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Beach–dune systems are highly dynamic features of the coastal system, the evolution of which is influenced by several processes that occur at very different spatial and temporal scales. To mitigate shoreline retreat that threatens extensive coastal areas worldwide, coastal erosion mitigation measures are implemented, aiming to make coastal areas resilient to the effects induced by coastal erosion and the anticipated climate change related to storms, flood events and sea level rise. Numerical modelling can support planned and sustainable coastal management from a medium-to-long-term perspective (decades). This research focuses on presenting contributions regarding the numerical modelling of subaerial beach dynamics (berm width and dune systems interactions) from a medium-term perspective. The method applied is based on a combination of the results of two simplified numerical models (the LTC and CS-Model). The results demonstrate the potential of the proposed combined model for medium-term projections, allowing for the interpretation of beach–dune dynamics and the evaluation of the importance of longshore and cross-shore sediment transport processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sediment transport along a coastal zone of Thermaikos Bay and the interaction with the coastline were studied in the present research. This study concerns the greater basin of an existing breakwater, for which the sand transport during the time periods 1950–1968 and 2009–2017, before and after the construction of the breakwater, were examined. The breakwater led to sand accumulation behind it, causing the well-known phenomenon of salient. It was revealed that climate change, in terms of wind conditions, significantly affected sediment transport; more specifically, the sand transport during 2009–2017 not only decreased significantly, but also changed its direction, in relation to 1950–1968. Based on the information obtained, technical interventions are proposed for the interception of sediment transport and the consequent accumulation of sand behind the breakwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rhine River is affected by major human interventions affecting its morphology and sediment regime, which have severely changed its flow and sediment transport. While channelization has increased the sediment transport capacity in the free-flowing sections, the sediment retention behind dams has caused a bedload deficit downstream and has additionally intensified riverbed erosion. The resulting consequences range from the exposure of less erodible sediment layers that pose obstacles for navigation, to the scouring of infrastructure, the lowering of groundwater levels, and multiple negative ecological consequences. To optimize the efficiency of countermeasures, a coherent overview of all sediment-related activities and the state of knowledge on the Rhine catchment is required. That is why the present study aims to give a catchment-wide overview in this regard, identify knowledge gaps and proposing a future research programme. The methodological approach includes a comprehensive literature review and online interviews with experts from six riparian countries working in the fields of sediment research and management. Based on our investigations, we have derived several research topics, each consisting of research questions. Three project ideas were defined that should primarily be realized: (i) the influence of climate change and land use change on the sediment regime; (ii) alteration and improvement of the sediment balance and continuity, sediment transport, and morphology; and (iii) national and bilateral projects on sediment transport processes and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and human activities exert significant influence on the water–sediment relationship in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, comprehending the underlying mechanisms is crucial for the effective management of water and soil resources, as well as integrated watershed management. This research focuses on the Kuye River watershed (KYH_W) in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China, along with its sub-watersheds Wangdaohengtazi (WDHT_SW) and Xinmiaosi (XM_SW). This paper utilizes the Mann–Kendall non-parametric test and the double cumulative curve method to examine the interannual trends of runoff, sediment transport, precipitation, temperature, and NDVI factors. Furthermore, the method of the slope change ratio of cumulative quantity (SCRCQ) is utilized to quantitatively evaluate the impacts and contribution rates of climate change and human activities on water–sediment changes within each watershed. The results are as follows: (1) From 1969 to 2019, the entire watershed experienced a significant decrease in both runoff and sediment transport, with 1997 marking the year of abrupt change. However, following 2012, the KYH_W and WDHT_SW exhibited a noticeable rebound in runoff. (2) Human activities predominantly contribute to the reduction in water and sediment in the watershed. (3) After the abrupt change, between 1998 and 2011, the contribution rates of climate change and human activities to the annual runoff reduction in the entire KYH_W reached 33% and 64%, respectively. Moreover, these rates for sediment transport reduction reached 26% and 74%, respectively. Subsequently, after 2012, the contribution rates of both factors to the increase in watershed runoff reached 29% and 71%, respectively. Factors other than the NDVI, within human activities, played a dominant role in augmenting the watershed's runoff. (4) Prior to 2011, changes in vegetation cover resulting from the Grain for Green Program, as measured by the NDVI, emerged as the primary factor responsible for reduced runoff in the watershed. Conversely, factors other than the NDVI assumed dominance in reducing sediment transport. The SCRCQ method offers a quantitative approach to assessing water–sediment changes. Based on this method, the study further underscores the substantial impacts of climate change and human activities on variations in runoff and sediment transport within the KYH_W in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Notably, the water–sediment changes in the KYH_W exhibit distinct stage-wise and spatial discrepancies, which warrant increased attention in future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scour is a