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Purpose. The paper is aimed at studying the morphodynamic features of the Bakalskaya Spit evolution being influenced by the sea wind waves and swell, namely assessment of inter-annual variations in the alluvial (erosion) areas of the Bakalskaya Spit coastline, analysis of inter-annual variability of the wind wave parameters, determination of the surface wave characteristics (or a combination of a few ones) responsible for the processes of the bottom material erosion or accumulation in the coastal zone. Methods and Results. Based on the analysis of satellite images for 1984–2016, the areas of the bottom material accumulation or erosion of the Bakalskaya Spit coastline were determined. Application of the spectral wave model permitted to obtain time series of the main parameters of wind waves and swell (significant wave heights and propagation directions) in the Bakalskaya Spit coastal zone with the 1 hr time resolution for the period from 1984 to 2016. The characteristics of surface waves responsible for the coastline deformation were revealed using the discriminant analysis. Conclusions. Analysis of satellite images of the spit made it possible to distinguish three periods in the history of the Bakalskaya Spit evolution: 1985–1997, 1998–2007 and 2007–2016. The first period was characterized by relative stability. The strongest erosion took place in 1998; after that the alluvial and erosion cases alternated for 10 years weakly tending to general erosion that constituted the second period. The third one that began in 2007 can be defined as the period of spit degradation accompanied by the irreversible loss of beach material. The basic parameters conditioning hydrodynamics of the Bakalskaya Spit water area are: total duration of storms; average and maximum values of significant heights of wind waves and swell. Statistical characteristics of the wind waves’ parameters are of a fairly strong inter-annual variability. According to the average and maximum indices, the wind waves directed close to the normal to the coastline (WSW and WNW) are the most developed. The applied discriminant analysis permitted to draw a statistically reliable conclusion that the direction of the final (average annual) wave impact on the coastal zone, conditioning the processes of sand accumulation or erosion was set by the waves directed to NNW, at that the swell contribution was dominant. The impact degree is conditioned by strong storms with the directions close to the normal to the coastline, namely, the WSW ones

Despite the global occurrence of microplastic contamination on sandy beaches, evidence of microplastic distribution within beaches remains contradictory. When conflicting evidence is used to inform sampling surveys, it increases uncertainty in resulting data. Moreover, it hampers spatially explicit risk characterization of microplastic pollution to intertidal fauna. We aimed to guide sampling designs for microplastic monitoring on beaches, and to quantify macroinfauna exposure to microplastics. Microplastic abundance, quantified between 5 mm–66 μm, lacked a significant zonation across the top sediment layer of sub-terrestrial, upper and lower midlittoral, and swash zones at two sites with varying anthropogenic influence on a microtidal dissipative beach in Uruguay. Microplastic abundance decreased exponentially with increasing grain size, as revealed by Bayesian Poisson regression, although the decrease was less steep compared to prior knowledge regarding sediment – plastic interactions obtained for large (millimeter-sized) industrial pellets. Significant differences in microplastic contamination between the two sites with varying anthropogenic influence likely related to their proximity to a freshwater canal. Corresponding field measurements of body burdens of fibers and irregular particles were significantly lower for the polychaete Euzonus (Thoracophelia) furcifera, despite its preference for finer sediments with higher microplastic loads, compared to the isopods Excirolana braziliensis and Excirolana armata. Results provide critical insights toward representative sampling of microplastics within beach sites. Specifically, we caution against sampling limited to the drift line, and instead recommend: 1) reporting beach morphodynamic characteristics; 2) using clearly defined, ecologically-informed zonation schemes; and 3) accounting for sediment grain size as a covariate to normalize among reported contamination levels. The results contribute valuable baseline data toward realistic exposure landscapes relative to the sediment grain size preferences of macroinfauna, needed to inform laboratory experiments. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/423051/document, In MICRO 2022, Online Atlas Edition: Plastic Pollution from MACRO to nano

Sandy beaches are often characterized by the presence of sand bars, whose characteristics (growth, migration speed, etc.) strongly depend on offshore wave conditions, such as wave height and angle of wave incidence. This study addresses the impact of a sinusoidally time-varying wave angle of incidence with different time-means on the saturation height, migration speed and longshore spacing of sand bars. Model results show that shore-transverse sand bars (so-called TBR bars) eventually develop under a time-varying wave angle. Depending on the time-mean, amplitude and period of the varying angle of wave incidence, the mean heights and mean migration speeds of the bars can be larger or smaller than their corresponding values in the case of time-invariant angles. Bars might not even form when the wave angle varies around a too large oblique mean value, whereas bars exist in the case of a time-invariant wave angle. The oscillations in both bar height and migration speed are large if the period of the time-varying wave angle is close to the adjustment timescale of the system and if large differences in the local growth and migration rates of the bars occur during one oscillation period. The oscillations in bar height are a combination of harmonics with the principal period and half the period of the time-varying wave angle, whereas those of migration speed contain only the principal period. Bars that are subject to time-varying wave angles have larger longshore crest-to-crest spacings than those which form under fixed wave angles. Physical explanations for these findings are given.

International audience; The morphological evolution of the Tagus estuary inlet in the last century is analyzed in order to characterize its dynamics, explain its behavior and anticipate its future evolution. First, the evolution is characterized through a literature review, complemented by new data analyses. This review synthesizes the present understanding of the inlet's dynamics and highlights some key questions that remain unanswered. To address these questions, a 2DH process-based morphodynamic model is implemented and validated, and then used to refine the previous understanding of the inlet's dynamics. A new conceptual model, which highlights a seasonal behaviour of the inlet's morphodynamics, is proposed. During winter time, the residual sediment transport is directed seaward along the navigation channel, towards the inlet mouth along the beaches adjacent to the inlet, and towards the estuary over the southern part of the ebb delta (Cachopo Sul). During the maritime summer, residual sediment fluxes are approximately half those occurring during winter. The relative importance of tidal flows increases, leading to sediment fluxes directed towards the southwest over the Cachopo Sul. The sediment deposits formed during the summer can be mobilized under specific wave conditions and transported to the northern stretch of the beaches to the south of the inlet. A positive feedback between the erosion of the Cachopo Sul-or, similarly, sea level rise-and the sediment fluxes over this bank suggests that the evolution of the bank observed during the last decades will continue in the foreseeable future.

It is well known that estuarine systems are significantly affected by hydrodynamic conditions such as river discharge, storm surges, waves and tidal conditions. In addition to this, human interferences through developmental projects have the capability of disrupting the natural morphological processes occurring at estuaries. In West Africa, the goal to improve standards of living through large-scale dam construction, offshore ports and coastal erosion countermeasures has triggered alarming changes in the morphodynamics of estuarine systems. The estuaries at the Volta River mouth (Ghana) and “Bouche du Roi” inlet (Benin), located along the Bight of Benin coast, West Africa, were selected as two case study sites to examine their long-term morphodynamics and sandspit evolution. In this study, we primarily analyzed estuarine morphology using remotely sensed images acquired from 1984 to 2020. We further estimated the longshore sediment transport for this region using results from the image analysis and the depth of active sediment motion. Our results reveal that the longshore sediment transport rates for this region are in the magnitude of 105–106 m3/year. Comparative analysis with other estuaries and sandy coasts suggests that the longshore sediment transport along this coast has one of the largest rates estimated in the world.

