Coastal and marine ecosystem services valuation for policy and management: Managed realignment case studies in England

The recognition of the economic value of nature and the services it provides to humanity has become increasingly essential in the context of coastal zone management. In this paper we review the progress to date on both the necessary conceptual framework and empirical valuation studies required to bolster decision support systems (DSS) targeted at integrated coastal zone management goals. We highlight the importance of using an ecosystem services approach and recommend some basic sequential, although overlapping, analytical steps for appropriate environmental valuation and policy assessment: spatial explicitness; marginal changes; double counting; non-linearities; and threshold effects. We illustrate the practical use of the DSS by reviewing an existing UK case study on managed coastal realignment along the Eastern coast of England, and a new UK case study on managed realignment implemented in a southern area on the same coast. Comparing the two studies, the importance of spatial explicitness and the need for a sequential decision support system when dealing with ecosystem services valuation and project policy appraisal become particularly evident.     

Coastal defence through wave farms

The possibility of using wave farms for coastal defence warrants investigation because wave energy is poised to become a major renewable in many countries over the next decades. The fundamental question in this regard is whether a wave farm can be used to reduce beach erosion under storm conditions. If the answer to this question is positive, then a wave farm can have coastal defence as a subsidiary function, in addition to its primary role of producing carbon-free energy. The objective of this work is to address this question by comparing the response of a beach in the face of a storm in two scenarios: with and without the wave farm. For this comparison a set of ad hoc impact indicators is developed: the bed level impact (BLI), beach face eroded area (FEA), non-dimensional erosion reduction (NER), and mean cumulative eroded area (CEA); and their values are determined by means of two coupled models: a high-resolution wave propagation model (SWAN) and a coastal processes model (XBeach). The study is conducted through a case study: Perranporth Beach (UK). Backed by a well-developed dune system, Perranporth has a bar between − 5 m and − 10 m. The results show that the wave farm reduces the eroded volume by as much as 50% and thus contributes effectively to coastal protection. This synergy between marine renewable energy and coastal defence may well contribute to improving the viability of wave farms through savings in conventional coastal protection.     

The role of research networks for science-policy collaboration in coastal areas

This paper reviews the approach taken by several UK coastal partnerships in developing research strategies and programmes. It reports on the status of these research initiatives and describes how the co-ordination and communication of scientific research have been approached through active partnerships with universities and the wider research community. Results of semi-structured interviews are followed by in-depth case studies of research networks on the Sefton Coast (focusing on coastal morphology) and the Severn Estuary (focusing on coastal change and climate change impacts). The results reveal the constraints and opportunities that exist in bringing together a variety of knowledge holders in the coastal zone. The paper identifies key elements of these initiatives and highlights lessons that can be applied to the development of other research initiatives in order to achieve science supported, ecosystem-based management.     

Modeling uncertainty in estuarine system by means of combined approach of optical and radar remote sensing

Coastal environments are complex systems undergoing continuous evolution at a range of spatial and temporal scales. In this context, geomorphological and ecological features can be strongly related. We propose a synoptic remote sensing approach to monitor the temporal dynamics of both biotic and abiotic factors in estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Through the combination of spaceborne optical and SAR imagery, we derived both ecological and morphological parameters, to be integrated for a multi-temporal analysis of the dominant processes and trends in coastal landscapes. These dynamics were studied at three locations: Bevano (IT), the Scheldt (B-NL) and Erme (UK). The objectives were to detect and analyze interannual variations of processes and environmental dynamics.The results highlight that over time, the morphology of different subsystems represents a balance between inputs (forcing agents like tidal range) and natural responses (related responses of the vegetation evolution). As a final remark the calculation of the uncertainties (subsidence rates) using new monitoring techniques such as satellite remote sensing has a specific added value that could be used for simulations over varying time scales and it should be considered as a potential ‘add in’ for an integrated management approach to coastal monitoring and control.     

Flood and coastal erosion risk management policy evolution in Northern Ireland: “Incremental or leapfrogging?”