phenomenon that affects structures deployed in rivers or seas, favoring the transport of sediments around their foundations, which can expose their structural stability. This work aimed to develop a physical model of a mobile bottom to determine the scour-hole extensions around a group of four vertical piles of circular sections subjected to irregular waves. For this purpose, a beach profile and a typical slope were constructed and subjected to 24 h of storm waves, divided into 12 h intervals in the prototype. Additionally, three wave periods were studied according to the Mexican Institute of Transportation wave data and three scenarios of a rise in sea level. The data suggest that the length of the scour hole was greater in the piles in the front for all cases, which may be reflected in a reduction in scour protection costs. The results obtained for the extent of the scour hole suggest a setting of less than four times the pile diameter in most cases. Finally, it is inferred that a rise in sea level by itself is not a decisive factor in the increase in the values obtained; therefore, it is necessary to consider the variations in wave heights and wave periods associated with such increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prevalent engineering task in practice is calculating the annual balance of sediments on some watercourses. This is particularly challenging when assessing the backfilling of river reservoirs that have a multifunctional purpose. Trakošćan Lake was built in the period from 1850 to 1862 as a pond and landscape addition to the park and Trakošćan castle. After 60 years, the lake was drained in 2022, and the work began on sediment excavation to improve the lake's ecological condition due to about 200,000 cubic meters of deposited silt in the lake. In this research, the annual sediment production is calculated for the long-term period 1961–2020, based on empirical parametric methods (Fleming, Brunne). The results are compared with results from previous projects and recent sediment deposit investigations. Since there are no changes in LC/LU on this natural catchment, the decreasing trends in long-term sediment transport were compared with meteorological values, daily rainfall, and snow days. It is concluded that the intensity characteristics of the rainfall should be investigated more in detail and could provide much more tangible information regarding climate change impacts. Some targets for future monitoring design and research techniques are set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrological connectivity plays a major role in solving water resource and eco-environmental problems. However, this phenomenon has not been afforded the attention it deserves. The detailed analysis of connectivity in river systems could provide considerable insight into the structural and functional attributes of riverine landscapes. The current study used a graph theory approach and associated connectivity indicators to explore the characteristics and evolution of river systems and hydrological connectivity in a large catchment (Poyang Lake, China). The results revealed that the structure of the river system tended to be complex during 1990–2020, characterized by a dynamic evolution of tributaries in certain northern areas. Both river density and complexity exhibited an increasing trend by up to 15%, with the change rate after 2000 approximately twice as high as that of the preceding period. Overall, human activities across the catchment were more likely to play a key role in leading to significant changes in the quantity, morphometric, and structural characteristics of the river system. Additionally, the functional connectivity analysis indicated that the index of connectivity (IC) in the downstream catchment was stronger than that of the upstream vegetation areas, suggesting a strong contribution to the runoff sediment transport (r = 0.6–0.7). This study highlights the spatial and temporal evolution of both structural and functional connectivity in the large Poyang Lake catchment. The findings of this work will benefit future water resource management and applications by providing a strategy for protecting the surface hydrology and mass transport of large river basins under climate and land use changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the extremes of wave conditions for past (1979–2005) and future (2026–2045 and 2081–2100) time slices in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). The ensemble produced from eight General Circulation Models under different Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) was subjected to linear regression analysis and Mann–Kendal test for their trends and significance, respectively. Results showed an increase in the extreme of significant wave height (Hs) and mean wave period (Tm) between 1979–2005, 2026–2045, and 2081–2100 with few exceptions. The average values of annual and seasonal Hs and Tm range from 1.26–1.62 m and 10.37 s–10.86 s, respectively, for 1979–2005. These Hs values are projected to increase by 0.1 m (0.05 m) to 1.72 m (1.67 m) and the Tm will increase by 0.29 s (0.24 s) to 11.15 s (11.10 s) by the end of the century (mid-century) time slices, respectively. The mean wave direction (Dm) (201.89°–206.27°) showed an anticlockwise shift (−29.2 × 10−3 degrees per year) for 1979–2005 which is projected to become more southwesterly with an increase up to 2.2° (0.5°) by end (mid) century in 2100 (2045), respectively. Future work will be on the impacts of changing wave on longshore sediment transport along the GoG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts of climate change and human-made interventions have altered the fluvial regime of most rivers. The increasingly uncertain floods would further threaten the flow delivery system in regions such as Pakistan. In this study, an alluvial reach of the Indus River below Kotri barrage was investigated for the geomorphologic effects of sediments deposited over the floodplain as well as the influences on the downstream flood-carrying capacity. The hydrodynamic modeling suite HEC-RAS in combination with ground and remotely sensed data were used to undertake this analysis. Results suggest that the morphology of the river reach has degraded due to depleted flows over a long period and hydrological extremes that have led to excessive sediment deposition over the floodplain and an enhancement in flood water extension possibility over the