Stanley, J.-D.; Bernasconi, M.P., and Nickerson G.A.J., 2014. Large scarps and massive slide on the Briatico–Bivona shelf, Calabria, Italy: potential link with the destructive September 1905 earthquake.

A multibeam sonar (MBS) survey of the northern Capo Vaticano shelf between the towns of Briatico and Bivona, Calabria, Italy, has revealed a markedly broken margin offset by three large scarps: the upper scarp (S1) at approximate depths of 16–22 m, the middle scarp (S2) at ∼36–58 m, and the deeper scarp (S3) at ∼88–101 m. The configuration of S1 shows high relief to 33 m and a slope to 59°, which suggests a fault or tectonic–gravitative origin. Substantial volumes of sediment, mostly sand, are being rapidly transferred from the inner shelf toward and across the upper shelf break, and one could expect a smoothing and burial of the upper scarp, but 10 MBS profiles show the sharp, angular shape of that feature. Some of the mass gravitative deposits just below some headwall scarps that extend to the shelf-slope that break NE of Briatico also reveal very recent origins. Additionally, a massive slide block north of Bivona, ∼350–400 m in length, appears to have detached from the inner shelf and shifted onto the middle shelf. It is proposed that several of these seafloor features may, in some manner, be associated with the powerful and destructive September 1905 earthquake that affected a large sector of Calabria. Five potential epicenters on the SW margin of Calabria have previously been proposed for that event, and this MBS study area is in proximity to one of those. It is recommended that two localities in the survey area, one NE of Briatico and the other north of Bivona, be selected as test zones for further geological and geophysical analyses.

Hernández-Azcúnaga, L.; Carbajal, N., and Montaño-Ley, Y., 2014. Bedload transport of sediments and morphodynamics in the northern Gulf of California.

Huge amounts of sediments have been supplied to the northern Gulf of California in recent geological time. Although water discharge and sediment supply have been suppressed from the Colorado River since about a century, satellite imagery reveals even now a persistently strong mobilization of sediments and the occurrence of marked sea bottom morphological features. To gain information on these processes, we applied a two-dimensional hydrodynamic numerical model to simulate bedload sediment transport caused by the dominant semidiurnal tidal component, M₂, in the northern Gulf of California. The resulting transport of sediment encompasses areas of the Colorado River Delta, of the Adair and San Jorge bays, and of the southwestern sector of the study area. The model reproduces longitudinal and transversal bedforms observed in Adair Bay. The residual bedload transport reveals recirculation processes that retain sediments in the Colorado River Delta, and in the bays of Adair and San Jorge. Sediment dynamics occur in areas where tidal currents exceed the threshold velocity, where the incident tidal wave is reflected, and where Poincare waves are generated. This calculated general picture is consistent with satellite images depicting morphological features and mobilization of sediments. The production of bedforms coincides with theoretical predictions on the reflection and diffraction of Kelvin waves at closed boundaries and corners. Sediments mobilization and bedforms in the northern Gulf of California are strongly controlled by tidal dynamics.

Miller, D.L.; Thetford, M.; Dupree, J., and Atwood, L., 2014. Influence of seasonal changes and shifting substrate on survival of restoration plantings of Schizachyrium maritimum (Gulf bluestem) on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.

Environmental gradients on barrier islands are modified by the loss of dunes as a result of hurricane overwash. The success of restoration plantings in posthurricane landscapes is determined by abiotic conditions, including seasonal and spatial gradients of wind speed and substrate transport encountered before dune redevelopment. The response of Schizachyrium maritimum, a dominant, sand-trapping, dune-forming grass of the northern Gulf Coast to month of planting, sand manipulation, and plant spacing was investigated on Santa Rosa Island, Florida. This grass is also a valuable food for endangered beach mice. Seasonal plantings were initiated in 4 months (November 2005, February 2006, June 2006, and August 2006) at each of six sites. For each site and each planting date, plots were split by plant spacing (30 or 45 cm between plants) and again by two sand manipulation regimes (natural sand accumulation or sand level at 3 cm). Sand surface levels were determined and manipulated every 2 weeks. Plant survival and growth were recorded September 2006 and July 2007. Plant survival and growth were greatest for summer plantings, particularly June plantings. Sand burial by natural accumulation did not result in plant death. Most plant death, particularly for November and February plantings, was associated with root exposure and sand loss around transplants. Closer spacing appeared to slow sand loss and plant death for November plantings. Planting of S. maritimum should be restricted to summer months, preferably June, and where sand loss can be minimized by use of mulch or other sand stabilizing methods.