International audience; Field process measurements and OSL/AMS-dating methods were employed in combination to examine the Holocene evolution of the Keta Sand Spit, east of the Volta River delta in Ghana, as well as the hydrodynamic processes driving present spit dynamics. Large-scale changes in shoreline configuration, with far-field implications for sediment supply to downdrift coasts along the Bight of Benin, have been rooted in river mouth switches, which are dated at approximately 5–7000 yr BP and 2500 yr BP. The most recent barrier stage is the present Keta Sand Spit, which originated about 2500 yr BP. The spit migrates slowly in an easterly direction due to gradients in longshore sediment transport induced by morphodynamic interactions between wave-induced currents and shoreline orientation. These autochthonous longshore transport gradients are the major reason for the large coastal erosion rates in the lee of the Sand Spit, rather than a decreased sediment supply caused by damming of the Volta River.

By the late nineteenth century, the scientific study of bedload transport had emerged as an offshoot of hydraulics and geomorphology. Since then, computing bedload transport rates has attracted considerable attention, but whereas other environmental sciences have seen their predictive capacities grow over time, particularly thanks to increased computing power, engineers and scientists are unable to predict bedload transport rates to within better than one order of magnitude. Why have we failed to improve our predictive capacity to any significant degree? A commonly shared view is that the study of bedload transport has more in common with the earth sciences than hydraulics: bedload transport rates depend on many processes that vary nonlinearly, involve various time and space scales, and are interrelated to each other. All this makes it difficult to view bedload as merely particle transport in a turbulent flow – something which can be studied in the laboratory in isolation from the natural environment. Over the last two decades, more emphasis has been put on the noisy dynamics characterizing bedload transport. This Vision Paper makes a strong case for recognizing noise (e.g. bedload transport rate fluctuations) as an intrinsic feature of bedload transport. Improving our predictive capacities requires a better understanding of the origins and nature of noise in bedload transport. This paper also reviews some of the challenges that need to be addressed in current research and teaching.

This paper outlines the various approaches used to calculate bedload transport. As bedload transport exhibits considerable spatial and temporalvariations, computing the bedload transport rates and morphological changes experienced by streambeds is difficult. A large body of experi-mental work has revealed scaling laws relating the mean transport rate qs to hydraulic conditions.

Tidal bars are repetitive estuarine bedforms with heights of several meters and wavelengths in the order 1–15 km. Understanding their formation and sensitivity to changes in channel characteristics is important as they hamper marine traffic and play a crucial role in the local ecosystem. Recent observations suggest that the local width of the channel is dominant in determining the tidal bar wavelength. However, theoretical studies could not reproduce the sensitivity of the tidal bar wavelength to channel width. This discrepancy between theory and observations suggests that a mechanism is missing. In this study, one of the theoretical models is extended and results in tidal bar wavelengths, lateral mode numbers, and growth rates that agree fairly well with those of natural tidal bars, including the wavelengths dependency on estuary width. An important extension of the model concerns the bed slope induced diffusive suspended load transport of sediments. With this, it is explained why previously, the modelled tidal bar wavelengths depend only weakly on estuary width and why in the extended model it does. This has, from a modelling point of view, general implications for morphological models using a total load sediment transport formulation with a so‐called bed slope parameter.

Results from computational morphodynamics modeling of coupled flow-bed-sediment systems are described for 10 applications as a review of recent advances in the field. Each of these applications is drawn from solvers included in the public-domain International River Interface Cooperative (iRIC) software package. For mesoscale river features such as bars, predictions of alternate and higher mode river bars are shown for flows with equilibrium sediment supply and for a single case of oversupplied sediment. For microscale bed features such as bedforms, computational results are shown for the development and evolution of two-dimensional bedforms using a simple closure-based two-dimensional model, for two- and three-dimensional ripples and dunes using a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation flow model coupled to a physics-based particle transport model, and for the development of bed streaks using a three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver with a simple sediment-transport treatment. Finally, macroscale or channel evolution treatments are used to examine the temporal development of meandering channels, a failure model for cantilevered banks, the effect of bank vegetation on channel width, the development of channel networks in tidal systems, and the evolution of bedrock channels. In all examples, computational morphodynamics results from iRIC solvers compare well to observations of natural bed morphology. For each of the three scales investigated here, brief suggestions for future work and potential research directions are offered.

Coastal foredunes are topographically high features that can reduce vulnerability to storm-related flooding hazards. While the dominant aeolian, hydrodynamic, and ecological processes leading to dune growth and erosion are fairly well-understood, predictive capabilities of spatial variations in dune evolution on management and engineering timescales (days to years) remain relatively poor. In this work, monthly high-resolution terrestrial lidar scans were used to quantify topographic and vegetation changes over a 2.5 year period along a micro-tidal intermediate beach and dune. Three-dimensional topographic changes to the coastal landscape were used to investigate the relative importance of environmental, ecological, and morphological factors in controlling spatial and temporal variability in foredune growth patterns at two 50 m alongshore stretches of coast. Despite being separated by only 700 m in the alongshore, the two sites evolved differently over the study period. The northern dune retreated landward and lost volume, whereas the southern dune prograded and vertically accreted. At the start of and throughout the study, the erosive site had steeper foredune faces with less overall vegetation coverage, and dune growth varied spatially and temporally within the site. Deposition occurred mainly at or behind the vegetated dune crest and primarily during periods with strong, oblique winds (&gt, &sim, 45 ∘ from shore normal). Minimal deposition was observed on the mostly bare-sand dune face, except where patchy vegetation was present. In contrast, the response of the accretive site was more spatially uniform, with growth focused on the heavily vegetated foredune face. The largest differences in dune response between the two sections of dunes occurred during the fall storm season, when each of the systems&rsquo, geomorphic and ecological properties modulated dune growth patterns. These findings highlight the complex eco-morphodynamic feedback controlling dune dynamics across a range of spatial scales.

Coastal areas are an apprized environment by society that will continue to expand rapidly. Traditional coastal protection structures are commonly deployed to protect coastal areas endangered by natural extreme weather events. However, due to their limited efficiency and very high costs, more efficient and sustainable strategies to deal with coastal erosion are imperative. This research work focuses on the assessment of engineering solutions to mitigate and delay coastal erosion. Three different structure geometries (triangular prism shape, single detached breakwater and group of two detached breakwaters) are analysed on a realistic bathymetry, using a combination of numerical models (SWAN and XBeach) to study the influence of those structures on the coastal hydro- and morphodynamics. SWAN was used for hydrodynamics and XBeach for hydrodynamics and morphodynamics assessments. In addition, a comparison between SWAN and XBeach hydrodynamics results was also performed. Structures considered in this study have regular shaped geometries, and are characterized in terms of their efficiency regarding wave height and wave energy dissipation considering different wave regimes and performance in terms of longterm beach morphodynamic impact (sediments accumulation and erosion). The analysis is concentrated in two scenarios, one for low and the other for highly energetic hydrodynamics (the most challenging to coastal zones defence). The obtained results allowed classifying their performance in terms of the impact on wave energy and wave height dissipation, and sediment erosion/deposition patterns., This work is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [PhD grant number SFRH/BD/141381/2018]. The authors also acknowledge the support provided by the project EcOffShorBe – Eco Offshore Built Environment, n. 37417, R&D cores in Copromoção, 14/SI/2017, NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-037417, supported by ANI (FEDER).