Climate change poses a significant challenge for the future of Northern Ireland’s coast due to impacts that include, inter alia, mean sea level rise of between 13 cm and 74 cm by 2050. Whilst flooding is regarded as a major hazard in the United Kingdom (UK), to date Northern Ireland’s experiences of coastal flooding have been infrequent and less severe compared to those in England and Wales. Similarly, coastal erosion has historically been, and remains, only a minor concern in Northern Ireland. Partly as a result of this, Government administrative arrangements for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) in Northern Ireland operate in the absence of any statutory provision for coastal erosion, as well as without formal or strategic shoreline management planning and any integrated flood and coastal erosion risk management policy. This paper provides a commentary on Northern Ireland’s approach to FCERM, comparing this with its UK counterparts, highlighting both congruence and divergence in policy evolution and development. It is noted that the recent EU Floods Directive has been a significant catalyst and that the current institutional landscape for FCERM is in flux.     

Priority questions to shape the marine and coastal policy research agenda in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom (UK) and European Union policy is rapidly developing to meet international targets for the sustainable use and protection of the marine environment. To inform this process, research needs to keep pace with these changes and research questions must be focused on providing robust scientific evidence. Thirty four priority research questions within six broad themes were identified by delegates who attended the 1st marine and coastal policy Forum, hosted by the Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research at Plymouth University in June 2011. The priority questions formed through this research are timely and reflect the pace and change of marine policy in the UK in response to international, European and national policy drivers. Within the data theme, the majority of questions seek to find improved procedures to manage and use data effectively. Questions related to governance focus on how existing policies should be implemented. The marine conservation questions focus entirely upon implementation and monitoring of existing policy. Questions related to ecosystem services focus on research to support the conceptual links between ecosystem services, ecosystem function, and marine management. Questions relating to marine citizenship are fundamental questions about the nature of societal engagement with the sea. Finally, the marine planning questions focus upon understanding the general approaches to be taken to marine planning rather than its detailed implementation. The questions that have emerged from this process vary in scale, approach and focus. They identify the interdisciplinary science that is currently needed to enable the UK to work towards delivering its European and international commitments to achieve the sustainable use and protection of the marine environment.     

Marine and terrestrial protected areas in Mexico: Importance of their functional connectivity in conservation management

In coastal zones, natural protected areas have been created without considering the relationship between the two environments they involve. This is currently a crucial challenge for conservation efforts, because the protection initiatives taken in coastal watersheds need to be integrated with the marine component. With the aim of contributing to increase the knowledge in this issue, the present work analyzes the current state of conservation efforts in the Mexican coastal zone, based on a simplified theoretical approach focusing the coastal zones as a group of ecotones functionally connected by the flow of matter end energy. We found that only 16 of 92 Mexican coastal watersheds have natural protected areas in all the ecotones analyzed, whereas 15 of them lack of any kind of protection. The present investigation may facilitate the appraisal of gaps in watersheds and coastal ecotones conservation management, with emphasis on the connectivity between marine and terrestrial environments of the coastal zone.     

Estimating extreme water level probabilities: A comparison of the direct methods and recommendations for best practise

Over the past five decades, several approaches for estimating probabilities of extreme still water levels have been developed. Currently, different methods are applied not only on transnational, but also on national scales, resulting in a heterogeneous level of protection. Applying different statistical methods can yield significantly different estimates of return water levels, but even the use of the same technique can produce large discrepancies, because there is subjective parameter choice at several steps in the model setup. In this paper, we compare probabilities of extreme still water levels estimated using the main direct methods (i.e. the block maxima method and the peaks over threshold method) considering a wide range of strategies to create extreme value dataset and a range of different model setups. We primarily use tide gauge records from the German Bight but also consider data from sites around the UK and Australia for comparison. The focus is on testing the influence of the following three main factors, which can affect the estimates of extreme value statistics: (1) detrending the original data sets; (2) building samples of extreme values from the original data sets; and (3) the record lengths of the original data sets. We find that using different detrending techniques biases the results from extreme value statistics. Hence, we recommend using a 1-year moving average of high waters (or hourly records if these are available) to correct the original data sets for seasonal and long-term sea level changes. Our results highlight that the peaks over threshold method yields more reliable and more stable (i.e. using short records leads to the same results as when using long records) estimates of probabilities of extreme still water levels than the block maxima method. In analysing a variety of threshold selection methods we find that using the 99.7th percentile water level leads to the most stable return water level estimates along the German Bight. This is also valid for the international stations considered. Finally, to provide guidance for coastal engineers and operators, we recommend the peaks over threshold method and define an objective approach for setting up the model. If this is applied routinely around a country, it will help overcome the problem of heterogeneous levels of protection resulting from different methods and varying model setups.     

