Nature-Based Coastal Defenses: Can Biodiversity Help?

Currently, coastal protection potential of ecosystems is estimated primarily as a function of its spatial extent and type. The degree to which coastal protection depends on aspects of biodiversity within these ecosystems is, however, less explored. Here, we provide a short summary of classical coastal protection strategies and the current state of knowledge of nature-based shoreline protection, and then discuss relevant biodiversity theory and the few studies that have investigated how species identity affects shoreline protection. This chapter provides the first attempt to identify the aspects of biodiversity that are likely to be important in enhancing coastal protection efforts.