Maskell, J.; Horsburgh, K.; Lewis, M., and Bates, P., 2014. Investigating river–surge interaction in idealised estuaries.

A finite volume model (FVCOM) was used to investigate the combined influence of storm surge and river flow on floodplain inundation on the basis of idealized estuary test cases. The combined influence of storm surge and river discharge typical of extremes in estuary systems in Britain (up to 2 m and 1500 m³ s⁻¹) was found to induce interactions that lead to increases in the nontidal residual elevation of up to 0.35 m. However, the extent of the inundation was found to be mainly controlled by the surge elevation. Exceeding the threshold of the up-estuary channel capacity was found to cause a nonlinear increase in the area of the nontidal inundation for any given peak river discharge, after which the rate of increase in inundation area as the surge height increases declines and is determined by the slope of the floodplain. This threshold is determined by the surge elevation with exception of the highest peak river discharges, where the surge elevation threshold is lowered. It was also found that the extent of the interactions and inundation were highly dependent on the geometry of the estuary and the timing of the surge with respect to peak river discharge, in particular the slope of the floodplain and at such times where the river discharge was similar in magnitude to that of the surge and the tide. After calibration an idealized estuary based in the LISFLOOD-FP code, using a simplified form of the two-dimensional (2D) shallow-water equations, was found to simulate the area of maximum inundation to a similar extent as the FVCOM model (based on the full 2D shallow-water equations) with a much reduced computation time. This paper highlights the potential advantages that simplified 2D inundation models may have for simulating estuarine flooding due to combined surge and river discharge, where surge–river interaction due to momentum exchange is insignificant in determining the flood extent and simplified equations capture the dominant hydrological drivers of coastal inundation.

Long, J.; Napton, D.; Giri, C., and Graesser, J., 2014. A mapping and monitoring assessment of the Philippines' mangrove forests from 1990 to 2010.

Information on the present condition and spatiotemporal dynamics of mangrove forests is needed for land-change studies and integrated natural resources planning and management. Although several national mangrove estimates for the Philippines exist, information is unavailable at sufficient spatial and thematic detail for change analysis. Historical and contemporary mangrove distribution maps of the Philippines for 1990 and 2010 were prepared at nominal 30-m spatial resolution using Landsat satellite data. Image classification was performed using a supervised decision tree classification approach. Additionally, decadal land-cover change maps from 1990 to 2010 were prepared to depict changes in mangrove area. Total mangrove area decreased 10.5% from 1990 to 2010. Comparison of estimates produced from this study with selected historical mangrove area estimates revealed that total mangrove area decreased by approximately half (51.8%) from 1918 to 2010. This study provides the most current and reliable data regarding the Philippines mangrove area and spatial distribution and delineates where and when mangrove change has occurred in recent decades. The results from this study are useful for developing conservation strategies, biodiversity loss mitigation efforts, and future monitoring and analysis.

Chen, J.; Pan, D.; Mao, Z.; Chen, N.; Zhao, J., and Liu, M., 2014. Land-cover reconstruction and change analysis using multisource remotely sensed imageries in Zhoushan Islands since 1970.

Islands are hotspot areas with intensive interactions between land and ocean, and they are also the most vulnerable places to human activities and environmental change. As the frontier zone of oceanic economic development, coastal regions of China have undergone enhanced changes in land-cover change during recent decades. This study was conducted to investigate how land cover in Zhoushan Island and its surrounding islands, which are typical islands of China, has changed since the economic reform by using multisource remotely sensed imageries. The earliest land cover in 1970, 1976, and 1980 was interpreted and digitalized from CORONA and KH-9 photographs, respectively. For the period of 1986−2000, TM (Thematic Mapper) and ETM (Enhanced Thematic Mapper) imageries were classified to build land-cover maps with the supervised classification method. The most recent land-cover data in 2006 and 2011 were generated by inventory land-use vector map and SPOT5 imageries. The reconstructed land-cover time series indicate that Zhoushan Islands have involved substantial land-cover change since 1970. The arable land has changed into built-up types, mainly, and rate of change reached its peak in 2000, while the spatial distribution of transition was not uniform. Nevertheless, water bodies and woodlands have been well preserved during the past 40 years. During the urbanization process, the tidal zone of these islands shrank sharply, and some of them turned to built-up land-cover directly.

