Physical determinants of intertidal communities on dissipative beaches: Implications of sea-level rise

Sea-level rise is likely to cause significant changes in the morphodynamic state of beaches in the higher latitudes, resulting in steeper beaches with larger particle sizes. These physical changes have implications for beach invertebrate communities, which are determined largely by sediment particle size, and hence for ecosystem function. Previous studies have explored the relationships between invertebrate communities and environmental variables such as particle size, beach slope and exposure to wave action, and often these physical variables can be integrated in various indices of morphodynamic state. Most of these studies incorporated a full range of beach types that included wave-dominated surf beaches, where the wave action is harsh enough to enable reliable estimates of breaker height, a parameter included in several of the indices, and concluded that more dissipative beaches with gentler slopes and finer particle sizes often support a higher number of species and greater abundance than more reflective beaches. Whether these predictions remain valid for less wave-dominated beaches, where breaker height is more difficult to determine, is uncertain. In the present study, the abundance of meio- and macrofauna was quantified across a range of beaches in the UK, which are generally towards the lower energy end of the morphodynamic gradient, and their relationships with beach physical properties explored. No significant relationships were found between abundance and the standard morphodynamic indices, but significant relationships were found for both macro- and meiofaunal abundance when these indices were combined with an exposure index (derived from velocity, direction, duration and the effective fetch). All the relationships identified between abundance and combined morphodynamic indices indicated a higher abundance of both macro- and meiofauna on the more dissipative beaches. The reverse was however found for species richness. If predictions that accelerated sea-level rise will move beaches towards a more reflective morphodynamic state are correct, this could lead to declines in the abundance of meio- and macrofauna, with potential adverse consequences for ecosystem functioning.     

砾石海滩的沉积和形态动力特征

天然砾石海滩的物质主要来源于河流输入，海岸侵蚀，海底侵蚀，沿岸输送，人类活动及冰川搬运等，砾石海滩在地貌上表现出明显的分带性，海滩坡度的大小随物源和动力条件发生变化，砾石的磨蚀速率与岩性及周围沉积物粒度组成有关，人工砾石海滩建设可借鉴天然砾石海滩的形成和演化过程，合理地设计物质组成，砾石形状和大小，以便能更快地使人工海滩达到平衡状态并维持海滩的稳定性。     

Longshore current and sediment transport on composite beach profiles

Natural beaches tend to exhibit an equilibrium profile that is planar nearshore and nonplanar, concave-up offshore. The longshore current on this type of beach profile depends on the horizontal distance to the location of the intersection between the planar and nonplanar profiles. As the width of the planar beach face decreases, the location of the maximum longshore current moves closer to the shore. The dependency of the corresponding longshore sediment transport rate on the location of the intersection between the two profiles is demonstrated for two energetics-based sediment transport models. Again, a narrower beach face results in the maximum sediment transport being closer to the shore. Total sediment transport rates are also a function of the planar beach face width. This suggests that longshore transport rates are modulated by the tidal elevation.     

Community structure of macrobenthos in two tropical sandy beaches with different morphodynamic features, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The macrobenthos of two exposed tropical sandy beaches in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) were compared in relation to density, species richness, and vertical zonation. Biological and sediment samplings were carried out in the austral winter of 2002 and the austral summer of 2003. The sampling design consisted of 10 transects perpendicular to the water line, evenly divided into strata. A sampling unit was taken in each stratum with a 0.04 m² quadrat sampler. Beaches were also compared according to physical features, such as slope, wave period, wave height, and grain size. According to Dean's Ω morphodynamic index the Pontal is a dissipative beach while the Costa Azul is a reflective one. The mean grain size ranged from median to coarse sand in Costa Azul, whereas in Pontal it ranged from median to very fine sand. Eleven species were collected in the two beaches. Crustaceans were the dominant in the Costa Azul Beach, while the polychaete Scolelepis squamata dominated the Pontal beach. A negative correlation was found between the density of the macrobenthos and mean grain size, and beach slope. On the other hand, the Dean's parameter correlated positively with faunal density. Based on the results of ANOSIM, in both beaches, two groups of stations were identified, defining an upper and a lower beach zone along the vertical distribution of the macrobenthos.     