banks. A deposition of 4.3 billion cubic meters (BCM) of sediment increased the elevation of the channel bed which in turn reduced a 17.75% flood-carrying capacity of the river reach. Moreover, the excessive deposition of sediments and the persistence of low flows have caused a loss of 48.34% bank-full discharges over the past 24 years. Consequently, the river's active reach has been flattened, with a live threat of left levee failure and the inundation of the populous city of Hyderabad. The study would gain insights into characterizing the impacts associated with a reduction in the flood-carrying capacity of the alluvial channel on account of the inadequate sediment transport capacity after heavy flow regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual sediment transport, which is influenced by many factors including tide, wind, and waves, controls coastal morphological changes on different time scales. For fine-grained coasts where the wave effects are limited, it is still unclear to what extent the wind-driven current can impact the residual sediment transport. Taking the fine-grained Jiangsu Coast as an example, this study aimed to identify the contribution of wind on residual sediment transport over different time scales using a newly developed model. On a seasonal scale, wind-induced sediment transport shows strong seasonal characteristics, where the residual transport is more significant in the winter and summer. Nevertheless, the tide plays a dominant role in both residual current and sediment transport and the annual sediment budget over the coast. On the scale of tidal cycles, the extreme winds overwhelm the tides, controlling the residual sediment transport. However, the net sediment transport caused by the northerly winds (representing cold waves) is comparable to that of the southerly winds (representing typhoons). Therefore, although extreme winds can drive massive sediment transport in a short period, their contribution to annual sediment transport is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of climate change on coastal dynamics along the Adriatic Italian coast, with reference to the period 2021–2050 considering the IPCC RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The wave datasets are obtained by forcing a spectral wave model with ERA5 wind fields corrected with a procedure that makes them suitable for the investigated semi-enclosed basin where local meteorological events occur at scales of a few kilometers. The wave climate changes between the historic run (1981–2010) and the future scenarios are studied in terms of mean values, percentile and extreme waves in 120 virtual buoys along the coasts. Moreover, a morphological equivalent wave is computed for all the datasets to highlight the consequences of climate change on coastal sediment transport. Along the Adriatic Italian coast, a small decrease in the significant wave heights is found, both for mean and extreme values, and the sediment transport is reduced. However, significant deviations along the coast are highlighted and the longshore sediment transport even reverses its direction in some locations for the future scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, known as the world's "third pole", is home to several large rivers in Asia. Its geomorphology is exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, which has had a significant impact on historical riverbed development through runoff and sedimentation processes. However, there is limited research combining climate change, sedimentology, and chronology with river dynamics to investigate riverbed evolution patterns in geological-historical time scales and their changes in overland flow capacity. In the current study, the evolution of a representative portion of the river channel in the Nangqian basin in the Lancang River headwaters was investigated to explore the reaction of the riverbed to climatic change during the geological period via field surveys, riverbed drilling, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and bankfull channel geometry parameters. The generalized channel section of the historical period was obtained by linking sedimentary layers of the same age on the distribution map of borehole sections, and the bankfull area of the river was computed accordingly. The restored bankfull areas can effectively reflect the ability of historical river channels to transport water and sediment, thus reflecting the climate change at that time. The findings showed that river morphology in the mounded river section could be successfully reconstructed using OSL dating and sedimentary records and that the conceptual sections of the historical warm periods at 2000 years (2 ka) and 0.7 ka can be recovered. Based on the reconstruction, the calculated bankfull areas during the two warm events were larger than present by factors of 1.28 and 1.9, respectively, indicating a stronger capacity for transporting water and sediments. This is the first trial in the Lancang headwaters to investigate the response of river morphology to climate change on a geological time scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this study is to investigate the effects of climate change on the hydrologic regimes in Ontario, Canada. The variables include total precipitation, the form of precipitation (snowfall and rainfall), and the temperature during winter. The winter season is hydrologically significant for Canadian conditions. The historical data for 70 years, from 1939 to 2008, on total precipitation, snowfall, rainfall, and temperature over the winter period were analyzed using least-squares regressions, Alexandersson's Standard Normal Homogeneity Test, and the Mann–Kendall test for 13 stations across Ontario to identify positive and negative trends and their significance. The analysis of the precipitation indices reveals no significant trend in the winter total precipitation, decreasing trends in winter snowfall, and increasing trends in winter rainfall. The snowy day analysis depicts a large scatter across the province, with the number ranging from 40 days to 80 days, which shows that the number of snowy days varies considerably over the years at all stations. The analysis showed that the change in snowy-rainy days is attributed to the significant upward trend of the daily mean winter minimum temperature for almost all the stations. Therefore, the changes in the form of precipitation during winter may affect water management