Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands

Abstract Large uncertainty surrounds the future physical stability of low-lying coral reef islands due to a limited understanding of the geomorphic response of islands to changing environmental conditions. Physical and numerical modelling efforts have improved understanding of the modes and styles o...

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Autores principales: Megan E. Tuck, Murray R. Ford, Paul S. Kench, Gerd Masselink
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Publicado: Nature Portfolio 2021
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/f4a8c558ac4b4e4ca6b71cb8209a8efa
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:f4a8c558ac4b4e4ca6b71cb8209a8efa2021-12-02T11:37:25ZSediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands10.1038/s41598-021-85076-x2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/f4a8c558ac4b4e4ca6b71cb8209a8efa2021-03-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85076-xhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Large uncertainty surrounds the future physical stability of low-lying coral reef islands due to a limited understanding of the geomorphic response of islands to changing environmental conditions. Physical and numerical modelling efforts have improved understanding of the modes and styles of island change in response to increasing wave and water level conditions. However, the impact of sediment supply on island morphodynamics has not been addressed and remains poorly understood. Here we present evidence from the first physical modelling experiments to explore the effect of storm-derived sediment supply on the geomorphic response of islands to changes in sea level and energetic wave conditions. Results demonstrate that a sediment supply has a substantial influence on island adjustments in response to sea-level rise, promoting the increase of the elevation of the island while dampening island migration and subaerial volume reduction. The implications of sediment supply are significant as it improves the potential of islands to offset the impacts of future flood events, increasing the future physical persistence of reef islands. Results emphasize the urgent need to incorporate the physical response of islands to both physical and ecological processes in future flood risk models.Megan E. TuckMurray R. FordPaul S. KenchGerd MasselinkNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2021)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Medicine
R
Science
Q
spellingShingle Medicine
R
Science
Q
Megan E. Tuck
Murray R. Ford
Paul S. Kench
Gerd Masselink
Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
description Abstract Large uncertainty surrounds the future physical stability of low-lying coral reef islands due to a limited understanding of the geomorphic response of islands to changing environmental conditions. Physical and numerical modelling efforts have improved understanding of the modes and styles of island change in response to increasing wave and water level conditions. However, the impact of sediment supply on island morphodynamics has not been addressed and remains poorly understood. Here we present evidence from the first physical modelling experiments to explore the effect of storm-derived sediment supply on the geomorphic response of islands to changes in sea level and energetic wave conditions. Results demonstrate that a sediment supply has a substantial influence on island adjustments in response to sea-level rise, promoting the increase of the elevation of the island while dampening island migration and subaerial volume reduction. The implications of sediment supply are significant as it improves the potential of islands to offset the impacts of future flood events, increasing the future physical persistence of reef islands. Results emphasize the urgent need to incorporate the physical response of islands to both physical and ecological processes in future flood risk models.
format article
author Megan E. Tuck
Murray R. Ford
Paul S. Kench
Gerd Masselink
author_facet Megan E. Tuck
Murray R. Ford
Paul S. Kench
Gerd Masselink
author_sort Megan E. Tuck
title Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
title_short Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
title_full Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
title_fullStr Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
title_full_unstemmed Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
title_sort sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands
publisher Nature Portfolio
publishDate 2021
url https://doaj.org/article/f4a8c558ac4b4e4ca6b71cb8209a8efa
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