Flash floods can cause great geomorphological changes in ephemeral fluvial systems and result in particularly severe damages for the unprepared population exposed to it. The flash flood in the Storelva river in Utvik (western Norway) on 24 July 2017 was witnessed and documented. This study assessed the causes and effects of the 2017 flood and provides valuable information for the calibration and validation of future modelling studies. The flooded area at peak discharge, maximum wetted and dry areas during the entire event, critical points and main flow paths were reconstructed using on-site and post-event (i) visual documentation, such as photographs and videos, and (ii) aerial surveying, such as orthophotographs and laser scanning, of the lowermost reach. The steep longitudinal slope together with the loose material forming the valley and riverbed contributed to a large amount of sediment transport during this extreme event. Steep rivers such as the Storelva river have very short response times to extreme hydrologic conditions, which calls for exhaustive monitoring and data collection in case of future events, as well as modelling tools that can emulate the hydro-morphodynamics observed during events such as the 2017 flash flood.

Coastal erosion at Saint Louis in Senegal is affecting the local population that consists of primarily fishermen communities in their housing and their access to the sea. This paper aims at quantifying urban beach erosion at Saint Louis, Senegal, West Africa which is located on the northern end of the 13 km long Langue de Barbarie sand spit. The coastal evolution is examined quantitatively over a yearly period using Pleiades sub-metric satellite imagery that allows for stereogrammetry to derive Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The comparison with ground truth data shows sub-metric differences to the satellite DEMs. Despite its interest in remote areas and developing countries that cannot count on regular surveys, the accuracy of the satellite-derived topography is in the same order as the coastal change itself, which emphasizes its current limitations. These 3D data are combined with decades-long regular Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery derived shorelines. These observations reveal that the sand spit is stretching, narrowing at its Northern part while it is lengthening downdrift Southward, independently from climatological changes in the wave regime. A parametric model based on a stochastic cyclic sand spit behaviour allows for predicting the next northern opening of a breach and the urban erosion at Saint Louis.

Beach scarps are commonly associated with nourishment. Large and persistent beach scarps not only affect the performance of beach nourishment, but also are safety hazards to tourists. In this study, the morphological evolution of beach scarps was examined at a nourished beach in a low-energy and micro-tidal environment. Topographic surveys of nine beach profiles were carried out every 3–6 months after nourishment, lasting for nearly 4.5 years, combined with observed and simulated hydrodynamic data. The results showed that beach scarps were extensively developed after nourishment and migrated landward gradually. The formation of beach scarps was attributed to the higher designed berm, while the migration was possibly initiated by the subsequent higher total water level connected with the irregular tides. However, scarps were completely removed by the first post-nourishment severe storm and had been long absent ever since although two other energetic storms approached. This was different from the result of previous studies, which could be attributed to the much gentler upper beach slope. These results highlighted that the first post-nourishment storm played a key role in the evolution of beach scarps at low-energy and micro-tidal nourished beaches. This study also proposed two methods of determining berm elevation in beach nourishment according to China’s experiences, which would be helpful for other countries’ beach nourishment projects.

The morphodynamic behaviour of low-energy beaches is poorly understood, compared to that of exposed coasts. This study analyses the morphological development of sandy, low-energy beaches and the steering hydrodynamic processes. Four densely-monitored study sites in the non-tidal lake Markermeer in the Netherlands offered a unique opportunity to examine the relation between their hydraulic boundary conditions and morphodynamics. Regular bathymetric surveys were executed at all locations. Furthermore, the wave climate was monitored at one of these four sites. All four sites exhibit a commonly found low-energy beach morphology, with a narrow beach face and a low-gradient, subaqueous platform. This platform reaches an equilibrium depth quickly and then stays relatively stable. The stable elevation of the platform is located near Hallermeier's depth of closure. A sediment budget analysis over time demonstrates that the beach faces at all study sites have eroded during more energetic periods, and sediment accumulated offshore. During the monitoring periods of 2 to 4 years, the elevation of the platforms reached an equilibrium, but other morphological dimensions are still developing. The new insights gained from this study enable the prediction of platform elevations along sandy beaches in low-energy, non-tidal environments, and have contributed to our insight in the underlying processes driving the morphological evolution.

Windblown sand flow interacts with a number of surface-mounted human-built obstacles. The wind-sand flow perturbation and resulting morphodynamic response of the sand bed cannot be assessed in analytical terms. Therefore, wind-sand tunnel studies around scale physical models are often carried out. They should be driven by physical similarity theory based on dimensionless numbers referred to the whole multiphase and multiscale flow. However, similarity requirements cannot be fully satisfied under typical testing conditions and attention should be paid on the extent of the similarity relaxation. In this study, the background of wind-sand tunnel testing of surface-mounted obstacles is recalled by reviewing wind tunnel setups and similarity requirements. Then, a wind-sand tunnel campaign on a Sand Mitigation Measure is described and critically discussed. The setup dimensionless numbers are compared with statistics on those of past studies. The inescapable relaxation of similarity requirements is motivated by the test goals. The time evolution towards in-equilibrium conditions of both sand bed morphodynamics and sand transport is discussed. Finally, the results of engineering interest are described: the Sand Mitigation Measure sand trapping performance is assessed in dimensionless terms through the measurements of the incoming and outgoing sand concentration in air.

Human interventions and climate change can heavily influence the large-scale morphological development of tidal basins. This has implications on sediment management strategies, as well as ecological and recreational purposes. Examples of heavily impacted tidal basins are those in the Western Dutch Wadden Sea. The closure of a large sub-basin in 1932 triggered a shift in the sediment budgets of the remaining basins, leading to sediment infilling that is still ongoing. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the post-closure sediment volumes, differentiating between sand and mud. Analysis of historical sediment composition data combined with bathymetry data revealed that the intervention caused a redistribution of sand and mud sedimentation. The responses of both sediment types differ spatially and temporally. The total infilling of the basins over the last century was substantially caused by mud (~32%, which is much larger than the average mud content in the bed). Initially, large mud volumes accreted in abandoned channels. At present, mud sedimentation along the mainland coast is still ongoing with nearly constant sedimentation rates over the past century, while the net import of sand significantly decreased over time and has been fluctuating around 0 over the last two decades. This research shows the importance of distinguishing between the response of sandy and muddy sediments when analysing the morphodynamic impact of an intervention, since they operate on different time and spatial scales. Sea level rise is currently a major threat for the existence of the Wadden Sea; its future fate will depend on whether the tidal flats are able to keep pace. Our results show that the supply of mud is sufficient to keep pace with the current sea level rise rates.