Variations in grain‐size and sorting on two kaikoura beaches

Two exposed, high‐energy beaches on the Kaikoura coast of New Zealand are composed of sand and gravel derived from a greywacke terrain. Both beaches can be classified as mixed beaches although the sediment varies from dominantly gravel at the ends of the beach to dominantly sand at the centre, through transition zones in which sand and gravel are mixed. Sixty‐four surface samples were analysed for grain size; two sediment parameters, mean grain size (M_z) and sorting (σ_I), were calculated.

A striking feature of the cumulative frequency curves is that both unimodai and bimodal distributions include median sizes over the whole range of sampled material, even though bimodal samples display two strong modes in the sand and gravel grades. The general deficiency lof sediment dn the very coarse sand and granule classes (0 to — 2 _F ) noted by numerous authors in many parts of the world is apparent in the poorly‐sorted bimodal samples. However, the best‐sorted samples also occur in these two classes.

Mean grain size of samples ranges from medium sand (1.820) to medium pebbles (—4.7 _F ), and sorting ranges from very well sorted (0.250) to very poorly sorted (2.69 _F ). Mean erain size on the northern beach is significantly greater than on the southern beach, but values of sorting are comparable. The greater mean size on one beach compared with the other is thought to be a function of the grade of material supplied by local rivers; the similarity in sorting presumably reflects the similarity of the processes acting on the two beaches.

Mixed sand‐shingle beaches are relatively rare on a world scale but common in New Zealand. Sediment distributions along the Kaikoura beaches do not reveal a regular decrease in size away from the rivers which supply material to shore at present. Instead, the beaches are differentiated into a number of sediment zones composed of either sand, or mixed sand‐gravel, or gravel. On each beach a gravel zone is located furthest from the river outlets. Sorting generally improves toward the Kaikoura Peninsula. Explanations for these trends are not given. Variations in size and sorting across the two beaches do not show a well developed zonation because of the high level of wave energy which continually mixes the material across the beach.     

日照海岸带沙滩侵蚀现状及沉积物粒度特征分析

通过对日照市海岸带2个重点沙滩的现场调查和沉积物粒度计算,综合分析了沙滩的侵蚀现状和粒度参数特征。海滨国家森林公园沙滩北部和南部处于侵蚀状态,中部为缓慢淤积状态;万平口海水浴场沙滩北部、中部总体呈侵蚀趋势,南部为淤积状态。海滨国家森林公园沙滩的平均粒径总体要小于万平口海水浴场沙滩,这与两沙滩的坡度不同有关,平均粒径从滩肩到低潮线逐渐变小。海滨国家森林公园沙滩的分选性要好于万平口海水浴场沙滩,分选系数具有由陆向海、由北向南逐渐变小的趋势。沙滩的滩肩和滩面处频率曲线主要为双峰,峰态平坦,物质来源复杂,低潮线处频率曲线主要为单峰,峰态尖锐,物质来源单一。     

The biomass of macro- and interstitial fauna on clean and wrack-covered beaches in Western Australia

The benthic faunal spectrum including bacteria, protozoans, meiofauna, wrack epifauna and macrofauna, was quantitatively surveyed on two modally reflective, moderate energy, Western Australian beaches. The more exposed beach had coarser sand, no intertidal macrofauna and a poor interstitial fauna. The less exposed beach had a large deposit of wrack totalling 161 kg m^?1 dry mass concentrated on the lower shore. The amphipod Allorchestes compressa was abundant in the fresh wrack comprising most of the macrofauna. There were also fairly abundant small epifauna on the wrack. Dry biomass of macrofauna, epifauna, meiofauna, protozoans and bacteria was 0, 0, 15, 4 and 180 g m^?1 on the more exposed beach and 160, 3, 112, 9 and 901 g m^?1 on the less exposed beach with wrack. On the latter beach there was an inverse correlation between meiofaunal densities and the densities of protozoans and bacteria, suggesting grazing by the former on the latter. On both beaches meiofauna was concentrated in the mid- to upper beach, protozoans near the surface and bacteria in the mid- to lower beach. It is estimated that bacteria are responsible for most of the secondary production on both beaches.     

