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This work analyses effects of recent variations in the tidal inundation frequency in a mangrove ecosystem in the Bragança peninsula, North Brazil, and its implications for land occupation and use. Field data, time series of remote sensing images and local legislation were analysed focusing on the potential socio-economic impact of a changing environmental setting due to a rise in relative sea level. In the investigated period (1972–1997), vegetation changes along the coastline indicate net losses of mangrove coverage. In the central part of the peninsula, a topographically higher herbaceous plain constituting part of a farm presents an active progression of mangrove forest into an area previously dominated by grasses and herbs. This area measured 8.8 km2 in 1972 but was gradually reduced to 5.6 km2 in 1997, while progressively replaced by a monospecific stand of the black mangrove,Avicennia germinans. A linear extrapolation indicates that the elevated plain may be completely covered by mangrove by 2035. Current Brazilian legislation prohibits the extraction of mangrove trees without an officially approved management plan. Thus, the usable area of the farm has suffered a reduction by ca. 36% over 25 yr and we predict that is could be entirely replaced by mangroves in the next 35 yr. In this case study, legislation and ecosystem characteristics are analysed and a management plan discussed which could represent income alternatives for affected resource users at the local and regional level.

The study mapped the spread of the invasive non-native shrub, Hippophae rhamnoides, on a coastal dune system in South Wales. H. rhamnoides colonies spread across the system, covering around 60.9 ha in 1996 compared to 2.4 ha in 1957. Clearance activities have since decreased the total to around 23 ha. The effects of this expansion on ground flora were assessed through comparison of species assemblages in colonised, never colonised and cleared areas. Dichotomisation presented a number of markedly different communities which correlated to their status of H. rhamnoides invasion. Colonised quadrats were overwhelmingly composed of H. rhamnoides and a few shade-tolerant species such as Galium aperine and Urtica dioica. Cleared quadrats did not support desirable dune grassland species present in never colonised sites, although those which had been cleared for the longest period may be regaining some characteristic species. Clearance work in future needs to concentrate on the complete removal of smaller H. rhamnoides patches whilst also preventing the establishment of Chamerion angustifolium and other ruderal species which in turn inhibit the development of typical dune grassland communities.

Analysis of shoreline change is often based exclusively upon the littoral cell concept and modelling of hydrodynamic processes. The Futurecoast study has considered fresh approaches to assessing shoreline evolution, which have been used to provide an analysis of future long-term evolution for the entire shoreline of England and Wales. This has been based upon an improved understanding of coastal systems and their behavioural characteristics. The study has included a range of supporting studies, focussing upon maximizing use of existing information and experience. A number of additional data sets have also been produced. The integration of leading expertise from different areas of coastal research to collectively consider this information has been the foundation for the study. The key outputs from this research are: (1) Improved understanding of coastal behaviour; (2) Assessment of future shoreline evolution; (3) Supporting information and data; (4) Delivery of results on an interactive CD-ROM.

Persistent erosion at Plumb Beach, New York, USA, has been countered by a series of isolated actions to stabilize the shoreline. Sediment placed at the erosion site has quickly been removed and re-deposited in downdrift locations to the detriment of the existing habitats. In a renewed effort to better understand the dimensions of change at Plumb Beach, detailed spatial analysis of shoreline displacement, dune-beach profile evolution, and sediment budget has been undertaken through intensive surveying and comparisons of Digital Elevation Models. Products derived from these surveys establish that the sector of maximum erosion has shifted downdrift and that the scale of the changes is twice the volume exchange as previously estimated. Improved knowledge of the dimensions and spatial distributions of the changes is used to create a focused approach that is functioning within the scale of the local sediment budget and reducing its impacts.

Beach conservation and management on the high-value French Riviera in southeastern France have had mixed fortunes in shoreline economic development strategies over the past half century. Prior to 1965, socio-economic growth related to immigration and tourism resulted in considerable pressure on the coastal zone, leading in particular to beach erosion and degradation of beach environmental quality. Between 1965 and 1980, over 20% of the 132 km-long French Riviera was permanently altered through the implantation of yachting harbours and reclamation fill structures, while beach-based recreation had a rather low ranking as a development choice, except in the two major resorts of Cannes and Nice which exhibit a densely urbanized seafront. On this preponderantly boldrocky coast, the mediocre recreational value inherited by many of the beaches from the regional geologic setting, and from development pressures and earlier errors in coastal management, left them vulnerable to appropriation and so-called ‘valorization’ by yachting harbour and estate developers. Over the last decade, artificial shoreline development has virtually ceased, in response to several more or less interrelated factors. These include relative stagnation of socio-economic growth, increasing development and maintenance costs of yachting harbours, saturation of the yachting harbour market as a result of the burgeoning of new, often cheaper, resorts and of reconversion of commercial and shipbuilding ports to leisure ports in the Mediterranean, more stringent legislation, since 1986, on the implantation of residential and major engineering structures on the coastline, pressure for conservation of the cultural and environmental heritage, and greater demand for beach recreational space. This situation has forced a diversification of shore-based activities, as it has been realised that better managed beaches may balance economic aspirations while contributing to enhanced environmental quality and sensible shoreline conservation. This change in strategy has entailed considerable efforts and money on the improvement of coastal water quality, the provision of amenities for beach-goers, and especially the nourishment of eroding beaches and the creation of several artificial beaches. The extent to which beaches will continue to play a role in the sustainable development of French Riviera resorts will depend largely on the capacity of local authorities to maintain environmental quality in the face of inherited and persistent handicaps such as beach erosion.