Underwater dunes are a morphological feature that are explored by marine scientists and coastal engineers alike. This study presents new methodologies in order to simplify bedform identification and morphodynamic analyses. Specifically, subaqueous compound dunes are decomposed with a simple yet extensive tracking algorithm, which relies on a repeated evaluation of unfiltered bed elevation profiles according to five predefined length classes. In a second step, morphological trends are assessed in the form of bed migration rates, bed slope asymmetries and net sediment changes, in which all parameters are referred to equidistant sections of the examined fairway stretch. This integrated approach not only avoids the challenges in weighting the varying size and abundance of dunes of different scales but also ensures comparability between dune-specific and areal parameters, which significantly improves the interpretation of the morphological setting as a whole. The developed methods are applied to the Outer Jade fairway, an anthropogenically influenced and regularly maintained waterway in the German Bight, and allow scrutiny of spatio-temporal trends in this region. Based on a unique data set of 100 sequential high-quality echo-sounding surveys, various types of bedforms are identified, comprising large-scale primary as well as superimposing secondary dunes that are assumed to interfere with each other. Temporal trends show a long-term rise of the troughs of major bedforms and constant maximum crest elevations near the official maintenance depth, which matches the observed long-term aggradation of sediments. The spatial distribution of integrated morphodynamic parameters reflects a previously described zone of primary dune convergence and facilitates the precise localization of this geophysical singularity. The presented findings both confirm the robustness of the proposed methodologies and, in return, enhance the understanding of morphological processes in the Outer Jade. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Coastal dunes have global importance as ecological habitats, recreational areas, and vital natural coastal protection. Dunes evolve due to variations in the supply and removal of sediment via both wind and waves, and on stabilization through vegetation colonization and growth. One aspect of dune evolution that is poorly understood is the longshore variation in dune response to morphodynamic forcing, which can occur over small spatial scales. In this paper, a fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is used to measure the longshore variation in evolution of a dune system in a megatidal environment. Dune sections to the east and west of the study site are prograding whereas the central portion is static or eroding. The measured variation in dune response is compared to mesoscale intertidal bar migration and short-term measurements of longshore variation in wave characteristics during two storms. Intertidal sand bar migration is measured using satellite imagery: crescentic intertidal bars are present in front of the accreting portion of the beach to the west and migrate onshore at a rate of 0.1–0.2 m/day; episodically the eastern end of the bar detaches from the main bar and migrates eastward to attach near the eastern end of the study area; bypassing the central eroding section. Statistically significant longshore variation in intertidal wave heights were measured using beachface mounted pressure transducers: the largest significant wave heights are found in front of the dune section suffering erosion. Spectral differences were noted with more narrow-banded spectra in this area but differences are not statistically significant. These observations demonstrate the importance of three-dimensionality in intertidal beach morphology on longshore variation in dune evolution; both through longshore variation in onshore sediment supply and through causing longshore variation in near-dune significant wave heights.

The lower shoreface provides the connection between the continental shelf and the shoreline via its onshore transition called the upper shoreface. Lower shorefaces are diverse, and range from bedrock-controlled, through sediment-starved to sediment-rich, siliciclastic, carbonate, low to high wave-energy, microtidal to macrotidal, and are variably affected by storm and wind-driven flows. The lower shoreface can be a repository for deposits of terrestrial origin, and a zone of active carbonate production. It can therefore be an important source of sediment for beaches, dunes, estuaries, and tidal basins. There has been progress in the ability to predict suspended sediment transport under non-breaking and shoaling waves across the lower shoreface. However, high-resolution measurement of sediment transport over unknown seabed configurations with unpredictable bed-level changes under hydrodynamic conditions that are unknown at the outset, and especially involving bedload transport, is still faced with significant challenges. Non-linear interactions between processes contributing to sediment transport render calculations and modelling of transport directions and magnitudes uncertain, and the spatial and temporal scales of transport are much larger than those of the upper shoreface. On the other hand, transport rates and morphological change may be much smaller on the lower shoreface compared to the upper shoreface. Another challenge is the upscaling of short-term measurements to explain the long-term morphological evolution of the lower shoreface. This limited understanding implies that current paradigms of lower shoreface dynamics based on morphological equilibrium and disequilibrium relative to the ocean-forcing conditions may be too simplistic, though possibly appropriate over long timescales (decades to millennia), and modelling work and prediction of change no more than exploratory. Over such long timescales, boundary conditions (sea level, wave climate) are likely to change. Making way forward on these issues is important for understanding the connectivity between the lower shoreface and beach recovery after major storm erosion, and for estimating coastal sediment budgets, short- to long-term coastal change and response to natural and anthropogenic perturbations. At geological timescales, the lower shoreface is a central element in tracking shoreline changes. Progress is needed in measuring sediment transport and upscaling to timescales compatible with lower shoreface change. It is also important to take advantage of on-going rapid progress in seabed and shallow stratigraphic mapping, bed-level changes, including remote-sensing approaches, for a better understanding of lower shoreface morphodynamics and sediment connectivity with the coast. This includes the now routine identification of large subaqueous bedforms, possibly ubiquitous features on the world's continental shelves, their mobility over time, and their potential link with the shoreline. The common relationship between fine sand, dissipative beaches and large aeolian dunes also poses the question of how fine sand is abundantly supplied from the lower shoreface, given the common perception that it is readily swept offshore on beaches. These multi-theme challenges need to be addressed in order to advance our understanding of the lower shoreface and its connectivity with the upper shoreface and beach.

A debate has called into question as to which fluvial channel patterns are most widely represented in the stratigraphic record, with some advocating that distributive fluvial systems (DFS) predominate and others that a broad diversity of fluvial styles may become preserved. Critical to both sides is the adequate recognition of original channel planform from geological outcrops separated from their formative processes by millions or even billions of years. In this study the river and rock record are linked through experimentally created DFSs with both aggrading channel beds and floodplains. This approach allows depositing processes and deposited strata to be studied in tandem. Proximal areas comprise coarse, amalgamated channel‐fills with scarce fine‐grained floodplain material. The overall spread of sandbody dimensions become far more varied in medial stretches, with an overall reduction in mean width and depth. In these areas channel‐fills may be sand‐rich or mud‐rich and, following avulsion, all channels are covered by floodplain sediment. Channels, levees and splays form discrete depositional bodies each with varying aspect ratios; a novel breadth of deposits and morphologies in aggrading experiments largely concurrent with proposed trends indicative of DFSs. The proportion of floodplain material increases distally, resulting in decreased interconnectedness of distal channel‐fills. Muddy floodplain sediments significantly change DFSs behaviour and subsequent stratigraphic architecture by enhancing bank stability and reducing avulsion through the filling of floodbasins. The laboratory methods utilised here open up the possibility of controlled experimentation on the effects and mechanisms of DFSs sedimentation, which is important since the modelled stratigraphic trends are rarely so tractable in ancient geological outcrop belts.

We performed laboratory experiments to describe and quantify the transport of sediment and the changes in the bed due to a generic translating monopolar vortex. Experiments were performed inside a water‐filled, square tank with a particle bed on the bottom and a vertical plate attached perpendicular to one of the sidewalls. The tank was placed on top of a rotating table to create the vortex by changing its rotation rate. This change created a current inside the tank that separated at the edge of the vertical plate, with the shear layer rolling up into a vortex. Once the vortex was formed, the table was promptly stopped. Sediment particles are brought into suspension and captured by the vortex, forming a conical region that moves with the vortex until the sediment resettles in the bed, changing the original bed morphology. Three different measurement techniques were used to obtain information about the flow velocities, the sediment in suspension, and the net changes in the bed. Changes in the bed morphology occur along the trajectory of the vortex, where a region of erosion is followed by a region of deposition. The strength of a vortex is the main parameter governing the capture and suspension of particles with similar characteristics. A power law relationship is found between the vortex strength and the net displaced particle volume. Experiments were also performed without sediment to determine if the presence of sediment could affect the vortex dynamics. However, a definitive answer requires more experiments to obtain reliable statistics.