楮岛沙滩不同时间尺度变化特征与波能流密度相关性探讨

在波浪和水流的作用下,泥沙在不同时间尺度下的运动会引起沙滩的冲淤演变,对海岸资源有重要的影响。因此,了解沙滩季节性演变规律,并采取针对性的防护措施,是近岸沙滩亟须解决的问题。目前,现场观测是研究沙滩剖面冲淤演变的重要方法,通过沉积物组成、岸滩坡度及波浪动力的时空变化,了解沙滩剖面的变化特性,对于沙滩管理和海岸保护具有十分重要的意义。基于2017年9月—2019年11月在荣成楮岛南岸沙滩每个月采集一次的剖面数据,以及波浪动力数据,分别探究了沙滩在不同时间尺度下的变化特征,并对沙滩变化特征与波浪动力因素的相关性进行了探讨。研究发现：楮岛南岸沙滩形态变化具有较强的季节性特征,春季沙滩比较稳定;夏季沙滩受台风影响侵蚀严重,但在风暴过后的短时间内,沙滩泥沙恢复较快;冬季沙滩恢复速度逐渐减缓并趋于稳定。在夏季和冬季期间,波能流密度的向岸分量对楮岛南沙滩的演变产生重要作用,而且波能流密度向岸分量的均值（选取数据采集前15 d的波浪条件参与计算）与沙滩体积的相关性最好,并给出了两者的线性拟合公式。     

The effects of storms and storm-generated currents on sand beaches in Southern Maine, USA

Storms are one of the most important controls on the cycle of erosion and accretion on beaches. Current meters placed in shoreface locations of Saco Bay and Wells Embayment, ME, recorded bottom currents during the winter months of 2000 and 2001, while teams of volunteers profiled the topography of nearby beaches. Coupling offshore meteorological and beach profile data made it possible to determine the response of nine beaches in southern Maine to various oceanographic and meteorological conditions. The beaches selected for profiling ranged from pristine to completely developed and permitted further examination of the role of seawalls on the response of beaches to storms.

Current meters documented three unique types of storms: frontal passages, southwest storms, and northeast storms. In general, the current meter results indicate that frontal passages and southwest storms were responsible for bringing sediment towards the shore, while northeast storms resulted in a net movement of sediment away from the beach. During the 1999–2000 winter, there were a greater percentage of frontal passages and southwest storms, while during the 2000–2001 winter, there were more northeast storms. The sediment that was transported landward during the 1999–2000 winter was reworked into the berm along moderately and highly developed beaches during the next summer.

A northeast storm on March 5–6, 2001, resulted in currents in excess of 1 m s⁻¹ and wave heights that reached six meters. The storm persisted over 10 high tides and caused coastal flooding and property damage. Topographic profiles made before and after the storm demonstrate that developed beaches experienced a loss of sediment volume during the storm, while sediment was redistributed along the profile on moderately developed and undeveloped beaches. Two months after the storm, the profiles along the developed beaches had not reached their pre-storm elevation. In comparison, the moderately developed and undeveloped beaches reached and exceeded their pre-storm elevation and began to show berm buildup characteristic of the summer months.     

