontrivial. The future of America’s state park systems will depend upon increased support from state legislatures, as well as management actions that generate funds for the maintenance of existing infrastructure and facilities, and the provisioning of services.

Download Full-text

How fire and climate shaped grass-dominated vegetation and forest mosaics in northern South Africa during past millennia

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/0959683611400196 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 22 (12) ◽

pp. 1427-1439 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Elinor Breman ◽

Lindsey Gillson ◽

Kathy Willis

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

South Africa ◽

Anthropogenic Impact ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Fire Regime ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Stable State ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Lower Altitude ◽

Stress Changes

Grassland and savanna are globally important ecosystems, both ecologically and economically. These grass-dominated systems are at risk from current and future climate change and increasing anthropogenic impact. Key questions for understanding the resilience and variability of grass-dominated ecosystems under current and future environmental conditions include: How have these systems responded to climate change and disturbance in the past? What are the principal driving agents responsible for their present-day composition and distribution? Do the palaeoecological data provide evidence for feedbacks between climate, fire and anthropogenic activities? In this study, the temporal dynamics of grassland, savanna and forest in the summer rainfall region of northern South Africa were reconstructed for the last ~6500 years. Palaeoecological techniques used include analyses of fossil pollen, charcoal and stable isotopes. Data from two sites located at the present-day grassland-savanna ecotone in Mpumalanga province of South Africa are reported. Results indicate that a mosaic of grassland, savanna and Podocarpus forest occupied the landscape throughout the late Holocene, with grassland and forest dominating higher altitudes, and savanna and forest lower altitudes. Podocarpus forest retreated and grass-dominated vegetation expanded its range around 1800 cal. yr BP at the lower altitude site (Lowveld) and 600 cal. yr BP at the higher altitude site (Highveld), representing a change from a stable state forest savanna/grassland mosaic to an increasingly grass-dominated system. Climatic stress, changes in fire regime and anthropogenic impact led to the vegetation transitions recorded, and resulted in changes in water and nutrient cycles. In an increasingly warm world, with fluctuating water availability and heightened anthropogenic use of natural resources, the future of grass-dominated ecosystems appears far from stable.

Download Full-text

3D Physical Modeling of an Artificial Beach Nourishment: Laboratory Procedures and Nourishment Performance

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse9060613 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 613

Author(s):

André Guimarães ◽

Carlos Coelho ◽

Fernando Veloso-Gomes ◽

Paulo A. Silva

Keyword(s):

Sediment Transport ◽

Physical Modeling ◽

Morphological Evolution ◽

Beach Nourishment ◽

Sediment Concentration ◽

Morphological Variations ◽

Coastal Defense ◽

Local Wave ◽

Laboratory Procedures ◽

Movable Bed

Beach nourishment represents a type of coastal defense intervention, keeping the beach as a natural coastal defense system. Altering the cross-shore profile geometry, due to the introduction of new sediments, induces a non-equilibrium situation regarding the local wave dynamics. This work aims to increase our knowledge concerning 3D movable bed physical modeling and beach nourishment impacts on the hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphodynamics. A set of experiments with an artificial beach nourishment movable bed model was prepared. Hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and morphological variations and impacts due to the presence of the nourishment were monitored with specific equipment. Special attention was given to the number and positioning of the monitoring equipment and the inherent constraints of 3D movable beds laboratory tests. The nourishment induced changes in the beach dynamics, leading to an increase in the flow velocities range and suspended sediment concentration, and effectively increasing the emerged beach width. Predicting and anticipating the morphological evolution of the modeled beach has a major impact on data accuracy, since it might influence the monitoring equipment’s correct position. Laboratory results and constraints were characterized to help better define future laboratory procedures and strategies for increasing movable bed models’ accuracy and performance.

Download Full-text

The effect of climate change on sediment distribution and delivery within the Rhine-Meuse Delta

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-5710 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jana Cox ◽

Frances Dunn ◽

Jaap Nienhuis

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sea Level Rise ◽

Suspended Sediment ◽

Sea Level ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Sediment Flux ◽

Change Scenario ◽

Sediment Delivery ◽

Sediment Distribution ◽

Sediment Redistribution

The morphological and hydrological equilibrium of many deltas worldwide is changing due to anthropogenic activities. A key example of such a delta is the Rhine-Meuse Delta (RMD) in the Netherlands. It is home to an important shipping and economic centre (Rotterdam) and thus has been strongly affected by anthropogenic activities. Changes include embanking, narrowing and deepening of channels, major dredging and sediment relocation, the building of ports and harbours, and dam building upstream. There is currently a net annual loss of sediment from the delta. Considering current and future sea level rise it is crucial that the RMD receives sufficient sediment or it risks drowning, increased flood risk, decreased ecological area and channel bed degradation.Here, we estimate the future delivery of suspended sediment from upstream using BQART, and the volume and sediment flux from the sea using a 1D morphological model. We ignore bedload fluxes as they make up a small proportion of the annual supply. We use these estimates to investigate sediment redistribution between channels in the RMD based on suspended sediment-discharge relations. Projections for 2050 and 2100 are presented based on region-specific climate scenarios for discharge and sea level and incorporate projected future upstream reservoir construction. The sediment concentration in the branches is compared with discharge-area relations and current bed level trends to demonstrate potential sedimentation-erosion trends for individual branches.Projections for the 21st century indicate that sediment delivery to the RMD from upstream is likely to decrease slightly, while sea level rise will cause tidally driven suspended sediment delivery to move further inland. It is estimated that the already negative sediment budget of the delta will be exacerbated by dredging, which removes all incoming sediment at the coastal boundary. The severity of sediment starvation depends on the climate change scenario. Our work indicates that certain channels will be at risk of erosion due to this sediment starvation, whilst other branches will experience net sedimentation. Sediment input from the coast could also reach further inland, assuming current dredging practice remain unaltered, which could provide an opportunity for the system to regain equilibrium. We recommend that a sustainable sediment management strategy is undertaken in the region to counteract the negative effects of sediment starvation. &#160;

Download Full-text