An interdisciplinary network of scientists and stakeholders is working to understand how saltwater intrusion and sea level rise are affecting rural communities and to help address the consequences.
beaches, coasts, & shorelines
Shoreline Migration, Sediment Accumulation, and Blue Carbon Storage
Autogenic processes of sediment storage and erosion regulate shoreline movement and therefore, where coastal wetlands develop, setting up subsurface areas of preserved organic matter, blue carbon.
Extensive Sand Dune Loss Threatens California Coast
Aerial photos combined with lidar data show the extent of the problem.
Mangroves May Be Losing Their Grip on Carbon Storage as Sea Levels Rise
Locally, mangroves can sometimes adapt to rising seas, but global trends look troubling.
Oysters Clean Up More Nitrogen Pollution Than We Thought
New research has revealed that significant amounts of excess nitrogen in coastal waters are buried as oyster reefs grow and that some reefs trap more nitrogen than others.
Melting Glaciers Make the Coastal Ocean More Sensitive
Fresh water from retreating ice does more than raise sea levels. It affects how the ocean responds to acidification and other environmental changes.
How to Study Coastal Evolution
Researchers reviewed what’s known about how coastlines are changing and made recommendations for how to learn more.
What’s Under the Water Matters
The fate of barrier islands in presence of sea level rise depends on their underwater shape.
Tracking Microplastics Above and Below the Waves
Measuring plastic particles carried on Cozumel’s sea breezes and ocean currents reveals how simple physics shapes the particles’ pathways and the impacts they may have on coastal regions.
Shrinking Sea Ice Is Ruffling Emperor Penguins’ Feathers
A scientist stumbled upon evidence of penguin molting sites in satellite data, but the sea ice these birds rely on is disappearing.