深圳龙岐湾海滩资源调查与开发建议

文章基于2022年春、秋季开展的龙岐湾沙滩资源调查数据,分析较场尾沙滩、大塘角沙滩、黄泥湾沙滩和桔钓沙沙滩的剖面特征、沉积物粒径和裂流发生情况。研究结果表明：4处沙滩剖面的坡度秋缓春陡,剖面受风浪和潮汐直接作用时坡度变化大,受遮蔽时坡度变化小,整体呈冬春淤积、夏秋侵蚀;沙滩沉积物以中砂、粗砂和砾石为主,粒径变化不大;沙滩均无明显裂流发生,为低风险等级。建议开发沙滩旅游应考虑季节性的补沙方案,开展围垦养殖和海岸工程应注意削弱ESE向和SE向的波浪作用。     

海滩-珊瑚礁系统风暴响应特征研究——以1409号台风“威马逊”对清澜港海岸影响为例

珊瑚礁海岸在我国热带地区广泛发育,海滩-珊瑚礁海岸的动力地貌过程是认识该类海岸的关键。本文基于对海南铜鼓岭-高隆湾岸段的台风"威马逊"前后跟踪观测,讨论了海滩风暴响应特征及其与珊瑚礁发育之间的联系。结果表明该岸段海滩在"威马逊"风暴作用下响应最为剧烈的区带位于平均海平面(MSL)以上,表现为后滨冲越,以及岸线蚀退、滩肩变窄、滩面侵蚀等响应特征。海滩风暴响应特征与近岸珊瑚礁发育密切相关,在无珊瑚或珊瑚受损的岸段海滩响应剧烈,剖面平均变化率(MPC)为其他岸段的3~6倍,珊瑚礁通过消耗波能对相邻海滩提供良好保护。海滩-珊瑚礁系统对风暴的响应特征受控于珊瑚礁对海岸波浪的消耗能力和海滩固有的缓冲能力。基于本文研究结果,归纳出风暴极端动力条件下海滩-珊瑚礁海岸的4种风暴响应模式。     

Distribution and thickness of sedimentary facies in the coastal dune, beach and nearshore sedimentary system at Maspalomas, Canary Islands

Numerous studies have shown that most beaches and coastal dune systems of the world are currently eroding but very few have investigated the combined sediment budgets of subaerial and nearshore submarine systems. In the case of the dune field of the Maspalomas Natural Special Reserve (in the south of Gran Canaria), the adjacent Maspalomas and El Inglés beaches and the adjacent submarine platform, the sediment budgets have been severely affected by erosion over the past few decades. The objectives of this study were to investigate the availability of sand within the modern sedimentary system, including the coastal dunes, the beaches and the submerged shelf, but also to assess local sediment sinks. An isopach map generated on the basis of topo-bathymetric data and seismic-reflection profiles revealed that sediment thickness varies from 0–22 m in the study area. Expanses of relatively low sediment thickness were identified in the south-western sector of the coastal dune field along Maspalomas beach, and in the nearshore region to the south of this beach. These localized sediment-deficit areas earmark Maspalomas beach as the most vulnerable shore strip threatened by erosion. The shallow seismic data also revealed that the submarine platform south of Maspalomas represents a marine terrace cut into an ancient alluvial fan, thus documenting an influence of the geomorphological heritage on the present-day morphodynamics. A side-scan sonar mosaic of this nearshore platform enabled the delimitation of areas covered by rock, boulders and gravel, vegetated sand patches and a mobile sand facies, the latter including ripple and megaripple fields. The megaripple field in a valley close to the talus of the marine terrace has been identified as a major sediment sink of the Maspalomas sedimentary system. It is fed by south-westerly storm-wave events. The sediment deficit in the coastal dune field and along Maspalomas beach can therefore only be explained by a currently faster loss of sediment to an offshore sink than can be compensated by the supply of sand from outside the system.     