Batayneh, A.; Elawade, E.; Zaman, H.; Al-Taani, A.A.; Nazzal, Y., and Ghrefat, H., 2014. Environmental assessment of the Gulf of Aqaba coastal surface waters, Saudi Arabia.

A research project on the Saudi Gulf of Aqaba was initiated in January 2012 to evaluate, protect, and develop a proper management plan for sustainable use of water resources in the coastal region. Within the framework of this project, a total of 85 surface water samples was collected and investigated to document the surface distribution of the hydrographical parameters (including water temperature, salinity, density, hydrogen ion concentration, and dissolved oxygen) as well as concentration of the nutrient salts (ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate). The results show no thermocline or thermal pollution in the studied water and that they are mostly well oxygenated. In addition, no significant variations in the pH and salinity values have been observed. Relatively low levels of nitrogen, phosphorus (in the dissolved and total forms), and reactive silicate are observed. Inorganic nitrogen is found in the order of NO₃-N > NO₂-N > NH₄-N. On the basis of the relatively low level of nutrient salts, the Gulf of Aqaba coastal water is classified as oligotrophic to mesotrophic in nature, and the study area is not yet seriously affected by contamination in spite of rapid population growth and fast infrastructural/recreational development during the past decade.

Ortiz, J.C.; Salcedo, B., and Otero, L.J., 2014. Investigating the collapse of the Puerto Colombia pier (Colombian Caribbean Coast) in March 2009: methodology for the reconstruction of extreme events and the evaluation of their impact on the coastal infrastructure.

On March 7, 2009, a 200-m section of the Puerto Colombia pier collapsed when a cold front passed through the Atlántico Department of Colombia on the Caribbean coast. Herein, the most important meteo-marine event of the last 10 years in the Colombian Caribbean area was reconstructed using SWAN software and the WAVEWATCH III global wave model, which uses wind fields as input. The modeling method involved a nested grid approach for wave generation and propagation in a particular sector of the central Caribbean coast of Colombia. To validate the numerical model, the time series for the event generated using modeling data was compared with the recorded wave data from two buoys: buoy 42058, which is located in the Caribbean Sea and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and buoy 41194, which is located near the Magdalena River mouth and operated by the General Maritime Directorate (DIMAR). The simulation results were incorporated into the CMS-Wave and CMS-Flow models for reconstruction of the cold-front event. The modeling results were also compared with previously reported data for the waves generated by hurricanes Joan (1988) and Lenny (1999). The results revealed that the analyzed study area was more heavily affected by the ocean conditions than the 2009 cold front event produced compared with conditions produced by other hurricanes that have affected the Colombian Caribbean coast. The findings also indicate that the proposed methodology, which utilizes several wave propagation models, produces results that adequately characterize the processes in deep, intermediate, and shallow waters.

Healy, T. and de Lange, W., 2014. Reliability of geomorphic indicators of littoral drift: Examples from the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

The net direction of littoral drift can be evaluated by multiple lines of evidence, including a range of geomorphic indicators and trends in sediment characteristics. In this article, the processes that influence the longshore transport of sediment are reviewed and assessed by the types of geomorphic indicators and sediment trends that can be expected. Various proxies for measured littoral drift are used to evaluate the littoral drift in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Previous studies, utilising geomorphic indicators and, to a lesser extent, sediment characteristics and simple models of longshore sediment transport, developed a conceptual model of two main littoral drift systems starting at the western and eastern margins of the Bay of Plenty and converging in the vicinity of Ohiwa Harbour, an estuary enclosed by two opposing spits within the bay. Comparison of geomorphic indicators of littoral drift with the results of 30 years of monitoring and investigation demonstrate that geomorphic indicators can be misleading or misinterpreted. Overall, they do not appear to have been reliable for the Bay of Plenty, whereas sediment characteristics have performed better. The published rates of net littoral drift, and also the directions, appear to be too high and are inconsistent with observed patterns of erosion and accretion. Further, the exchange of sediment between the beach and the inner shelf has not been considered. Within the Bay of Plenty the net littoral drift magnitude and direction varies in response to changes in the wave climate associated with climatic variability, particularly the magnitude, frequency, and duration of the La Niña and El Niño extremes of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Decadal-scale fluctuations in the patterns of erosion and accretion along the Bay of Plenty coast have also been recognised. Finally, the influence of tectonic effects on geomorphic indicators of littoral drift needs further investigation.

