Green nourishment: an innovative nature-based solution for coastal erosion

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorChen, Wen L.
dc.contributor.authorMuller, Peter
dc.contributor.authorGrabowski, Robert C.
dc.contributor.authorDodd, Nicholas
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-10T10:00:54Z
dc.date.available2022-02-10T10:00:54Z
dc.date.issued2022-02-09
dc.description.abstractCoastal erosion poses an urgent threat to life and property in low-lying regions. Sand nourishment is increasingly used as a nature-based solution but requires significant natural resources and replenishment over time. In this study, a novel form of nourishment is explored that combines shoreface nourishment and seagrass restoration to mitigate coastal erosion (i.e., green nourishment). Using the coastal morphodynamic model Xbeach, the impact of seagrass planting on wave energy dissipation, sediment erosion and transport, and morphological evolution of a cross-shore profile was studied for mild wave conditions and an intense storm. Model results indicate that a seagrass meadow enhances the wave energy dissipation provided by a shoreface nourishment, and suggests that it may be particularly effective in sediment transport mitigation when implemented in a sheltered nearshore area. The shoreface nourishment reduced the wave height on the seagrass meadow, and reduced the rate of seagrass destruction by deposition or erosion above the grass height after the storm event. Green nourishment also reduced beach foreshore erosion caused by a simulated storm event. An alternative, more cost-effective planting technique using seagrass seeds was explored, which showed similar coastal erosion protection benefits for seagrass transplants. This modeling study found that green nourishment is potentially an effective nature-based solution for coastal erosion and flooding on sandy coasts, and future studies are recommended to evaluate its morphological, ecological and flood risk reduction benefits in the field.en_UK
dc.description.sponsorshipEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC): EP/T001100/1 and EP/N007379/1. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC): NE/S01232X/1.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationChen W, Muller P, Grabowski R, Dodd N. (2022) Green nourishment: an innovative nature-based solution for coastal erosion, Frontiers in Marine Science, Volume 8, February 2022, Article number 814589en_UK
dc.identifier.eissn2296-7745
dc.identifier.issn2296-7745
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.814589
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/17560
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherFrontiersen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/*
dc.subjectshoreface nourishmenten_UK
dc.subjectseagrass restorationen_UK
dc.subjectcoastal retreaten_UK
dc.subjectstorm resilienceen_UK
dc.subjectcoastal defenseen_UK
dc.titleGreen nourishment: an innovative nature-based solution for coastal erosionen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Green_nourishment-2022.pdf
Size:
7.03 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.63 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Staff publications (SWEE)