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Quantitative predictions of marine and aeolian sediment transport in the nearshore–beach–dune system are important for designing Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in coastal environments. To quantify the impact of the marine-aeolian interactions on shaping NBS, we present a framework coupling three existing process-based models: Delft3D Flexible Mesh, SWAN and AeoLiS. This framework facilitates the continuous exchange of bed levels, water levels and wave properties between numerical models focussing on the aeolian and marine domain. The coupled model is used to simulate the morphodynamic evolution of the Sand Engine mega-nourishment. Results display good agreement with the observed aeolian and marine volumetric developments, showing similar marine-driven erosion from the main peninsula and aeolian-driven infilling of the dune lake. To estimate the magnitude of the interactions between aeolian and marine processes, a comparison between the simulated morphological development by the coupled and stand-alone models was made. This comparison shows that aeolian sediment transport to the foredune, i.e. 214,000 m3 over 5 years, extracts sediment from the marine domain. As a result, the alongshore redistribution of sediment from the main peninsula by marine-driven processes decreased by 70,000 m3, representing 1.7% of the total marine-driven dispersion. From the aeolian perspective, marine-driven deposition and erosion reshape the cross-shore profile, controlling the supply-limited aeolian sediment transport and the magnitude of sediment deposition in the foredunes. In the region with persistent accretion along the Sand Engine's southern flank, a higher than average foredune deposition was predicted due to morphological development of the region where sediment is picked up by aeolian transport. Including these marine processes in the coupled model resulted in an increase of 1.3% in foredune growth in year 1 and up to 6.7% in year 5 along this accretive se, Hydraulic Engineering, Coastal Engineering

Nearshore hydro- and morphodynamic data were collected during a field experiment under calm conditions, moderate conditions, and storm conditions with dune erosion in the collision regime. The experiment was conducted on the Sand Engine near Kijkduin, the Netherlands, from October 18, 2021, to January 7, 2022. Two artificial unvegetated dunes were constructed just above the high water line to measure storm erosion and dune impacts from higher water levels and waves. During the experiment, three storms occurred that resulted in significant erosion of both dunes. The collected hydrodynamic data include pressure sensor and velocimeter data along two cross-shore transects. The collected morphodynamic data include bathymetry and topography surveys, optical backscatter sensor data in the inner surf zone, and a continuous cross-shore line-scanning lidar data set of the dune face. This comprehensive data set can be used to (1) study relevant nearshore hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes that occur during calm conditions, moderate conditions, and storm conditions with dune erosion in the collision regime, and (2) validate existing dune erosion models., Coastal Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics

A field experiment to study dune erosion was conducted on the Sand Engine near Kijkduin, the Netherlands, from November 7th 2021 to January 7th 2022. Two artificial unvegetated dunes were constructed near the high water line, and experienced significant erosion through avalanching during three storms. This paper aims to identify what drives dune erosion through avalanching by using the collected data and equilibrium theory. Results suggest that the cumulative volume eroded through avalanching during a single high water is positively correlated with the profile mismatch between the pre-storm profile and a ‘storm equilibrium profile’, described by a 2/3rd power law, an empirical coefficient A, and the total water level. This mismatch is quantified by calculating the area integral of the profile that is acquired when the upper 35 m of the pre-storm profile is subtracted from the upper 35 m of the equilibrium profile. Avalanching commences when this mismatch becomes larger than approximately 0, after which 1 m3/m of sediment erodes from the dune face for every 3 m3/m mismatch. In addition, during one event avalanching occurred even though the elevation of the total water level did not exceed the initial elevation of the dune toe. This implies that a total water level that exceeds the initial elevation of the dune toe is not a requisite for avalanching and a collision regime to occur, which contradicts conventional definitions of dune erosion regimes. These results have implications on risk assessment of storm conditions on dune erosion., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Coastal Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics

Storm conditions can lead to excessive dune erosion with potential floods as a consequence. Barrier islands and low-lying countries protected by dunes are especially vulnerable to dune erosion. To properly assess the risks these areas face, a clear understanding of the physical processes during dune erosion is required. One of such processes is the effect of wave obliquity on sediment transport in the surf zone. Classic dune erosion models assume that dune erosion volumes decrease under oblique wave attack, because the time-averaged cross-shore undertow decreases in magnitude and with that offshore directed sediment transport decreases (Steetzel, 1993). More recent process-based erosion models predict an increase in erosion quantities, because the generated longshore currents increase surf zone sediment concentrations, and with that offshore directed sediment transport increases (Den Heijer, 2013). The main objective of this study is to analyse the effect of wave obliquity on dune erosion through a field experiment, by quantifying the effect of the decreasing undertow but increasing alongshore current on sediment concentrations in the surf zone., Coastal Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Infragravity (IG) waves are key drivers for coastal erosion and thus need to be properly included in process-based modelling of coastal hazards. Uncertainties remain regarding the offshore boundary conditions for these long waves. Typically, only bound IG waves are included at the boundary, which means that the possible contribution of free IG waves, such as those radiated from distant coastlines, is neglected. Recent studies however suggest that incoming free IG waves could be significant, particularly in semi-enclosed basins such as the North Sea where they could contribute to coastal hazards (e.g., Reniers et al., 2021, Rijnsdorp et al. 2021). The objective of this work is to improve the understanding of the incoming IG wave field along the Dutch coast. We will quantify how bound and free IG waves develop in intermediate water depths and assess in which conditions (onshore directed) free IG waves become significant., Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Coastal Engineering