including streamflow, tile drainage flow, soil erosion, sediment and nutrient transport to surface water bodies, and the effectiveness of best management practices being used for managing non-point source pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although saline tidal wetlands cover less than a fraction of one percent of the earth's surface (~0.01%), they efficiently sequester organic carbon due to high rates of primary production coupled with surfaces that aggrade in response to sea level rise. Here, we report on multi-decadal changes (1972-2008) in the extent of tidal marshes and mangroves, and characterize soil carbon density and source, for five regions of tidal wetlands located on Baja California's Pacific coast. Land-cover change analysis indicates the stability of tidal wetlands relative to anthropogenic and climate change impacts over the past four decades, with most changes resulting from natural coastal processes that are unique to arid environments. The disturbance of wetland soils in this region (to a depth of 50 cm) would liberate 2.55 Tg of organic carbon (C) or 9.36 Tg CO2eq. Based on stoichiometry and carbon stable isotope ratios, the source of organic carbon in these wetland sediments is derived from a combination of wetland macrophyte, algal, and phytoplankton sources. The reconstruction of natural wetland dynamics in Baja California provides a counterpoint to the history of wetland destruction elsewhere in North America, and measurements provide new insights on the control of carbon sequestration in arid wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been widely predicted that Southeast Asia is among the regions facing the most severe climate change impacts. Despite this forecast, little research has been published on the potential impacts of climate change on soil erosion in this region. This study focused on the impact of climate change on spatial and temporal patterns of soil erosion in the Laos-Vietnam transnational Upper Ca RiverWatershed. The Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT) coupled with downscaled global climate models (GCMs) was employed for simulation. Soil erosion in the watershed was mostly found as "hill-slope erosion", which occurred seriously in the upstream area where topography is dominated by numerous steep hills with sparse vegetation cover. However, under the impact of climate change, it is very likely that soil erosion rate in the downstream area will increase at a higher rate than in its upstream area due to a greater increase in precipitation. Seasonally, soil erosion is predicted to increase significantly in the warmer and wetter climate of the wet season, when higher erosive power of an increased amount and intensity of rainfall is accompanied by higher sediment transport capacity. The results of this study provide useful information for decision makers to plan where and when soil conservation practice should be focused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mountain environments have shown substantial geomorphological changes forced by rising temperatures in recent decades. As such, paraglacial transition zones in catchments with rapidly retreating glaciers and abundant sediments are key elements in high alpine river systems and promise to be revealing, yet challenging, areas of investigation for the quantification of current and future sediment transport. In this study, we explore the potential of semi-automatic image analysis to detect the extent of the inundation area and corresponding inundation frequency in a proglacial outwash plain (Jamtal valley, Austria) from terrestrial time-lapse imagery. We cumulated all available records of the inundated area from 2018–2020 and analyzed the spatial and temporal patterns of flood flows. The approach presented here allows semi-automated monitoring of fundamental hydrological/hydraulic processes in an environment of scarce data. Runoff events and their intensity were quantified and attributed to either pronounced ablation, heavy precipitation, or a combination of both. We detected an increasing degree of channel concentration within the observation period. The maximum inundation from one event alone took up 35% of the analyzed area. About 10% of the observed area presented inundation in 60–70% of the analyzed images. In contrast, 60–70% of the observed area was inundated in less than 10% of the analyzed period. Despite some limitations in terms of image classification, prevailing weather conditions and illumination, the derived inundation frequency maps provide novel insights into the evolution of the proglacial channel network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave dynamics contribute significantly to coastal hazards and were thus investigated at Vougot Beach by simulating both historical and projected future waves considering climate change impacts. The historical period included a major storm event. This period was projected to the future using three globally averaged sea level rise (SLR) scenarios for 2100, and combined SLR and wave climate scenarios for A1B, A2, and B1 emissions paths of the IPCC. The B1 wave climate predicts an increase in the occurrence of storm events. The simulated waves in all scenarios showed larger relative changes at the beach than in the nearshore area. The maximum increase of wave energy for the combined SLR and wave scenarios was 95%, while only 50% for the SLR-only scenarios. The effective bed shear stress from waves and currents showed different spatial variability than that of the wave height, emphasizing the importance of interactions between nearshore waves and currents. Increases in the effective bed shear stress (combined scenarios: up to 190%, and SLR-only scenarios: 35%) indicate that the changes in waves and currents will likely have significant impacts on the nearshore sediment transport. This work emphasizes that combined SLR and future wave climate scenarios need to be used to evaluate future changes in local hydrodynamics and their impacts. These results provide preliminary insights into potential future wave dynamics at Vougot Beach under different climate change scenarios. Further studies are necessary to generalize the results by investigating the wave dynamics during storm events with different hydrodynamical conditions and to evaluate potential changes in sediment transport and morphological evolution due to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater resources