Current countermeasure of beach erosion control and its application in Taiwan

The shoreline of Taiwan is approximately 1100 km long, composed of sandy beach, rocky coast, and reef coast. Almost half of the shoreline has been protected by seawalls, which play an important role for coastal protection and prevent people and infrastructure from coastal hazard. Besides, offshore breakwaters and groynes are also built in the serious erosion coastal shores. All these hard engineering structures made our coastal land safety to some extent at last fifty years. However, until now, the hard engineering structures applied for shore protection do not always work well on all the coasts around Taiwan. Some coastal areas still get eroded seriously with structures being damaged. Furthermore in the recent years, people gradually value the shore protection from different viewpoints, like environment, recreation, and ecology. The objectives of the shore protection are diversified by these new demands.Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the strategy on how to conjoint soft solutions into the current hard engineering structures for beach erosion control throughout Taiwan coast. Meanwhile, this paper will also introduce environmentally, user-oriented, and technically sound creditable protection works to meet the new trends of shore protection. For application purpose, two local sites in the southwestern Taiwan coast are selected for field experimental study to integrate the proposed soft solution with hard shore protection system at present. Furthermore for coastal management purpose, this paper also collects and analyzes hydro-morphodynamic data around Taiwan in order to identify beach erosion mechanism. Lastly, the results are presented by database and geographic information system.     

Beach response to wave energy converter farms acting as coastal defence

One of the greatest challenges of coastal engineering today is the need for coastal protection in the changing climate scenario. Places which are nowadays protected will demand upgraded defences and more sites will require security; in all cases a large amount of resources will be needed to ensure beach maintenance and coastal safety. This may be an opportunity for the multi-purpose use of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) if the foreseen increase of energy demand in coastal areas is also considered. In this paper a group of WECs based on different operating concepts is numerically tested in front of two beaches, i.e. the Bay of Santander in Spain and Las Glorias beach in Mexico, representing two different case studies where the long-shore sediment transport is dominant. The hydrodynamics induced by these devices is represented by means of a 2D elliptic modified mild-slope model that is calibrated against new experimental results. The wave field is then used as input for the analytical calculation of the long-shore sediment transport and the coastline trend is estimated by applying the continuity of sediment equation. The characteristics of the selected numerical models give this work a first approach level. All the devices were found to produce a positive trend (accretion) at least in small areas. Recommendations are given to facilitate the selection of the device and the design of the farm layout for shore protection purpose.     

An assessment of the non-market value of the ecosystem services provided by the Catalan coastal zone,Spain

A spatial value transfer analysis was performed to generate baseline estimates of the value of ecosystem services in the coastal zone of Catalonia, Spain. The study used the best available conceptual frameworks, data sources, and analytical techniques to generate non-market monetary value estimates that can be used to identify scarce ecosystem services among competing coastal uses. The approach focused on natural and seminatural, terrestrial and marine systems, which provide essential services that are not considered in current economic markets. Results show that in 2004 a substantial economic value of $3,195 million USD/yr was delivered to local citizens by surrounding ecosystems. In a spatially explicit manner, the approach illustrates the contribution made by natural environmental systems to the well being of communities in the coastal zone of Catalonia. It is hoped that this study will highlight the need to consider these coastal systems in future management strategies to ensure their proper maintenance and conservation.     