Fractionation of digesta, as occurs during gastrointestinal transit in chickens, complicates accurate measurements of ileal digestibility using tracers. Dual-tracer methods using separate tracers for solid and fluid digesta phases may improve the accuracy of digestibility measurements when assumptions of the single tracer method are violated. The aim of the present study was to compare the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients calculated with single- and dual-tracer methods in chickens fed diets varying in particle size, anticipating digesta phase separation in the proximal gastrointestinal tract. A total of 112 Dekalb White (BW: 1.53 ± 0.107 kg) and 112 Bovans Black (BW: 1.79 ± 0.127 kg) 29-week-old laying hens were distributed over 32 pens (seven birds/pen). Within breed, pens were randomly assigned to one of two experimental diets (coarse vs fine oat hulls; n = 8 replicate pens per diet/breed combination). Diets were supplemented with TiO2 (3 g/kg) and Co-EDTA (2 g/kg). On days 34, 35, or 36, birds were euthanised and digesta from the ileum was collected for tracer and nutrient analyses. Apparent ileal digestibility was subsequently calculated by single- and dual-tracer methods. Although coarse oat hulls were hypothesised to increase the fractionation of solid and fluid digesta phases, no breed or diet × method interactions were found. Using a single tracer method based on TiO2, AID of nitrogen (N) was overestimated by 3%-units (P < 0.01) compared with the dual-tracer method, whereas AID estimates of DM, starch, fat, and non-starch polysaccharides did not differ (P > 0.09) and precision of all AID estimates was improved. In conclusion, these results show that although from a conceptual perspective, dual-tracer methods are presumed to better account for the variation in flow behaviour of different digesta phases, AID estimates obtained by the commonly used single tracer method using solid-phase tracer TiO2 were more precise and only marginally differed f

Dune erosion during storm surges can lead to excessive damage to the dune system with devastating floods as a potential consequence. A risk assessment of areas protected by dunes can be facilitated by an understanding and description of the physical processes that take place. Field measurements, knowledge of underlying processes and numerical modelling have developed with time, which enabled a more comprehensive description and new predictive techniques. This review concerns dune erosion in the collision regime, and summarises relevant observations, describes underlying processes and explains existing models predicting dune erosion. Observations of dune erosion consist of field observations, laboratory experiments and manipulative field campaigns. The underlying physical processes that contribute to dune erosion are divided into processes that contribute to sediment transport due to hydrodynamic forcing, which occurs in the surf and swash zone, and sediment transport due to avalanching, which occurs in the swash zone, on the dune face and on the dune crest. The existing dune erosion models that are discussed here contain (empirical) equilibrium profile models and process-based models, which can both be a valuable tool for the risk assessment of storm surges. However, model uncertainties still remain, as specific processes are not yet fully understood and described. Examples are the influences of wave obliquity, sediment grain size, and vegetation on the dune face. By improving our knowledge through research and reducing these uncertainties, we can further improve our predictive models. This could eventually lead to more accurate predictions, more complete risk assessments, and sandy coastlines which are more resilient to excessive dune erosion and possible floods., Coastal Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulic Engineering

A model that simulates surface moisture content on sandy beaches for aeolian transport applications is developed and integrated into the aeolian transport model AeoLiS. The moisture content of a thin surface layer (≈2 mm thickness) is computed as a function of wave runup, precipitation, evaporation, percolation, and capillary rise from the groundwater table. The groundwater table is simulated using a modified Boussinesq equation accounting for the overheight due to wave runup. The surface moisture due to capillary rise is simulated with an experimentally determined soil water retention (SWR) curve of the “van Genuchten” type. Hysteresis is accounted for by differentiating between SWR curves for drying and wetting conditions. The model is tested against a data set of 221 point observations of surface moisture from Noordwijk beach in the Netherlands. The measured surface moisture within the study area displays large spatial and temporal variability. The model results display an expected cross-shore gradient of moisture content, but also a large scatter when compared to the data. The scatter may partly be explained by local variability of hydraulic properties that are not accounted for within the model. Despite the scatter, the proposed surface moisture model is a starting point to integrate the transport limiting effect of surface moisture into meso-scale aeolian transport models. To facilitate model setup and the use of this surface moisture model, the soil water retention data from 10 beaches with variable grain size characteristics are provided in this study. Future studies may focus on additional model validation against data sets with variable meteorological conditions and simultaneous moisture and aeolian transport observations., Coastal Engineering