Constraining the avulsion dynamics of rivers and submarine channels is essential for predicting the distribution of sediment, organic matter, and pollutants in alluvial, deltaic, and submarine settings. We create a geometric channel-belt framework relating channel, levee, and floodplain stratigraphy that allows comparative analysis of avulsion dynamics for rivers and submarine channels. We utilize 52 channel-overbank cross-sections within this framework to provide avulsion criteria for submarine channels, and how they differ from rivers. Superelevation and a new channel-floodplain coupling metric are two key parameters that control channel-belt thickness in both rivers and submarine channels. While rivers only superelevate 1 channel depth above the floodplain prior to avulsion, submarine channels are more stable during aggradation, with superelevation values commonly > 3 channel depths. Additionally, channel-floodplain coupling in rivers is often weak, with floodplain aggradation negligible compared to channel aggradation, making rivers avulsion-prone. However, floodplain aggradation is more significant for submarine channels, resulting in stronger channel-floodplain coupling and thus a decreased potential for avulsion. The combination of enhanced superelevation and strong channel-floodplain coupling results in submarine channel-belts that can be as thick as ∼10 channel depths, while fluvial channel belts are limited to 2 channel depths. Submarine channels are more stable because turbidity currents have ∼50x lower density contrast between flow and ambient fluid as compared to rivers. This density contrast creates far less potential energy for avulsion, despite the much greater relief of submarine levees compared to fluvial levees. The modern Amazon submarine channel showcases this stability, with a channel belt that is ∼5 channel-depths thick for more than 400 streamwise km, which is more than twice the superelevation that a river is capable of. We interpret that enhanced floodplain aggradation and levee aggradation (and thus superelevation) in submarine channel belts are promoted by unique submarine flow characteristics, including turbidity current overspill, flow-stripping, and hemipelagic processes. We emphasize that rivers and submarine channels display very different avulsion dynamics and frequencies, profoundly affecting the stratigraphic architecture of channel-belt and downstream distributary deposits.

Coastal areas accommodate a great part of large metropolises as they support a great amount of economic and leisure activities. The attraction of people to coastal zones is contributing to an intense and continuous urbanization of these areas, while the ecosystems are threatened by the increase of natural extreme weather events (e.g., intensity and duration of storms, floods), which interfere with local wave climate and changes in morphological beach characteristics. Protection of coastal zones predisposed to coastline recession, due to the action of high tides, high sediment transport deficit, and high wave energy, may involve various coastal structures to reduce or at least to mitigate coastal erosion problems. Many of the current coastal protections (notably groins, seawalls, and emerged breakwaters) were built with a single purpose, which was to protect at all costs without environmental or economic concerns, especially maintenance costs, or the negative consequences that such structures could cause up to considerable distances along the coast. The current concept of integrated coastal zone management presupposes studies involving other types of concerns and more actors in the decision-making process for the implementation of coastal works. In this context, multifunctional structures emerge and are increasingly frequent, such as the so-called multifunctional artificial reefs (MFARs), with the aim of improving leisure, fishing, diving, and other sporting activities, in addition to coastal protection. MFARs are in fact one of the latest concepts for coastal protection. Behind the search for more efficient and sustainable strategies to deal with coastal retreat, this study focused on a comparison between the performance of two traditional coastal protection solutions (submerged detached breakwater and emerged detached breakwater) and an MFAR on a particular coastal stretch. In order to analyse the hydro- (wave height and wave energy dissipation) and morphodynamics (sediment accumulation and erosion areas, and bed level) of the structures and beach interactions, two numerical models were used: SWAN (Simulation WAves Nearshore) for hydrodynamics and XBeach for hydrodynamics and morphodynamics. In addition, a comparison between SWAN and XBeach hydrodynamic results was also performed. From the simulations conducted by SWAN and XBeach, it can be concluded that amongst all structures, the emerged detached breakwater was the most efficient in reducing significant wave heights at a larger scale due to the fact that it constituted a higher obstacle to the incoming waves, and that, regarding both submerged structures (detached breakwater and the MFAR), the MFAR presented a more substantial shadow zone. Regarding morphodynamics, the obtained results presented favourable tendencies to sediment accretion near the shoreline, as well as at the inward areas for the three structures, especially for the emerged detached breakwater and for the MFAR in both wave directions. However, for the west wave direction, along the shoreline, substantial erosion was observed for both structures with more noticeable values for the emerged detached breakwater. For all the northwest wave direction scenarios, no noticeable erosion areas were visible along the shoreline. Overall, considering the balance of erosion and accretion rates, it can be concluded that for both wave predominance, the submerged detached breakwater and the MFAR presented better solutions regarding morphodynamics. The MFAR storm wave condition performed in XBeach indicated substantial erosion areas located around the structure, which added substantial changes in the bed level., This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), PhD grant number SFRH/BD/141381/2018

To relate hydrodynamic forcing and topographic response for a tide-dominated sandy beach, extensive field measurements were carried out in the intertidal zone. Hydrodynamics and beach topography were monitored during a total of 12 weeks at two different study sites: one with a featureless intertidal zone and one with intertidal bars. The results of both study sites indicate that the intertidal beach grows when wave steepness is small, whereas it erodes when wave steepness is large. Spring-neap variations in tidal current direction heavily distort this trend: strong spring tidal currents transport sediment away from the beach, resulting in enhanced erosion. Tide-induced beach volume changes are on the same order of magnitude as wave-induced changes. Besides waves and tides, the effect of variations in the amount of sediment supply is substantial, with enhanced accretion when the sediment supply is large. The effect of variations in sediment supply on the intertidal beach topography is subordinate to the effect of waves and tide, though. From this study, it is concluded that larger waves are primarily erosive, but they can also enhance the natural sediment supply. Furthermore, it is found that tidal currents can be equally important as waves in shaping the beach topography, especially during spring tide on macrotidal beaches.

International audience; Interactions between a patchy degraded Zostera noltei seagrass meadow and waves, currents, and sedimentary processes were analyzed from data obtained from a strongly wind-influenced micro-tidal brackish water lagoon in southeastern France. Measurements were conducted on offshore and foreshore morphology (topography, bathymetry), on hydrodynamics (waves, water levels, and currents) under different wind conditions within and outside the meadow, and on meadow biometry (shoot density, leaf length). The main impact of this patchy meadow on wind-wave transformations seems to be attenuation of waves further offshore than in the absence of vegetation. This attenuation is particularly notable above the meadow front edge, and is related to wave heights, water levels, and wave periods that are, in turn, dependent on wind intensity and fetch length. The data show that the patchy meadow does not attenuate small and short waves, especially when water levels are high, but is capable, like salt marshes and artificial seagrass, of attenuating relatively high and long waves. Notwithstanding its patchy and degraded character, the meadow also strongly influences the vertical distribution of currents. Whereas currents are strong and significantly influenced by wind and wind waves above the meadow, both waves and currents are dissipated in a transitional canopy-water layer. These wave and current modifications are reflected in the evolution of the seabed. Erosion and sedimentation are mainly controlled by the hydrodynamics but the seasonal state of the meadow plays a role by modulating the hydrodynamics. These substrate changes are, important, in turn, in influencing protection of the shoreline.

To obtain site-specific wave and wind climate averaged sand wave dynamics, we combine an idealized linear stability model with 20 years of wave and wind data taken from the Euro Platform in the North Sea. The model output results in a wave and wind climate-averaged growth and migration rate. The results show that waves and wind affect particularly migration and to a much smaller extent the growth rate. Seasonal variations in wave and wind conditions during winter and summer periods result in seasonal variations in sand wave dynamics, in particular during winter the migration rate is larger, the growth rates are lower and the preferred wavelength is larger compared to summer. Medium wave and wind conditions are responsible for two thirds of the migration rate, while these conditions occur roughly only one third of the time. Extreme wave and wind conditions result in only a moderate contribution to the migration rate. Furthermore, we see a seasonal variation in migration as well as reasonable correlation with observed migration rates for the intervals between surveys in the period 1996–2010. Our work shows that storms are able to affect sand wave migration, and cause variability in migration rate.