are limited and seasonally and spatially unevenly distributed. Thus, in water resources management plans, storage reservoirs play a vital role in safeguarding drinking, irrigation, hydropower and livestock water supply. In the last decades, the dams' negative effects, such as fragmentation of water flow and sediment transport, are considered in decision-making, for achieving an optimal balance between human needs and healthy riverine and coastal ecosystems. Currently, operation of existing reservoirs is challenged by increasing water demand, climate change effects and active storage reduction due to sediment deposition, jeopardizing their supply capacity. This paper proposes a methodological framework to reassess supply capacity and management resilience for an existing reservoir under these challenges. Future projections are derived by plausible climate scenarios and global climate models and by stochastic simulation of historic data. An alternative basic reservoir management scenario with a very low exceedance probability is derived. Excess water volumes are investigated under a probabilistic prism for enabling multiple-purpose water demands. Finally, this method is showcased to the Ladhon Reservoir (Greece). The probable total benefit from water allocated to the various water uses is estimated to assist decision makers in examining the tradeoffs between the probable additional benefit and risk of exceedance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubble islands are dynamic sedimentary features present on reef platforms that evolve under a variety of morphodynamic processes and controlling mechanisms. They provide valuable inhabitable land for small island nations, critical habitat for numerous species, and are threatened by climate change. Aiming to investigate the controlling mechanisms dictating the evolution of One Tree Island (OTI), a rubble island in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, we combined different remotely-sensed data across varying timescales with wave data extracted from satellite altimetry and cyclone activity. Our findings show that (1) OTI had expanded by 7% between 1978 and 2019, (2) significant gross planform decadal adjustments were governed by the amount, intensity, proximity, and relative position of cyclones as well as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases, and (3) the mechanisms of island growth involve rubble spits delivering and redistributing rubble to the island through alongshore sediment transport and wave overtopping. Frequent short-term monitoring of the island and further research coupling variations in the different factors driving island change (i.e., sediment availability, reef-wave interactions, and extreme events) are needed to shed light on the future trajectory of OTI and other rubble islands under a climate change scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the influence of climate change on sediment yield variation, sediment transport and erosion deposition distribution at the watershed scale. The study was based on Gaoping River basin, which is among the largest basins in southern Taiwan. To carry out this analysis, the Physiographic Soil Erosion Deposition (PSED) model was utilized. Model results showed a general increase in soil erosion and deposition volume under the A1B-S climate change scenario. The situation is even worsened with increasing return periods. Total erosion volume and total sediment yield in the watershed were increased by 4–25% and 8–65%, respectively, and deposition volumes increased by 2–23%. The study showed how climate change variability would influence the watershed through increased sediment yields, which might even worsen the impacts of natural disasters. It has further illustrated the importance of incorporating climate change into river management projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast urbanization and industrialization have progressively caused severe impacts on mountainous, river, and coastal environments, and have increased the risks for people living in these areas. Human activities have changed ecosystems hence it is important to determine ways to predict these consequences to enable the preservation and restoration of these key areas. Furthermore, extreme events attributed to climate change are becoming more frequent, aggravating the entire scenario and introducing ulterior uncertainties on the accurate and efficient management of these areas to protect the environment as well as the health and safety of people. In actual fact, climate change is altering rain patterns and causing extreme heat, as well as inducing other weather mutations. All these lead to more frequent natural disasters such as flood events, erosions, and the contamination and spreading of pollutants. Therefore, efforts need to be devoted to investigate the underlying causes, and to identify feasible mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce negative impacts on both the environment and citizens. To contribute towards this aim, the selected papers in this Special Issue covered a wide range of issues that are mainly relevant to: (i) the numerical and experimental characterization of complex flow conditions under specific circumstances induced by the natural hazards; (ii) the effect of climate change on the hydrological processes in mountainous, river, and coastal environments, (iii) the protection of ecosystems and the restoration of areas damaged by the effects of climate change and human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future of islands has been the subject of international concern, scientific debate and media interest in the last decade. As a result of global warming and sea level rise, increasingly more research and speculations about the morphology and positions of island coastlines have been produced. However, some assumptions are not well documented due to the lack of large-scale research and data support. This paper contributes to filling this gap by extracting and assessing coastline changes on Southeast Asian islands overall during 2000–2015 based on Landsat remote sensing images. The results are as follows: ① the coastline, defined by the mean high water line (MHWL), of Southeast Asia remained relatively stable but showed considerable variability in space, especially in estuaries, bays and straits. ② A total of 9035 islands were extracted, among which approximately 10% of islands witnessed locational changes