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"Coastal ecology"
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Coastal habitats
Introduces coastal habitats, covering such topics as landforms, waves, currents, estuaries, coral reefs, plants and animals, and the threats posed by pollution, overfishing, and global warming.
Book
Between the Tides in California
A fascinating guide to the secret worlds of the intertidal zoneThe vast and diverse California coast is an awe-inspiring place of exploration and discovery, full of life forms that are shockingly unfamiliar. Intertidal fish that can breathe in air, worms that build entire reefs, and seaweeds that can be mistaken for tar spots—these are as common as the more familiar barnacles that eat with their feet. Unicorn snails lie still on the rocks as they drill into the shells of their prey, while purple urchins nestle into sides of rock walls and keyhole limpets fend off sea stars. Surfgrass covers tidepools and protects sensitive species from sun and heat while welcoming animals like spiny lobsters and kelpfish to cruise atop its tangled blades.In this guidebook, scientific experts describe how land and water shape specific ecosystems of the intertidal zone. Richly illustrated and accessibly written, Between the Tides in California transforms readers into nearshore detectives, with each species offering unique clues about the environment around them.Features include:• Profiles of sites to visit ranging from remote seashores on the northern coast to the popular beaches of Southern California• The fascinating stories behind both common and less familiar animal and plant species• A lively introduction to how coastal ecosystems work and why no two beaches are ever alike
eBook
Coasts
Introduces coasts, describing the different types of coastlines, the impact of the sea and weather on their formation, the danger posed by global warming, and what can be done to preserve coasts for the future.
Book
Coming to Pass
Coming to Passtells the story of a little-developed necklace of northern Gulf Coast islands. Both a field guide to a beloved and impermanent Florida landscape and a call for its protection, Susan Cerulean's memoir chronicles the uniquely beautiful coast as it once was, as it is now, and as it may be as the sea level rises.
For decades, Cerulean has kayaked, hiked, and counted birds on and around Dog, the St. Georges, and St. Vincent Islands with family and friends. She has collected scallops, snorkeled over a fallen lighthouse a mile offshore, and cast nets and fishing lines into cyclical runs of mullet and shrimp.
Like most people, she didn't know how the islands had come to be or understand the large-scale change coming to the coast. With her husband, oceanographer Jeff Chanton, she studied the genesis of the coast and its inextricable link to the Apalachicola River. She interviewed scientists as they tracked and tallied magnificent and dwindling sea turtles, snowy white beach mice, and endangered plants. Illustrated with images from prizewinning nature photographer David Moynahan,Coming to Passis the culmination of Cerulean's explorations and a reflection of our spiritual relationship and responsibilities to the world that holds us.
eBook
A Field Guide to Cape Cod
A richly illustrated full-color guide to the unique plants, wildlife, and environments of Cape Cod and the other nearby \"Outer Lands\"This essential guidebook presents the most abundantly illustrated and fascinating account of the natural history of Cape Cod, its nearby islands, Block Island, the western coast of Rhode Island, and southeastern Long Island ever published. Exploring the ecology and most common plants and animals of the various regional environments- beaches, dunes, salt marshes, heathlands, and coastal forests- the book also encompasses marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish offshore.Lavishly illustrated with images, maps, and photographs, the guide introduces readers to more than six hundred species of plants and animals of the region, including major whale and seal species. The book also provides a concise guide to the ecological history of the \"Outer Lands,\" the glacial geology of the region, and Cape Cod's major environmental challenges, from climate change and sea level rise to the loss of wild habitats due to development. For nature-loving local residents and visitors alike, this essential book will be a well-loved resource.
eBook
Biodiversity of coasts
\"Discusses the variety of living things in the ecosystem of a coast\"--Provided by publisher.
Book
Large-scale variation in wave attenuation of oyster reef living shorelines and the influence of inundation duration
One of the paramount goals of oyster reef living shorelines is to achieve sustained and adaptive coastal protection, which requires meeting ecological (i.e., develop a self-sustaining oyster population) and engineering (i.e., provide coastal defense) targets. In a large-scale comparison along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, the efficacy of various designs of oyster reef living shorelines at providing wave attenuation was evaluated accounting for the ecological limitations of oysters with regard to inundation duration. A critical threshold for intertidal oyster reef establishment is 50% inundation duration. Living shorelines that spent less than one-half of the time (<50%) inundated were not considered suitable habitat for oysters, however, were effective at wave attenuation (68% reduction in wave height). Reefs that experienced >50% inundation were considered suitable habitat for oysters, but wave attenuation was similar to controls (no reef; ~5% reduction in wave height). Many of the oyster reef living shoreline approaches therefore failed to optimize the ecological and engineering goals. In both inundation regimes, wave transmission decreased with an increasing freeboard (difference between reef crest elevation and water level), supporting its importance in the wave attenuation capacity of oyster reef living shorelines. However, given that the reef crest elevation (and thus freeboard) should be determined by the inundation duration requirements of oysters, research needs to be refocused on understanding the implications of other reef parameters (e.g., width) for optimizing wave attenuation. A broader understanding of the reef characteristics and seascape contexts that result in effective coastal defense by oyster reefs is needed to inform appropriate design and implementation of oyster-based living shorelines globally.
Journal Article
Hard Structures for Coastal Protection, Towards Greener Designs
Over recent years, many coastal engineering projects have employed the use of soft solutions as these are generally less environmentally damaging than hard solutions. However, in some cases, local conditions hinder the use of soft solutions, meaning that hard solutions have to be adopted or, sometimes, a combination of hard and soft measures is seen as optimal. This research reviews the use of hard coastal structures on the foreshore (groynes, breakwaters and jetties) and onshore (seawalls and dikes). The purpose, functioning and local conditions for which these structures are most suitable are outlined. A description is provided on the negative effects that these structures may have on morphological, hydrodynamic and ecological conditions. To reduce or mitigate these negative impacts, or to create new ecosystem services, the following nature-based adaptations are proposed and discussed: (1) applying soft solutions complementary to hard solutions, (2) mitigating morphological and hydrodynamic changes and (3) ecologically enhancing hard coastal structures. The selection and also the success of these potential adaptations are highly dependent on local conditions, such as hydrodynamic forcing, spatial requirements and socioeconomic factors. The overview provided in this paper aims to offer an interdisciplinary understanding, by giving general guidance on which type of solution is suitable for given characteristics, taking into consideration all aspects that are key for environmentally sensitive coastal designs. Overall, this study aims to provide guidance at the interdisciplinary design stage of nature-based coastal defence structures.
Journal Article