Grain size affects the rates of aeolian sediment transport on beaches. Sediment in coastal environments typically consists of multiple grain-size fractions and exhibits spatiotemporal variations. Still, conceptual and numerical aeolian transport models are simplified and often only include a single fraction that is constant over the model domain. It is unclear to what extent this simplification is valid and if the inclusion of multi-fraction transport and spatial grain-size variations affects aeolian sediment transport simulations and predictions of coastal dune development. This study applies the numerical aeolian sediment transport model AeoLiS to compare single-fraction to multi-fraction approaches for a range of grain-size distributions and spatial grain-size scenarios. The results show that on timescales of days to years, single-fraction simulations with the median grain size, D50, often give similar results to multi-fraction simulations, provided the wind is able to mobilize all fractions within that time frame. On these timescales, vertical variability in grain size has a limited effect on total transport rates, but it does influence the simulation results on minute timescales. Horizontal grain-size variability influences both the total transport rates and the downwind bed grain-size composition. The results provide new insights into the influence of beach sediment composition and spatial variability on total transport rates toward the dunes. The findings of this study can guide the implementation of grain-size variability in numerical aeolian sediment transport models., Coastal Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics

Due to the growing demand for food, the availability of starch-rich ingredients (e.g. feed grade cereals), whose areal can be used for producing food, is expect to decline. In turn, the use of co-products, from food- and biofuel industry, is expected to increase in livestock feed. However, these co-products are fibre-rich and can negatively affect pellet manufacturing, by reducing pellet quality and increasing energy costs. The thermomechanical properties of feed mashes are considered to be important for agglomeration processes, but its relation to feed composition and its role in pellet manufacturing is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fibrous co-product inclusion in feed mashes on their thermomechanical properties and subsequent effects on pellet manufacturing. Treatment mashes were formulated to contain 700 g/kg basic mash, consisting of soybean meal, maize, and soy oil, to which 0–300 g/kg palm kernel expeller, sugar beet pulp, wheat straw and isolated native maize starch were added, according to a four-component mixture design. Treatments were prepared in duplicate, conditioned using a single-shaft conditioner and compacted using a ring-die pelletizer (die hole diameter 6 mm, L/D ratio 12). Pellet quality, production capacity and gross specific mechanical energy consumption per megagram (Mg) were documented. Mash deformability was evaluated by increasing the moisture content of a mash sample to 150 g/kg, followed by compression at 10 MPa and increasing temperature by 4 °C/minute using the Phase Transition Analyzer (PTA; Wenger Manufacturing, Sabetha, KS, US). Inclusion of wheat straw significantly increased mash deformability. Inclusion of isolated native maize starch and fibrous co-products was observed to increase pellet quality in comparison to the basic mash. Mash deformability at compactor temperature was correlated with bulk density (r = −0,83; P < 0.001). Pellet compressive strength was associated with mash deform

There is no such thing as human health without a healthy planet. Forests are a central part of the planet’s ecosystems and, as such, understanding human-forest interdependence is central to achieving optimal health for all, now and for future generations. Contemporary human health challenges differ across the globe. In high-income countries, there is a dominance of non-communicable diseases that, to some extent, are related to a disconnect from, and unhealthy interactions with, forests. In other parts of the world, health is related to interactions with forests through, for example, nutrition and other services provided by forests or through infectious diseases, such as malaria, that are in turn all impacted by forest management and practices. Planetary health approaches provide a way of considering environmental protection as an inherent part of the solution to health. In this context, forests play an important role. Positive interactions with healthy forest ecosystems can contribute to various services, such as promotion of healthier lifestyles, prevention of disease and livelihoods. This chapter defines common concepts and discusses the need for systems thinking when addressing the complex and dynamic relationships between forests and human health, including the importance of acknowledging voices and knowledge from Indigenous peoples and local communities. It outlines the consequences of urbanisation and humans’ disconnect from nature as well as various theories, pathways and mechanisms that support evidence on positive health impacts of forests. Finally, it provides a framework that brings together the information provided in the remainder of the report.

There is no such thing as human health without a healthy planet. Forests are a central part of the planet’s ecosystems and, as such, understanding human-forest interdependence is central to achieving optimal health for all, now and for future generations. Contemporary human health challenges differ across the globe. In high-income countries, there is a dominance of non-communicable diseases that, to some extent, are related to a disconnect from, and unhealthy interactions with, forests. In other parts of the world, health is related to interactions with forests through, for example, nutrition and other services provided by forests or through infectious diseases, such as malaria, that are in turn all impacted by forest management and practices. Planetary health approaches provide a way of considering environmental protection as an inherent part of the solution to health. In this context, forests play an important role. Positive interactions with healthy forest ecosystems can contribute to various services, such as promotion of healthier lifestyles, prevention of disease and livelihoods. This chapter defines common concepts and discusses the need for systems thinking when addressing the complex and dynamic relationships between forests and human health, including the importance of acknowledging voices and knowledge from Indigenous peoples and local communities. It outlines the consequences of urbanisation and humans’ disconnect from nature as well as various theories, pathways and mechanisms that support evidence on positive health impacts of forests. Finally, it provides a framework that brings together the information provided in the remainder of the report.