Cengiz, T., 2014. Visual quality method in assessing landscape characteristics: case study of Bozcaada Island.

Landscapes are an extremely important resource for tourism and quality of life so there is a need to classify and manage landscapes. In the implementation of visual impact assessment, Bozcaada in the province of Çanakkale was selected as the sample area in the research. An analytical and perceptual method covering physical relationships of user–environment was applied in the research. Initially, the landscape beauty was evaluated according to the survey of observer preferences. Secondly, the landscape elements and attributes were weighted. Finally, regression and correlation analyses were performed to assess the relationships between weighted landscape attributes and survey results. There were 9 panels, each containing 16 photos, and 210 participants ranked the best 4 and worst 4 photos of each panel. The results showed that degree of wilderness, the presence of negative man-made elements, and percentage of land covered by vegetation decreased the visual quality in Bozcaada. Furthermore, it was determined that visual quality increased with the presence of well-preserved man-made elements, scale, harmony, and color contrast. The research revealed which landscape elements and attributes are important in landscape design.

Lundberg, C.J.; Lane, R.R., and Day, J.W., Jr., 2014. Spatial and temporal variations in nutrients and water-quality parameters in the Mississippi River-influenced Breton Sound estuary.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the long-term temporal and spatial nutrient patterns in the Breton Sound estuary, an estuarine wetland complex in coastal Louisiana that is highly influenced by the Caernarvon river diversion. A water-quality data set spanning 8 years of monthly sampling was analyzed. Analysis of salinity mixing diagrams indicates the estuary to be a source of ammonium and chlorophyll a, and a sink for nitrate, total nitrogen, and total suspended sediments. The estuary served as either a source or sink for phosphate, total phosphorus, and silicate depending on season. The NO_x loading rate ranged from 1.1 g N m⁻² y⁻¹ during fall to 4.9 g N m⁻² y⁻¹ during spring, with an overall mean of 3.5 g N m⁻² y⁻¹. Nitrate removal efficiency varied seasonally, with highest efficiency during the fall (98%), summer (92%), and spring (87%) and lowest during the winter (74%). There was an inverse relationship between nutrient removal efficiency and nutrient loading rate. The results of this study indicate that the estuary is effective in water-quality amelioration through nitrate removal.

Paturej, E.; Gutkowska, A., and Mierzejewska, J., 2014. Long-term quantitative and qualitative changes in the zooplankton community of the Vistula Lagoon.

Changes in environmental conditions, observed over time, exert a significant effect on the structure of ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine long-term transformations in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the zooplankton community and changes in zooplankton biological diversity in the Vistula Lagoon over 30 years. Samples collected by standard methods in 2007 and 2009 were compared with those collected in 1977 and 1978 by Adamkiewicz-Chojnacka. The changes in the qualitative and quantitative structure in zooplankton were found to be statistically significant. The number of zooplankton species, abundance, and biomass were higher in studies conducted by Adamkiewicz-Chojnacka. Changes in zooplankton structure may provide a basis for estimating zooplankton biodiversity. A statistical analysis of the experimental material showed that zooplankton diversity in the Vistula Lagoon was significantly lower in 2007 and 2009 than in 1977 and 1978.

Gao, M.; Liu, S.; Zhao, G.; Yuan, H.; Wei, C.; Wu, Y., and Tang, J., 2014. Vulnerability of eco-hydrological environment in the Yellow River delta wetland.