in coastlines, resulting in net reductions of nearly 86 km2 in area and 50,000 km in centroid displacement. Additionally, the coastline length increased by 532 km from 2000 (148,508 km) to 2015 (149,040 km). Natural coastlines decreased by 2503 km, while artificial coastlines increased by 3035 km. Among the total coastlines, 11% changed: 5% exhibited deposition, while 6% experienced retreat. ③ The temporal and spatial changes in coastlines were the result of interactions between natural processes and human activities. Climatic and environmental changes had wide impacts, while human activities caused more dramatic local changes. In addition, the sizes, shapes and landforms of the islands played significant roles in coastline changes. ④ Coastal erosion and expansion often coexisted in dynamic equilibrium under the influence of coastal hydrodynamics, such as cyclical tides and near-shore sediment transport. Our findings reveal spatial–temporal variations in island coastlines in Southeast Asia from 2000–2015 and provide critical information for the current study of islands. This work has great significance for the study of global climate change impacts and the integrated management of island coastal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Episodic coastal hazards associated to sea storms are responsible for sudden and intense changes in coastal morphology. Climate change and local anthropogenic activities such as river regulation and urban growth are raising risk levels in coastal hotspots, like low-lying areas of river deltas. This urges to revise present management strategies to guarantee their future sustainability, demanding a detailed diagnostic of the hazard evolution. In this paper, flooding and erosion under current and future conditions have been assessed at local scale at the urban area of Riumar, a touristic enclave placed at the Ebro Delta (Spain). Process-based models have been used to address the interaction between beach morphology and storm waves, as well as the influence of coastal environment complexity. Storm waves have been propagated with SWAN wave model and have provided the forcings for XBeach, a 2DH hydro-morphodynamic model. Results show that future trends in sea level rise and wave forcing produce non-linear variations of the flooded area and the volume of mobilized sediment resulting from marine storms. In particular, the balance between flooding and sediment transport will shift depending on the relative sea level. Wave induced flooding and long-shore sand transport seem to be diminished in the future, whereas static sea level flooding and cross-shore sediment transport are exacerbated. Therefore, the characterization of tipping points in the coastal response can help to develop robust and adaptive plans to manage climate change impact in sandy wave dominated coasts with a low-lying hinterland and a complex shoreline morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modelling investigations into the local changes in the shoreline resulting from enhanced atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and global climate change are important for supporting the planning of coastal mitigation measures. Analysis of Global Climate Model (GCM) and Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations has shown that Lakes Entrance, a township located at the northern end of Ninety Mile Beach in south-eastern Australia, is situated in a region that may experience noticeable future changes in longshore winds, waves and coastal currents, which could alter the supply of sediments to the shoreline. This paper will demonstrate a downscaling procedure for using the data from GCM and RCM simulations to force a local climate model (LCM) at the beach scale to simulate additional nearshore wind-wave, hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes to estimate future changes. Two types of sediment transport models were used in this study, the simple empirical coastline-type model (CERC equation), and a detailed numerical coastal area-type model (TELEMAC). The two models resolved transport in very different ways, but nevertheless came to similar conclusions on the annual net longshore sediment transport rate. The TELEMAC model, with the Soulsby-Van Rijn formulation, showed the importance of the contribution of storm events to transport. The CERC equation estimates more transport during the period between storms than TELEMAC. The TELEMAC modelled waves, hydrodynamics and bed-evolutions are shown to agree well with the available observations. A new method is introduced to downscale GCM longshore sediment transport projections using wave-transport-directional change parameter to modify directional wave spectra. We developed a semi-empirical equation (NMB-LM) to extrapolate the ~3.7-year TELEMAC, storm dominated transport estimates, to the longer ~30-year hindcast climate. It shows that the shorter TELEMAC modelled period had twice as large annual net longshore sediment transport of the ~30 year hindcast. The CERC equation does not pick up this difference for the two climate periods. Modelled changes to the wave transport are shown to be an order of magnitude larger than changes from storm-tide current and mean sea level changes (0.1 to 0.2 m). Discussion is provided on the limitations of the models and how the projected changes could indicate sediment transport changes in the nearshore zone, which could impact the coastline position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and anthropogenic changes impact on the erosion and sediment transport processes in rivers. Rainfall variability and, in many places, the increase of rainfall intensity have a direct impact on rainfall erosivity. Increasing changes in demography have led to the acceleration of land cover changes from natural areas to cultivated areas, and then from degraded areas to desertification. Such areas, under the effect of anthropogenic activities, are more sensitive to erosion, and are therefore prone to erosion. On the other hand, with an increase in the number of dams in watersheds, a great portion of sediment fluxes is trapped in the reservoirs, which do not reach the sea in the same amount nor at the same quality, and thus have consequences for coastal geomorphodynamics. The Special Issue "Modeling and Practice of Erosion and Sediment Transport under Change" is focused on a number of keywords: erosion and sediment transport, model and practice, and change. The keywords