The ecology of sandy beaches of the Benguela ecosystem

Sandy beaches constitute nearly 46 per cent of the coastline between the Cape of Good Hope and the Orange River along the west coast of South Africa. In addition, shores of mixed sand and rock make up a further 24 per cent although these are not considered here. Sandy beaches are therefore the dominant shore type along the coastline, and most are subject to high wave energy. There are two main ecological beach types along the study coastline: those that receive a high input of organic matter in the form of stranded kelp and those that do not. Neither type appears to support large stocks of surf-zone phytoplankton, but despite this, even beaches receiving no stranded kelp bear high standing stocks of infauna. This fact may be related to the location of the beaches alongside a highly productive upwelling region. Existing ecological information on sandy beaches along the Benguela coastline is reviewed and integrated to form a composite picture of present understanding of these beaches. The definition of a sandy beach includes not only the sandy intertidal zone but also the surf zone and sand dunes associated with it. Sandy beaches are characterized by the absence of attached primary producers, although in some parts of the world primary production by surf-zone phytoplankton has been found to be important. Secondary production by the infauna usually depends on matter imported into the system, except on beaches supporting important stocks of surf-zone phytoplankton. Imported organic matter is retained by beach sediments which act as a physical sieve, filtering large quantities of water with each wave and tide.     

大鹏湾岬湾型海滩季节性变化特征及原因分析——以官湖海滩为例

随着全球海平面的上升及极端气象的频发,全球海滩总体呈现出一定的退化现象,海滩保护成为海岸带生态修复的焦点问题之一。我国华南地区岬湾型海滩分布广泛,以深圳市大鹏湾官湖海滩为代表,基于2020—2021年实测海滩剖面高程数据,分析岬湾型海滩季节性变化特征。研究表明,官湖海滩剖面坡度夏秋缓冬春陡,夏秋侵蚀冬春淤积;海滩沉积物粒径季节性变化不明显。海滩剖面形态受风浪、平均潮位的季节性变化控制,以夏秋季为例,平均潮位逐渐升高,南向波浪强度较大,在二者的共同作用下,海滩后滨侵蚀明显,泥沙离岸输运,并在前滨淤积。补沙方案宜在夏秋季进行,且重点区域为官湖海滩东侧与观海湾海滩,防御方案应主要削弱南向波浪。     

Relationship between oil pollution and psammolittoral meiofauna density of two South African beaches

The effects of stranded oil from a tanker collision off the South African coast on the meiofauna ratio and density have been monitored over a period of 1 year on two sandy beaches. The perturbation of two beaches was judged against reference beach meiofauna density behaviour. In the undisturbed beach, oil deposited in sediment depressed harpacticoid copepod numbers, while numbers of nematodes stayed similar to those of the reference levels. Removal of surface sand in the mechanically disturbed beach had a greater influence on the density of animals than oil. Both beaches showed recovery after six months, but evidence of pollution by oil of unknown origin was found.     

Dean模型在山东半岛西北岸滩动力地貌研究的应用

根据山东半岛西北部25条实测岸滩剖面及相关表层沉积物、波浪、潮流资料,通过计算浪潮作用指数K和波浪-沉积物参数Ω,确定研究区主控动力因素并对海滩动力地貌类型进行划分,在此基础上应用Dean平衡剖面模型对实测剖面进行拟合,探讨了该模型的适用性及其参数物理意义等问题。山东半岛西北部整体为浪控海岸,刁龙嘴-三山岛岸段、海北嘴-石虎嘴岸段和三山岛-海北嘴岸段均属过渡型海滩,屺坶岛-栾家口岸段属消散型海滩。研究区实测剖面与Dean模型的拟合结果整体较好,部分剖面(剖面1、剖面2、剖面3、剖面5、剖面8)由于发育离岸沙坝,使其形态与Dean模型预测的平滑上凹的形态特点存在一定差别。屺坶岛-栾家口岸段(剖面19~剖面24)受外海侧桑岛及沿岸龙口人工岛群影响,与Dean模型预测结果存在较大差别,Dean模型对发育槽-坝体系的海滩的拟合仍具有局限性。Dean模型中m和A分别反映了海滩剖面反射性和泥沙沉速,与海滩动力地貌类型判别公式计算结果吻合较好。     

Temporal assessment of sediment transport from beach nourishments by using foraminifera as natural tracers