We investigated the relationship between groundwater head and oceanic tidal fluctuations in the Yellow River Delta wetland through on-site hydrological monitoring. Shallow groundwater heads were obviously affected by oceanic tide along the coastal zone. The ranges of the wetland zone can be readily assessed by measuring fluctuation amplitudes or lags. The results show that the influence radius is approximately 12 km to 18 km (when the correlation coefficient is 0.7 to 0.8) under the joint actions of oceanic tide and shallow groundwater seepage flow in clayey silt coastal wetland. A cross-sectional sketch of the coastal wetland model is developed based on monitoring data of groundwater and oceanic tidal fluctuations to study the vulnerability of the eco-hydrological environment in the Yellow River Delta wetland. The coastal wetland consists of three zones (the groundwater seepage zone, the tidal-induced transitional zone, and the tidal zone) with distinctly different hydraulic properties. Analytical solutions are used to estimate the vulnerability of the eco-hydrological environment in the wetland aquifer located in the NE part of the Yellow River Delta wetland, Shandong Province, China. Our results show that changes in the shallow groundwater quality of the wetland are significantly affected by natural factors, such as strong cutoff in the lower reaches, storm tides, and human engineering activities. The northern coastal wetland may be submerged without damp proof when the height of a storm tide reaches 2.4 m. The depth of shallow groundwater and the salinity gradient are key factors that contribute to the vulnerability of the ecological environment. The vulnerability of the eco-hydrological environment is derived from the joint actions of groundwater dynamics, hydrochemistry, and tidal-induced processes under sedimentary stress and water pressure.

Ali, A.; Lemckert, C.J.; Zhang, H., and Dunn, R.J.K., 2014. Sediment dynamics of a very shallow subtropical estuarine lake.

Estuaries are of immense importance to many communities. The characteristics of estuarine flow and sediment conditions are important, since they play a critical role in the functionality and health of these systems. This study investigated sediment dynamics of a very shallow subtropical estuarine system: Coombabah Lake, southern Moreton Bay (Australia). Total suspended solid concentrations, turbidity, salinity, and tide levels were measured at eight stations within the lake. In situ current velocity and meteorological data were also collected during the study period, and data were analysed to determine the dominant sediment dynamic processes within the lake. Sediment transport was simulated using a three-dimensional numerical model to better understand the influence of various physical processes. Influence of sea-level rise on the sedimentary dynamic processes was also examined. Results of the study identified that sediment dynamics were dominated by advection processes driven by the influence of tides, with wind and wave forcing playing minor roles during the study period. Model simulations agreed well with the collected field data. The influence of sea-level rise within the system was predicted to reduce the turbidity of the system, and presumably increase primary productivity.

Costa, D.L.; Santos, A.M.; da Silva, A.F.; Padilha, R.M.; Nogueira, V.O.; Wanderlei, E.B.; Bélanger, D.; Gomes, P.B., and Pérez, C.D., 2014. Biological impacts of the port complex of Suape on benthic reef communities (Pernambuco–Brazil).

The construction of Suape's port in 1979 divided a natural reef line into two reefs (Suape and Muro Alto) and generated changes in the hydrodynamics along the coast of Pernambuco State, Brazil. We compared the composition of the macrobenthic communities on the two reefs to determine how they were affected by the construction of the port. Two seasonal collections were made along each reef utilizing the band transect, totalizing 144 transects. Of 47 taxa found, 11 were exclusive to Suape and two to Muro Alto. The Suape reef demonstrated the greatest richness (F_1,126 = 54.634, p < 0.001) and a significantly different faunal composition (analysis of similarity: r = 0.534, p < 0.001). Analyses (three-way, full factorial analysis of covariance) indicated that the reef and intertidal zone variables affected richness, whereas roughness and seasonality did not. The high intertidal zone of both reefs had greater roughness and lower richness and was significantly different from the other zones in relation to the fauna composition, confirming a two-zone intertidal zonation pattern (high and middle   low). Nodilittorina ziczac and Chthamalus bisinuatus characterized the high zone of the Muro Alto, and Protopalythoa variabilis and Petaloconchus varians characterized the same zone at Suape. The construction of the port altered the tidal cycles so that the Muro Alto reef now remains exposed for longer periods, resulting in diminished richness and marked differences in its faunal composition. The original reef was 11 km long with a homogeneous community, but its division by the construction of the port resulted in several impacts to the region, principally the creation of two distinct reefs in terms of the ecological parameters analyzed, with species such as the coral Favia gravida and the zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum disappearing from the Muro Alto reef or the gastropod Littoraria nebulosa (recorded before the construction of the port), which was not found during the present study.

Machado, R.C.A.; Feitosa, F.A.N.; Koening, M.L.; Flores Montes, M.J.; Bastos, R.B., and Jales, M.C., 2014. Phytoplankton productivity and hydrology of Porto de Galinhas reef ecosystem (Pernambuco, Brazil).