Coastal salt marsh has been globally fragmented by man-made coastal seawalls. However, the dynamic changes in community structure and abiotic environments in these regenerated marsh after seawall reclamation are largely unknown. We analyzed the seasonal changes of soil nutrient pools and the direction effects on them. The results showed that soil total nitrogen (TN) has decreased but soil organic carbon (SOC) has increased from May to September. Direction has influenced the patterns and seasonal changes in soil TN and SOC. The potential influencing factors have been largely contributed to soil salinity reduction, vegetation growth, microorganism activities with different seasonal characteristics. Researches on seasonal dynamic of marsh regeneration after seawall reclamation can provide us helpful information to understand mechanism of marsh restoration and design coastal marsh restoration projects.

Coastal dunes are an essential part of beach-dune systems. Dunes systems have their own intrinsic values and provide a range of goods and services, including the protection of tangible goods located on the shoreline affected by waves, storms, and sea erosion. Dunes also act as repositories of biodiversity that have their exclusive habitat in dune communities, and the aesthetic value of dune landscapes derived from unique plant communities and landforms is also of great importance. Nevertheless, dune systems on developed coasts suffered a drastic decline in geomorphological and ecological quality throughout the last century. Catalonia (Spain, NW Mediterranean Sea) is no exception, and the coastal dune systems which were present in the early 20th century have now disappeared due to urbanization. The regeneration of dune systems is of crucial importance in this context. The aim of this study is to assess the current status of dune systems in Catalonia in order to determine their future prospects based on beach characteristics, those beaches likely to host dunes being determined according to their width and sediment type. The results of our study show that nowadays most dune systems in Catalonia are not developed due to human pressure on the beaches. Only those beaches located in the natural protected areas in Roses Bay, Baix Ter Bay, the Llobregat Delta, and especially the Ebro Delta, have the right characteristics to host well-developed dune systems. That said, 30% of sandy beaches in Catalonia have a width of over 35 metres; wide enough to host well-developed dune systems if appropriate integrated beach management is applied. The methodology used in this research also provide a tool to assess which are the beaches that can host dunes on other developed shores in the Mediterranean area.

In response to climate change, coastal communities are expected to experience increasing coastal impacts of sea-level rise (SLR). Strategies formulated and implemented to curb these impacts can thus be more effective if scientific findings on the response to climate change and SLR impacts on coastal communities are taken into consideration and not based merely on the need for coastal protection due to physical coastal erosion. There is also the need to determine the level of awareness of sea-level rise and responses in coastal communities to improve adaptation planning. This study assesses the impact of future erosion on the coastal land cover of Ghana. This assessment estimates approximately 2.66 km2, 2.77 km2, and 3.24 km2 of coastal settlements, 2.10 km2, 2.20 km2 and 2.58 km2 of lagoons, 1.39 km2, 1.46 km2 and 1.71 km2 of wetlands to be at risk of inundation by the year 2050 based on coastal erosion estimates for the 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) used in the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This study also assesses the level of awareness of respondents to SLR on the coast of Ghana and explores the availability and level of integration of scientific knowledge of SLR into coastal adaptation strategies in Ghana. Assessment of the awareness of SLR responses to the changing climate in Ghana is made through semi-structured interviews at national, municipal/district and coastal community scales. Although settlements may be inundated based on the coastal erosion estimates, coastal dwellers interviewed cherish their proximity to the sea and are determined to maintain their occupancy close to the sea as spatial location influences their source of livelihood (fishing). Respondents lack knowledge/understanding of SLR, as the majority of household interviewees attributed the rise or fall in sea level to God. Respondents from Ngiresia alleged that the ongoing coastal sea defence project in their community has led to increased malaria cases.