This paper presents the application of a technique that can be easily applied in monitoring programs following beach fills, where sand is dredged from subtidal zones, seabed or bays, usually rich in foraminifera shells. Its utility lies in a simple and rapid estimation of the prevailing longshore transport paths and determination of the main eroding/accreting zones. A beach monitoring program was undertaken in a embayment on the South Atlantic Spanish coast, where several nourishments were carried out in order to recover an eroding beach. Once the nourishment was complete, a temporal analysis of foraminifera shell distribution was made in a nearby beach inside the embayment by monthly sediment sampling. Foraminifera shells were used as natural tracers for estimating sediment pathways. The results showed a complex pattern of sedimentary transport between both beaches, where wind action and reflected/diffracted waves interfered with the dominant longshore current, depending on the prevailing hydrodynamic regime. These results were later confirmed by a 3-year morphodynamic study. Although foraminifera dispersion only accounts for the behaviour of fine fractions, the monitoring of shell dispersion after dumping demonstrated to be a useful tool for studying the stability of nourished beaches. In the case of nourished beaches foraminifera shells could be considered as mixed tracers, with many advantages over both natural and artificial traditional tracers.     

Longshore sorting on a beach under wave action

Sorting of sediment on a beach under wave action takes several forms. Stratified layers of finer and coarser sediment, which depend on wave climate, grain size and beach slope are formed. This complex problem can be simplified by defining the cross-shore and longshore sorting according to the angle between the breaking wave and the coast. In the present study, longshore distribution of sediment as well as corresponding beach profiles was measured in a wave basin. Three-dimensional hydraulic model experiments were performed with regular waves. Eighteen sets of experiments performed in longshore sorting mechanism using two different sand beds. The sorting of the bed material and the formation of armour coats along the beach were defined by grain size distributions and dimensionless parameters for sandy beaches.The rate of sediment transport with grain size sorting was measured in a wave basin. A method introduced sorting process was presented in this study. The sediment rate based on sorting mechanism was also discussed with known methods. It has been found that the non-uniformity of the grain size and hence sorting of the beaches play a very important role in the sand transport due to wave motion in a similar way to the case of steady flow in alluvial channels.     

Sediment transport along an artificial shoreline: “The Strand”, Townsville,NE-Queensland,Australia

Construction measures to stabilise or spatially extend coastlines have become a routine measure in urbanised coastal zones. This study quantifies beach profile changes and sediment transport along an artificial beach in Townsville, NE-Queensland. The “Strand” was transformed from a single degraded shoreline into a shoreline with five embayments (or “pocket beaches”) split by four artificial rocky headlands in 1998. The modified shoreline has had an impact on the local and regional northward long-shore sediment pathway, creating local shifts in sand. Sediment deposition and erosion occur at the same time at different parts of the pocket beaches. Collected offshore sediments show that little artificial sand is transported more than a few meters seaward in the south-eastern part of the Strand, while substantial and long-ranging export, i.e., tens to hundreds of meters, occurs in the north-western area. This is mainly the result of the breakwaters south of the Strand, which impacts the predominant northward long-shore sediment transport induced by the dominant south-easterly winds.     

超百年一遇强降雨对厦门岛沙滩影响研究

2018年5月7日厦门岛遭遇了超百年一遇的强降水,对岸滩造成了严重影响。文章采用现场测量、无人机航拍等方法,通过对冲毁岸滩进行现场调查与测量,发现厦门岛东南部10.78km的滨海沙滩岸段,共有10个岸段的沙滩发生明显冲刷,受损岸线总长度为6.1km(占比57%),形成了28条冲刷沟,沙滩遭受的侵蚀面积为20286m²,冲刷量超过4万m³。分析其原因,主要是海岸带开发利用时,不透水面增多且具有一定的坡度,加之后方陆域地下排洪管涵排水,当短期强降水发生时,局部地形集中汇水后急速冲向海岸,导致海岸侵蚀垮塌和后退,沙滩冲刷成沟而流失大量海砂。针对不同沙滩的冲刷程度与影响机制,提出了相应的整治修复方案,可为今后沙滩维护保养提供参考。