Porto de Galinhas beach is located on the south coast of Pernambuco, Brazil, around 50 km from Recife, has sandstone fringing reefs, and has intense tourist activity. To contribute to the environmental water quality, the phytoplankton biomass and productivity were analyzed, as well as some hydrological parameters at three fixed collection points. Water samples were collected in 3 months of both dry and rainy seasons, from the water column surface, at three fixed points between the reef and the beach, at high and low tides and diurnal spring tides. Temperature ranged from 26°C to 31°C, salinity ranged from 33 to 37, the saturation index of dissolved oxygen ranged from 97.16% to 174.54%. Nitrite and phosphate were lower than 1 μmol L⁻¹, nitrate was <2.5 μmol L⁻¹, and silicate ranged from 5.01 to 37.12 μmol L⁻¹. Chlorophyll a ranged between 1.17 and 3.23 mg m⁻³, productivity ranged between 1.36 and 23.90 mg C m⁻³ h⁻¹, and the assimilation rate was between 0.93 and 8.62 mg C mg Chl a ⁻¹ h⁻¹. The environmental parameters oscillated more in relation to seasonality than regarding the different tide stages and spatiality. According to the principal component analysis, rainfall was the most important physical forcing mechanism for the studied system, presenting direct correlation with suspended particulate material and nitrite and inverse correlation with the saturation index of dissolved oxygen, temperature, and transparency. The reef ecosystem is still free from the anthropogenic eutrophication process. It ranged from oligotrophic (dry season) to eutrophic (rainy season), and in the rainy season, the Maracaípe River plume can change the environmental conditions in the system. Although the reef area is under strong anthropogenic pressure due to intense local tourist activity, this impact has not been perceptible in the pelagic environment.

Wang, F.; Wang, H.; Zong, Y.; Andersen, T.J.; Pei, Y.D.; Tian, L.Z.; Li, J.F., and Shang, Z.W., 2014. Sedimentary dynamics along the west coast of Bohai Bay, China, during the twentieth century.

To investigate the most recent changes in sedimentation along the west coast of Bohai Bay, China, we collected twelve 1–2 m short cores of undisturbed sediment from tidal flats off the city of Tianjin, using an Eijkelkamp corer. Based on the excess or unsupported ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs activities measured from the sediment cores, the chronology of the sediment sequences was established, from which the sedimentary history of the tidal flats was reconstructed. Results inform spatial and temporal variations in sedimentation rate along the Tianjin coast, from which sedimentary dynamics can be deduced. Two important time boundaries are identified. As the Luanhe River had migrated northwards since 1915, sediment supply to the northern section of the coast had reduced. Around 1958, several rivers were dammed. Since 1985, the need for dredging the Tianjin Port has decreased. These actions have resulted in a decline of sediment supply from these rivers, including Haihe, to both the northern and southern sectors of the coast. Once the supply of sediment from rivers was reduced, tidal processes acted to modify sediment characteristics, and an upward-fining pattern is recorded in the majority of sediment cores in this study. This study highlights the usefulness of applying both ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs dating methods. These dating methods, together with detailed sedimentary analysis, can provide valuable sedimentary evidence of coastal change and natural and human causes of change.

Huang, W.; Hagen, S., and Bacopoulos, P., 2014. Hydrodynamic modeling of Hurricane Dennis impact on estuarine salinity variation in Apalachicola Bay.

Hurricane Dennis made landfall in Florida on 10 July 2005 and caused a storm surge of 2.4 m in Apalachicola. Field observations of salinity, winds, and river inflows are available at a few stations in the bay during the hurricane event. Presented in this paper is a numerical modeling study that investigates the effects of Hurricane Dennis on estuarine mixing and transport. A previously calibrated three-dimensional (3D) estuarine hydrodynamic model was further validated by the field observations of salinity and water levels during the hurricane event. A large-scale storm-surge model was used to provide storm-surge hydrographs at the five estuarine boundaries for the 3D estuarine model. This model integration proved successful with the results indicating that the model predictions of storm-surge hydrographs and salinity match well with observations. Model predictions of spatial distributions of salinity and current fields are presented to demonstrate the fresh-saline water mixing at different times of the storm-surge event. Results indicate that the hurricane-induced storm surge caused substantial increase of salinity in the bay. Majority saline water entered the bay from the east during the storm surge event. Salinity at the oyster reef, Cat Point in the eastern bay area, is more sensitive to the increased water levels caused by storm surge than another oyster reef, Dry Bar, in the western bay area.