Morphodynamics of world's river deltas are increasingly affected by human activities, which are of great ecological, economic and social implications. However, impacts of human interventions in deltaic regions are insufficientlyunderstood, especially superimposed upon diminishing sediment supplies. This study uses the heavily interfered Yangtze River delta as an example to address this issue. The morphodynamic impacts of the Deepwater Navigation Channel Project (DNCP) during 1997–2013 are investigated through process-basedmodeling approach (Delft3D) and bathymetric data analysis. The DNCP was implemented in the mouth bar area of the Yangtze River delta including the twin dikes and 19 groynes with the total length of 132.0 km. Hydrodynamic simulations indicate that the training walls resulted in weaker tidal flow and longer slack period at the East Hengsha Shoal (EHS) and stronger tidal flow at the subaqueous delta. Thus, the EHS is characterized as a sediment accumulation zone after the completion of the training walls. Subsequently, morphologicalmodeling shows enhanced accretion at the EHS and enhanced erosion at the subaqueous delta when the training walls are taken into account. Numerical experiments further demonstrate that the above changes are mainly attributed to the seaward half of the northern training walls constructed in 2002–2005. This is probably the reason for the observed accretion peak of the EHS in 2002–2007 and the gradual increase in the erosion rate of the subaqueous delta after 2002. The schematized paths of sediment transport after the DNCP indicate thatsediment eroded from the subaqueous delta serves as an important source for accretion of the mouth bar area. It is suggested that siltation promoting projects within the mouth bar area increased shallow shoal accretion and aggravated erosion at the subaqueous delta. With the overall erosion of the Yangtze River delta due to river sediment reduction, large-scale estuarine engineering projects substantially increase the complicacy of its morphodynamic pattern, which merits close attention for sustainable delta management.

Assessing the impact of changes on the environment driven by natural or anthropogenic forcers includes the comparison between antecedent and post-event conditions. The latter is particularly relevant in order to better understand to which extent those changes actually impact or alter a particular environment and associated services and to determine the resilience of a system. In this regard, it becomes essential to create or provide databases to inform about baseline conditions. Here, we present a database that integrates surficial sediment samples collected and analysed for textural characterization within the framework of a series of research projects over circa 20 years. Collected samples along the south-western Atlantic margin of the Iberian Peninsula extend from estuaries and beaches to the adjacent continental shelf. For the case of the more dynamic environments, namely coastal sandy barriers, samples were repeated over time in order to capture the intrinsic variability of the system. Examples of the utility of this data set for a variety of purposes and environments are also included within this paper through three examples. Therefore, here we show the added value of the database as it can be used to assess the impact of a particular event or activity at an estuary by providing baseline conditions, evaluate the continental shelf sediment suitability for nourishment activities, or contribute to the understanding of the morphodynamics and classification of beaches. Finally, it is worth stating the importance of such databases to analyse medium- to long-term variability as the one induced by sea level rise, changes in storminess, or human activities. The open-access data presented here are at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.883104.

Coastal environment is affected by diverse human and natural activities, more than any other natural environment. The main aim of this study is to examine shoreline dynamics of the sandy beach of Mazatlán, a medium-sized tropical coastal city in north-west Mexico. This paper specifically investigates the shoreline change as impacted by natural and anthropogenic interferences on the Mazatlán coastline. The mean high water (MHW) shoreline positions were extracted from Landsat Images (2012–2016) and a 2016 GPS field survey data. Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was then used to investigate the dynamics of the extracted shoreline movements and the relative changes. Results showed that 96% of the coastline is undergoing yearly small-scale erosion at two distinct rates. The first at −1.9 ± 0.9 m year−1 and the other at −1.4 ± 0.2 m year−1, which are noted at Cerritos and other sections of the coastline, respectively. Changes in the coastal behaviour, here, are attributed widely to suspected sea level rise; increasing tidal range in the region; and the lack of or inadequate accommodation space for sediment movement occasioned by landed assets alongshore. These factors are not only encouraging erosion but also causing the depreciation of landward assets.

Island beaches, which form significant natural and economic resources, are under increasing erosion risk due to sea level rise. The present contribution proposes an integrated methodological framework for the evaluation of the socio-economic significance of beaches and their vulnerability to sea level rise and the design of effective adaptation measures. The approach comprises four steps: (i) beach ranking on the basis of their socio-economic significance and vulnerability in order to prioritize adaptation responses, (ii) monitoring of the hydro- and morphodynamic regime of the most highly ranking beaches using field observations and modelling, (iii) assessment of the sediment volumes required for beach nourishment under different scenarios of sea level rise and nourishment designs, (iv) evaluation of the marine aggregate potential of the adjacent areas that can be used for beach nourishment. The framework was applied to the Greek island of Chios, which has many beaches that are already under erosion. The methodology was shown to provide a structured approach for the assessment and response to erosion of the most vulnerable beach.

The widespread distribution of tidal creeks and channels that undertake meandering behaviour in modern coasts contrasts with their limited documentation in the fossil record, where point-bar elements arising from the interaction between a mix of both fluvial and tidal currents are mainly documented. The sedimentary products of tidal-channel bend evolution are relatively poorly known, and few studies have focused previously on specific facies models for tidal point bars present in modern settings. The present study improves understanding of tidal-channel meander bends through a multidisciplinary approach that combines analyses of historical aerial photographs, measurements of in-channel flow velocity, high-resolution facies analyses of sedimentary cores and three-dimensional architectural modelling. The studied channel bend (12 to 15 m wide and 2 to 3 m deep) drains a salt-marsh area located in the north-eastern sector of the microtidal Venice Lagoon, Italy. Historical photographs show that, during the past 77 years, the bend has translated seaward ca 15 m. Results show that the channel bend formed on a non-vegetated mud flat that was progressively colonized by vegetation. Seaward translation occurred under aggradational conditions, with an overall migration rate of 0.2 to 0.3 m/year, and was promoted by the occurrence of cohesive, poorly erodible outer bank deposits. Ebb currents are dominant, and translation of the channel bend promotes erosion and deposition along the landward and seaward side of the bar, respectively. Tidal currents show a clear asymmetry in terms of velocity distribution, and their offset pattern provides a peculiar grain-size distribution within the bar. During the flood stage, sand sedimentation occurs in the upper part of the bar, where the maximum flow velocity occurs. During the ebb stage, the bar experiences the secondary helical flow that accumulates sand at the toe of the bar. Lateral stacking of flood and ebb deposits has caused the formation of localized coarsening-upward and fining-upward sedimentary packages, respectively. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Net sediment transport in tidal basins is a subtle imbalance between large fluxes produced by the flood/ebb alternation. The imbalance arises from several mechanisms of suspended transport. Lag effects and tidal asymmetries are regarded as dominant, but defined in different frames of reference (Lagrangian and Eulerian, respectively). A quantitative ranking of their effectiveness is therefore missing. Furthermore, although wind waves are recognized as crucial for tidal flats' morphodynamics, a systematic analysis of the interaction with tidal mechanisms has not been carried out so far. We review the tide-induced barotropic mechanisms and discuss the shortcomings of their current classification for numerical process-based models. Hence, we conceive a unified Eulerian framework accounting for wave-induced resuspension. A new methodology is proposed to decompose the sediment fluxes accordingly, which is applicable without needing (semi-) analytical approximations. The approach is tested with a one-dimensional model of the Vlie basin, Wadden Sea (The Netherlands). Results show that lag-driven transport is dominant for the finer fractions (silt and mud). In absence of waves, net sediment fluxes are landward and spatial (advective) lag effects are dominant. In presence of waves, sediment can be exported from the tidal flats and temporal (local) lag effects are dominant. Conversely, sand transport is dominated by the asymmetry of peak ebb/flood velocities. We show that the direction of lag-driven transport can be estimated by the gradient of hydrodynamic energy. In agreement with previous studies, our results support the conceptualization of tidal flats' equilibrium as a simplified balance between tidal mechanisms and wave resuspension.