are briefly discussed with respect to the relevant literature. The papers in this Special Issue address observations and models based on laboratory and field data, allowing researchers to make use of such resources in practice under changing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lake ecosystems on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in China have degraded in recent decades under the effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change. The human impact on the oligotrophic Lugu Lake aquatic ecosystem was evaluated using the sediment records of metals, nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) and magnetic susceptibility over the past 200 years. Three periods were identified based on the trace metal and δ15N records. During the first stage (1816–1976 AD), the concentrations of metals, δ15N and magnetic susceptibility were low with small variations. The anthropogenic contributions to the inputs were also small, except for Ni, reflecting minor human activities in the watershed, and no significant change was observed in the sediment record of the diatom assemblage. During the second stage (1976–2001 AD), the concentrations of Zn and δ15N increased, as well as the anthropogenic contribution of Zn. However, no significant change was detected in the anthropogenic sources of the other metals. These results reflect the low-level use of chemical fertilizers. The major shift in the sediment diatom assemblage during this stage was mainly attributed to regional climate change. During the third stage (2001–2010 AD), the concentrations of the sedimentary metals (Ni, Cr, Mn, Cu, Hg and Al) increased rapidly, with the exception of As and Zn, and a similar increasing trend was observed in the changes by anthropogenic sources of Ni, Cr, Mn and Cu. RDA (Redundancy Analysis) and variance partitioning analysis showed that the human impact and climate proxies independently explained 31.59% and 4.26% of the change of diatom community, respectively, and the interaction between climate change and human impact accounted for 18.61% of the change of diatom community. Tourism-dominated human activities, which were reflected in the metals profiles, facilitated the dominance of eutrophic species and reduced that of oligotrophic species. The development of tourism was likely the main driving force for the succession of diatom assemblages in the third stage. In summary, the anthropogenic input of trace metals in Lugu Lake is still at a low level. However, the significant growth trend in metals over the past decade is significantly related to the change in the lake ecosystem. Therefore, the effects of human activities, especially tourism, on the watershed should be controlled for the protection of the oligotrophic Lugu Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alongshore sediment bypassing rocky headlands remains understudied despite the importance of characterizing littoral processes for erosion abatement, beach management, and climate change adaptation. To address this gap, a numerical model sediment transport study was developed to identify controlling factors and mechanisms for sediment headland bypassing potential. Four idealized headlands were designed to investigate sediment flux around the headlands using the process-based hydrodynamic model Delft-3D and spectral wave model SWAN. The 120 simulations explored morphologies, substrate compositions, sediment grain sizes, and physical forcings (i.e., tides, currents, and waves) commonly observed in natural settings. A generalized analytical framework based on flow disruption and sediment volume was used to refine which factors and conditions were more useful to address sediment bypassing. A bypassing parameter was developed for alongshore sediment flux between upstream and downstream cross-shore transects to determine the degree of blockage by a headland. The shape of the headland heavily influenced the fate of the sediment by changing the local angle between the shore and the incident waves, with oblique large waves generating the most flux. All headlands may allow sediment flux, although larger ones blocked sediment more effectively, promoting their ability to be littoral cell boundaries. The controlling factors on sediment bypassing were determined to be wave angle, size, and shape of the headland, and sediment grain size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and land-use changes modify the physical functioning of river basins and, in particular, influence the transport of nutrients from land to water. In large-scale basins, where a variety of climates, topographies, soil types and land uses co-exist to form a highly heterogeneous environment, a more complex nutrient dynamic is imposed by climate and land-use changes. This is the case of the South Saskatchewan River (SSR) that, along with the North Saskatchewan River, forms one of the largest river systems in western Canada. The SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed (SPARROW) model is therefore implemented to assess water quality in the basin, in order to describe spatial and temporal patterns and identify those factors and processes that affect water quality. Forty-five climate and land-use change scenarios comprehended by five General Circulation Models (GCMs) and three Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) were incorporated into the model to explain how total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) export could vary across the basin in 30, 60 and 90 years from now. According to model results, annual averages of TN and TP export in the SSR are going to increase in the range 0.9–1.28 kg km − 2 year − 1 and 0.12–0.17 kg km − 2 year − 1 , respectively, by the end of the century, due to climate and land-use changes. Higher increases of TP compared to TN are expected since TP and TN are going to increase ∼36% and ∼21%, respectively, by the end of the century. This research will support management plans in order to mitigate nutrient export under future changes of climate and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of significant investigations have advanced our understanding of the parameters influencing reservoir sedimentation. However, a reliable modelling of sediment deposits and delta formation in reservoirs is still a challenging problem due to many uncertainties in the modelling process. Modelling performance can be improved by adjusting the uncertainty caused by sediment