Godoy, M.D.P. and de Lacerda, L.D., 2014. River-island morphological response to basin land-use change within the Jaguaribe River estuary, NE Brazil.

The Jaguaribe River drains the largest watershed of the Ceará state in northeastern Brazil, which, with a catchment of approximately 75,000 km², comprises more than 50% of the total state area. Land use and global climate changes are altering the river morphology, making navigation in the estuary difficult. Mapping of fluvial islands using images from the Landsat 5 between 1988 and 2010 showed that the existing islands in the estuary suffered great changes during this period. Overall, there was an increase of 24.15 ha in the area of the islands, which are presently being colonized by mangrove vegetation. The period of largest growth occurred between 1992 and 2003, when there was an increase of 13 ha at a rate of 2.7 ha y⁻¹. An estimate of the sediment loading from various land uses in the watershed showed that the main activity contributing to sediments to the estuary is agriculture (282,322 t y⁻¹), with the main contributions stemming from plantations of beans, cassava, and corn; the second-most important source of sediments is urban runoff (115,076 t y⁻¹), followed by shrimp farms (13,475 t y⁻¹) and livestock (1374 t y⁻¹). The increased rate of sedimentation in the estuary caused by land-use drivers is aggravated by the decrease in river flow caused by damming and the decrease in rainfall over the basin caused by global climate change.

Xu, Y.; Pu, L.; Zhu, M.; Li, J.; Zhang, M.; Li, P., and Zhang, J., 2014. Spatial variation of soil salinity in the coastal reclamation area, eastern China.

Reclamation of coastal saline tidal flats has become a common practice for coastal countries faced with a decrease in cultivated land and an increase in population. Because the variability of soil salinity is considerable, understanding the spatial distribution of this salinity and its components is essential for land use planning. This study was conducted in a coastal area in eastern China that has been reclaimed under various land use types at different times. The objective of the work was to assess the effect of the reclamation time and land use types on soil salinity and spatial variation of soil salinity by using conventional statistics and geostatistical techniques. The results indicate that reclamation times and land use types significantly influence soil salinity in coastal areas. Cropland and aquaculture pond have same effect on soil desalinization. Soil desalinization reached a balance after 30 years. According to the average soil salinity at the depth of 0–40 cm and soil salinity spatial stability of soil profile, the study area is divided into eight management zones, which is useful for soil sampling investigation and making decisions on the kind of crops that can be cultivated at the different fields of the study area.

Brown, A.L.; Reinhardt, E.G.; van Hengstum, P.J., and Pilarczyk, J.E., 2014. A coastal Yucatan sinkhole records intense hurricane events.

The potential of tropical sinkholes as archives for historical hurricane events has yet to be fully explored. This study uses high-resolution (1-cm interval) particle-size analysis to examine two sediment push cores from Laguna Chumkopó, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Core CKC1 (62 cm) was collected from the base of a deep sinkhole located in Laguna Chumkopó at −79.9 m (msl), while the second core, CKC2 (93 cm), was collected from the shallow peripheral margin at −6.4 m (msl). Two coarse fining upward sequences (12 to 35 cm, 46 to 62 cm) in CKC1 had mean particle sizes of approximately 1.5 φ (medium sand) with intervening intervals of lime mud (<4 φ). Measured ¹³⁷Cs activity in the bulk sediment (n = 15) and radiocarbon dating (n = 3) using bomb-carbon calibration determined that the lower coarse unit was deposited in the 1960s (after September 1957 AD), and the upper unit between January 1985 and August 1991 AD. Hurricane Gilbert struck the Yucatan on 15 September 1988 as a category 5 storm, generating the upper fining upward sequence. Hurricane Beulah (category 2–3) likely generated the lower unit when it struck on 18 September 1967. CKC2 revealed small textural changes, alternating between silt and sand-sized particles and radiocarbon ages dated to ∼6.7 to 7.1 ka. The rapid accumulation of sediment in the shallow lagoon likely occurred with rising sea level flooding the area at approximately 6.8 ka. Based on the sedimentary results, a depositional model is proposed for inland sinkholes, explaining the formation of hurricane deposits through density and debris flows along the shallow margin.