Modeling unsteady windblown sand dynamics requires not only treatment of the sand present in the air as a suspended constituent of a mixture but also consideration of erosion and sedimentation phenomena and consequently of the morphodynamic evolution of the sand-bed surface, including avalanching, especially in the presence of natural or human-built obstacles, artifacts, and infrastructures. With this aim in mind, we present a comprehensive multiphase model capable of accurately simulating all the physical phenomena mentioned above, producing satisfactory results, with reasonable computational effort. As test cases, two- and three-dimensional simulations of dune evolution are reported, as is windblown sand transport over a straight vertical wall. Examples of sand transport around other obstacles are given to show the flexibility of the model and its usefulness for such engineering applications.

Estuarine sediment dynamics are a consequence of various forcings (barotropic, estuarine circulation, and fluvial) that vary in space and time. Here, we present a study examining sediment dynamics in a narrow microtidal estuary, the Lower Passaic River in New Jersey, USA. The analysis incorporates measurements of suspended sediments, morphological change, sediment erodibility, and a numerical hydrodynamic model. The former two datasets are used to develop an understanding of sediment dynamics over the full range of hydrologic conditions, and the latter two datasets are used to interpret the behavior of the system. Subsequently, a conceptual picture is developed, one that classifies the morphological status of the system at any given time into three regimes dependent on river flow—regime I includes conditions when the system is importing sediments, regime II includes conditions when the system is exporting sediments by flushing a thin easily erodible surficial stratum termed the fluff layer, and regime III includes conditions when the system is exporting sediments by scouring more consolidated strata underneath the fluff layer. Regime III is relevant for the long-term morphodynamic equilibrium of the estuary by providing a mechanism that erodes and exports sediment accumulated under regime I conditions. Consequently, sediment dynamics depend not only on short time-scale processes such as the instantaneous river flow rate, but also on the time-history of river flow, and the long-term morphological progression of the system. These regimes represent a conceptualization of estuarine sediment transport dynamics and can be useful in the development of effective estuarine sediment management strategies.

This editorial regards a Special Issue of Water on river training. It introduces five papers in a framework of history, fundamentals, case studies and future. Four papers result from decades of experience with innovation, planning, design and implementation of river training works on rivers in Colombia, the Rhine branches in the Netherlands and the Brahmaputra-Jamuna River in Bangladesh. A fifth paper reviews the state-of-the-art in predicting and influencing the formation and behavior of river bars. The editorial argues that the future lies in more flexible river training, using a mix of innovative permanent structures and recurrent interventions such as dredging, sediment nourishment, vegetation management and low-cost temporary structures.

Beach scarps are nearly vertical seaward facing sandy cliffs within the cross-shore beach profile. These features are often associated with eroding (nourished) coastlines and can reach heights of O(2–3 m). An analysis of a six-year dataset of beach scarp presence at the nourished Sand Engine beach shows that the formation of beach scarps at the nourishment is linked to mildly erosive (summer storm) conditions, whereas destruction is often related to extremely erosive (winter storm) conditions. Additional experiments were carried out showing the formation, migration, and destruction of scarps from artificially constructed mounds with linear slopes. The field experiments show that steep initial slopes are more susceptible to beach scarp formation. Video observations at these experiments show that the scarp toe level, where the vertical slope meets the gently sloping beach, is related to the high wave runup events. The commonly used 2% exceedance wave runup estimates can therefore be used to predict the final elevation of the scarp toe. The strong connection of maximum runup elevation with the scarp toe elevation provides a direct relation between the final scarp height through nourishment platform height and hydrodynamic conditions. High platform nourishments will promote the formation of beach scarps and steep initial profiles increase the speed at which scarps form. This study suggests that by adjusting the design of beach nourishments, beach scarp formation and persistency can be limited by regulating the natural destruction of these features.

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.

Barrier island response to sea‐level rise depends on their ability to transgress and move sediment onto and behind the barrier, either through flood‐tidal delta deposition or via overwash. Our understanding of these processes over decadal or longer timescales, however, is limited. Here we use a recently developed barrier island model (BRIE) to better understand the interplay between tidal dynamics, overwash fluxes, and sea‐level rise on barrier coasts and barrier island stratigraphy. Model results suggest that in microtidal environments with large alongshore sediment transport fluxes, tidal inlets are ephemeral and migrate rapidly. These conditions lead to effective deposition of flood‐tidal deltas and allow inlets to constitute most of the landward sediment flux. Whether barrier islands can survive sea‐level rise depends on the combined landward sediment flux from overwash and flood‐tidal delta deposition, likely making barrier islands with artificially stabilized inlets (via jetty construction or maintenance dredging) more vulnerable to sea‐level rise.

International audience; Coastlines are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and sea-level rise as well as modifications in the wave climate and, in particular, increased storminess. The coastal areas of islands form part of this scenario and the Martinique shoreline illustrates this intensification of shoreline retreat and coastal erosion. In the context of this critical situation, a coastal observation network was set up in 2010 to monitor the evolution of the coast of Martinique. This network includes 28 beaches along the coast of Martinique and is based on studies of shoreline evolution using aerial photographs and topographic surveys of 71 cross-shore transects. The main aim of this network is to characterize the modal and seasonal dynamics of these vulnerable beaches and to estimate their resilience capacity and trends in the context of the increasing frequency of hurricanes. Analysis of the measurements over the last ten years highlights a general acceleration of the shoreline retreat. Furthermore, in terms of seasonal coastal evolution processes, the results clearly show the weak effect of the longshore sediment transport component on the open beaches of Martinique Island. However, a predominant cross-shore sediment transport component is observed on smaler bay beaches, which represent the most numerous beach type on the island (including several pocket beaches). On the short-term scale, the results of hydrodynamic and morphodynamic measurements highlight variable and intensive beach dynamic responses with a determining role played by shoreface parameters and coral-lagoon complexes. While cyclones have a significant impact on reducing the slope of beach profiles, our measurements reveal a significant resilience of eroded beaches owing to constructive swell. We also demonstrate that the hurricane season is not the season with the strongest morphosedimentary impacts. This almost ten-year-old observation network, provides an overview of shoreline evolution on Martinique and is an efficient management tool for the Lesser Antilles coastal environments.