load boundary conditions. In our study, we diminished the uncertainty factor by setting more precise sediment load boundary conditions reconstructed using wavelet artificial neural networks for a morphodynamic model. The model was calibrated for hydrodynamics using a backward error propagation method. The proposed approach was applied to the Tarbela Reservoir located on the Indus River, in northern Pakistan. The results showed that the hydrodynamic calibration with coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.969 and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) = 0.966 also facilitated good calibration in morphodynamic calculations with R2 = 0.97 and NSE = 0.96. The model was validated for the sediment deposits in the reservoir with R2 = 0.96 and NSE = 0.95. Due to desynchronization between the glacier melts and monsoon rain caused by warmer climate and subsequent decrease of 17% in sediment supply to the Tarbela dam, our modelling results showed a slight decrease in the sediment delta for the near future (until 2030). Based on the results, we conclude that our overall state-of-the-art modelling offers a significant improvement in computational time and accuracy, and could be used to estimate hydrodynamic and morphodynamic parameters more precisely for different events and poorly gauged rivers elsewhere in the world. The modelling concept could also be used for predicting sedimentation in the reservoirs under sediment load variability scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new experimental campaign on a 2D movable-bed physical model, reproducing a typical nourishment sandy beach profile, is being carried out in the wave flume of the Laboratory of Coastal Engineering at Politecnico di Bari (Bari, Italy). The main aim is to assess the short-term evolution of a sandy beach nourishment, relying on a mixed solution built on the deployment of a Beach Drainage System (BDS) and a rubble-mound detached submerged breakwater. This paper aims at illustrating the experimental findings. Tests presented herein deal with both unprotected and protected configurations, focusing on the hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes under erosive conditions. Results show that, with respect to the unprotected conditions, BDS reduces the shoreline retreat and the beach steepen within swash and surf zone as well. Moreover, a reduction of net sediment transport rate is observed. When BDS is coupled with the submerged sill, a reversal of the prevalent direction of the net sediment transport seaward occurs offshore the sheltered region. Less considerable positive effects on shoreline retreat are induced by the submerged structure, whereas the mean beach slope remains quite stable. Secondary effects of drain on the submerged sill performance are also highlighted. BDS reduces wave-induced setup on beach, by mitigating the mean water level raising, typically experienced by such structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sediment budget associated with future coastline change in the vicinity of tidal inlets consists of four components; sea level rise-driven landward movement of the coastline (i.e., the Bruun effect), basin infilling effect due to sea level rise-induced increase in accommodation space, basin volume change due to variation in river discharge, and coastline change caused by change in fluvial sediment supply. These four components are affected by climate change and/or anthropogenic impacts. Despite this understanding, holistic modelling techniques that account for all the aforementioned processes under both climate change and anthropogenic influences are lacking. This manuscript presents the applications of a newly-developed reduced complexity modelling approach that accounts for both climate change and anthropogenically-driven impacts on future coastline changes. Modelled results corresponding to the year 2100 indicate considerable coastline recessions at Wilson Inlet (152 m) and the Swan River system (168 m) in Australia and Tu Hien Inlet (305 m) and Thuan An Inlet (148 m) in Vietnam. These results demonstrate that coastline models should incorporate both climate change and anthropogenic impacts to quantify future changes in fluvial sediment supply to coasts to achieve better estimates of total coastline changes at tidal inlets. Omission of these impacts is one of the major drawbacks in all the existing coastline models that simulate future coastline changes at tidal inlets. A comparison of these modelled future coastline changes with the predictions made by a relevant existing modelling technique (Scale Aggregated Model for Inlet-interrupted Coasts (SMIC)) indicates that the latter method overestimates total coastline recessions at the Swan River system, and the Tu Hien and Thuan An Inlets by 7%, 10%, and 30%, respectively, underlining the significance of integrating both climate change and anthropogenic impacts to assess future coastline changes at tidal inlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly dynamic hydro-geomorphic processes are known to drive exports of carbon (C) from river basins, but are not yet fully understood. Within this study, we simulated total organic carbon (TOC) exports at the outlet of Lake Simojärvi in the Gulf of Bothnia (Finland) with a parsimonious hydrological model. With thorough consideration of the dependence of erosion and sediment transport processes on seasonal precipitation rates, a satisfactory agreement was obtained between modelling and experimental observations (1962–2005). This provided confidence in the capability of the parsimonious model to represent temporal and spatial export dynamics. In the period 1860–2014, TOC export at the outlet of Lake Simojärvi was estimated to be highest on average (~5.5 Mg km−2·year−1) over 1974–2014 while the lowest TOC export (~2.5 Mg km−2·year−1) was estimated in 1860–1918 (with high levels of interannual-to-multidecadal variation). Regional simulations indicate that TOC increased in recent decades (on average, 4–5 Mg km−2·year−1 in 1974–2014 against ~3 Mg km−2·year−1 in 1940–1973) in northern Scandinavia and Finland. Warming-induced variability of TOC (which depends on precipitation patterns) may have altered the rates of C exchanges in aquatic ecosystems over recent years. TOC exports may continue to increase in boreal catchments with increasing temperatures as represented by future projections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]