This study presents the results of LiDAR surveys, spanning 15 years (2002-2017), of the shallow inner sector of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, a megatidal embayment in Normandy, France, and a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its monastery. The objective of these surveys was to obtain a better understanding of the morphodynamic processes in this megatidal environment. The campaign has highlighted the circumstances and very short timescales at which changes occur in the channel configuration of the inner bay. It has also been demonstrated the high variability of sediment import and export, which involves not only the tide, but also wind speed and direction. Part of the variability is also related to fluctuations in river discharges into the bay. Since 2009, engineering works have been carried out in the bay. These are aimed at re-establishing the maritime character of the bay around the granite outcrop (Mont-Saint-Michel) on which was built the monastery, and which was increasingly subject to accretion. The main channel of the inner bay shifted recently to a more southward position than observed during the past decades. Yet, from the topographic LiDAR data up to May 2017, it is presently not possible to identify the influence of the engineering works on sedimentation processes beyond a limited zone around the Mont. However, the pursuit of LiDAR surveys is necessary in order to determine whether, in the course of the next decade, the North-South migrations of the See-Selune channel induced by the 18.6 y nodal cycle are affected or not by these works.

The role of morphodynamic features such as grain size, swash climate and wave action on the macrofauna of beaches are well-known. However, few studies have investigated natural disturbances as potential drivers of temporal community variations. In southeastern Brazil, we sampled the intertidal macrofauna of two sandy beaches to test whether seasonal disturbances as the frequency of storm wave events (SWE) and rainfall have significant influence on their composition and abundance. The macrofauna assemblage differed significantly between the rainy and the dry seasons, but rainfall was not the main driver of community changes, although both beaches are in the vicinity of extensive river plumes. Actually, SWE explained most macrofauna richness overtime, with positive effects. Our results point to the importance of learning more about the effects of poorly studied disturbances on macrofaunal communities, and based on them we strongly recommend including these seasonal phenomena when monitoring sandy beaches.

Foredunes are important features within coastal landscapes, yet there are relatively few medium to long-term studies on how they evolve and change over time. This study of Australia&rsquo, s New South Wales (NSW) foredunes has used 70 years of aerial photographs (or photogrammetry) and recent Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) datasets to assess multi-decadal fluctuations in foredune morphology. It was shown that over the past 70 years NSW foredunes have exhibited considerable spatial variation, ranging from accretion/aggradation to recession. Those sites that accreted predominantly extended seaward as new incipient dunes, gaining a maximum of 235 m3 m&minus, 1 in sand volume over the study period (for the entire dune system). These sites were commonly found in the north of the state, within closed sediment compartments, and with strong onshore (and alongshore) wind climates present (increasing the potential for aeolian sand transport). Stable foredunes were those that remained within +/&minus, 50 m3 m&minus, 1 of their initial volume and managed to recover from the various storm impacts over the study period. The majority of these sites were found within the central to southern half of the state, behind embayed beaches, and within leaky sediment compartments, or those that have estuarine sinks. Finally, those foredunes in recession have retreated landwards and/or have reduced in height or width, and lost up to 437 m3 m&minus, 1 of sand volume over the study period. There was no clear spatial trend for these sites, however, generally they were found in compartments that had unusual orientations, had disruptions in longshore drift/cross shore sand delivery (i.e., rocky reefs), or were being impacted by humans (i.e., the installation of river training walls, sand bypassing systems, or coastal management programs). This study has shown that NSW foredunes have undergone substantial recent changes and, by understanding their past history, will provide better insight into how they can be managed into the future.

Shipping fairways in estuaries are continuously dredged to maintain access for large vessels to major ports. However, several estuaries worldwide show adverse side effects to dredging activities, in particular affecting morphology and ecologically valuable habitats. We used physical scale experiments, field assessments of the Western Scheldt estuary (the Netherlands), and morphodynamic model runs to analyse the effects of dredging and future stresses (climate and sediment management) on a multi-channel system and its ecologically valuable intertidal flats. All methods indicate that dredging and disposal strategies are unfavourable to long-term morphology because dredging creates and propagates the imbalance between shallow and deeper parts of the estuary, causing a loss of valuable connecting channels and fixation of the tidal flats and main channel positions, while countering adverse effects by disposal strategy has limited effectiveness. Changing the disposal strategy towards main channel scour disposal can be economically and ecologically beneficial for the preservation of the multi-channel system. Further channel deepening will accelerate the adverse side effects, whereas future sea-level rise may revive the multi-channel system.

Feedbacks between woody plants and fluvial morphodynamics result in co-development of riparian vegetation communities and channel form. To advance mechanistic knowledge regarding these interactions, we measured the response of topography and flow to the presence of riparian tree seedlings with contrasting morphologies in an experimental, field-scale, meandering stream channel with a mobile sand bed. On a convex point bar, we installed seedlings of Tamarix spp. (tamarisk) and Populus fremontii (cottonwood) with intact roots and simulated a bankfull flood, with each of eight runs varying sediment supply, plant density, and plant species. Vegetation reduced turbulence and velocities on the bar relative to bare-bed conditions, inducing sediment deposition when vegetation was present, regardless of vegetation density or species. Sediment supply also played a dominant role, and eliminating sediment supply reduced deposition regardless of the presence of vegetation. Unexpectedly, plant density and species architecture (shrubby tamarisk versus single-stemmed cottonwood) had only a secondary influence on hydraulics and sediment transport. In the absence of plants, mobile bedforms were prominent across the bar, but vegetation of all types decreased the height and lateral extent of bedforms migrating across the bar, suggesting a mechanism by which vegetation modulates feedbacks among sediment transport, topography, and hydraulics. Our measurements and resulting insights bridge the gap between laboratory conditions and real dryland sand-bed rivers and motivate further morphodynamic modeling.

River deltas have received considerable attention due to coastal land loss issues caused by subsidence, storms, and sea level rise. Improved understanding of deltaic processes and dynamics is vital to coastal restoration efforts. This paper describes the application of process-based morphodynamic models to a prograding river delta. The analysis focuses on the flow and sediment dynamics amongst the interconnected channel network of the delta. The models were validated against observations of velocity and sediment concentrations for the Wax Lake Delta (WLD) of the Atchafalaya River system in Louisiana, USA. The WLD provides an opportunity as a natural laboratory for studying the processes associated with river dominated deltaic growth. It includes a network of bifurcated channels that self-organize and dynamically adjust, as the delta grows seaward to the Gulf of Mexico. The model results for a flood event show that 47% of the flow exits the system as channelized flow and the remaining 53% exits as overbank flow. The fine sediment (silt and clay) distribution was proportional with water fluxes throughout the channel network, whereas sand distribution was influenced by geometric attributes (size, invert elevation, and alignment) of the distributary channels. The long-term deltaic growth predicted by the model compares well with the observations for the period 1998–2012. This paper provides insights on how the distribution of flow and sediment amongst the interconnected delta channels influences the morphodynamics of the delta to reach a dynamic equilibrium within this relatively young deltaic system.

Natural formations of rock and coral can support geologically controlled beaches, where the beach dynamics are significantly influenced by these structures. However, little is known about how alongshore variations in geological controls influence beach morphodynamics. Therefore, in this study we focus on the storm response of a beach (Yanchep in south Western Australia) that has strong alongshore variation in the level of geological control because of the heterogeneous calcarenite limestone reef. We used a modified version of XBeach to simulate the beach morphodynamics during a significant winter storm event. We find that the longshore variation in topography of the reef resulted in: (1) strong spatial difference in current distribution, including areas with strong currents jets, and (2) significant alongshore differences in sand flux, with larger fluxes in areas strongly geologically controlled by reefs. In particular, this resulted in enhanced beach erosion at the boundary of the reef where strong currents jet-exited the nearshore.