围填海工程平面设计评价方法探讨

以盘锦辽滨沿海经济区区域建设用海规划和长兴岛临港工业区区域建设用海规划为应用示范案例,开展了围填海工程平面设计评价方法的应用示范研究。结果表明,本研究建立的围填海工程平面设计评价方法体系具有较广泛的适用性和实用性,可以指导和促进我国围填海工程平面设计向离岸式、岛群式、组团式方向发展。盘锦辽滨沿海经济区区域建设用海规划围填海工程平面设计综合评价数值达到0.88,属于Ⅴ等级,平面设计优秀。长兴岛临港工业区区域建设用海规划围填海工程平面设计综合评价值0.68,属于Ⅳ等级,平面设计优良。     

基于陆海统筹的海岸带空间功能分区——以宁波市为例

海岸带空间功能分区是优化海岸带开发与保护的基础性工作,在国土空间规划体系中具有重要作用。当前我国海陆功能分区在分区层级、分区方法等方面并不一致,导致海岸带保护与开发利用失衡。本文在梳理国内外海岸带空间功能分区研究的基础上,从陆海统筹角度出发,构建海岸带空间功能分区体系,并以宁波市为例进行验证,在优先划定生态保护区基础上,对海陆空间进行适宜性评价,根据评价结果确定功能分区。结果表明：（1）宁波市海岸带功能区中生态保护区面积占比约为60%,海陆一体发展区占比约为22.3%,海洋发展区占比约为12.5%,陆地发展区占比约为5.2%;(2)宁波市开发利用功能区空间分布与以临港产业、海洋服务业和海洋渔业为基础的海洋经济发展导向相符。海岸带空间功能分区要以生态保护为底线,以优化空间布局为导向,为优化海岸带开发与保护提供有力支撑。     

EU marine strategy framework directive (MSFD) and marine spatial planning (MSP): Which is the more dominant and practicable contributor to maritime policy in the UK?

This paper is a comparative analysis of the contribution to UK marine governance of two recent EU initiatives: the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). MSFD imposed a duty on Member States to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in four regional seas, while MSP required Member States to replace their fragmented, sector-based system of maritime decision making with an integrated approach. This paper explains MSFD and MSP, examines their relationship, and compares their practicability, concluding that MSP is both the more dominant and the more practicable instrument, reflecting the UK's preference for sustainable development over conservationism in marine policy. A recent proposal by the European Commission to make MSP and integrated coastal management a Directive reinforces the UK position.     

福建省连江县海岸带生态保护修复的现状、问题和对策

为维护和改善海岸带生态环境、提升海岸带生态价值、保障海岸带生态安全以及推进海洋生态文明建设,文章分析当前连江县海岸带面临的主要生态环境问题,并提出未来亟须开展的海岸带保护修复重点工程和对策建议。结果表明:当前连江县海岸带面临外来物种入侵、海洋垃圾量大面广、典型滨海湿地生境被破坏、部分岸线和景观受损严重、渔业生产设施无序堆放、海水水质和生态环境质量下降以及台风和赤潮影响生态安全7个生态环境问题;针对上述问题,亟须重点从滨海湿地保护修复工程、海洋环境综合整治工程、岸线和景观保护修复工程以及海岸带监测预警工程4个方面开展连江县海岸带生态保护修复工作,并从明确责任主体和加强组织领导、拓宽资金投入渠道、加强科技支撑、实行目标责任制以及健全监督管理机制5个方面保障海岸带生态保护修复重点工程的顺利实施。     

Implementation of coastal erosion management in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a low-lying country, in which 9 million people are living below sea level and 70% of the gross domestic product is being earned in areas below sea level. Therefore, protection against flooding is traditionally the primary focus of coastal policy in the Netherlands. Analysis shows that characteristics of Dutch coastal management very well comply with the recommendations and key concepts to support sustainable coastal management as issued by the EU in 2004 (EUROSION). Sediment management represents the core of erosion management in the Netherlands; key concepts like resilience, coastal sediment cells, favorable sediment status and strategic sediment reservoirs, are important building stones. Development and implementation of coastal erosion management in the Netherlands, has implicitly been guided by a systematic Frame-of-Reference. Characteristics of this approach are the definition of clear objectives at different levels (i.e. strategic, tactical and operational) and an operational decision recipe related to policy development and implementation. Application of the Frame-of-Reference to current problems and challenges in Dutch coastal management indicates its ability to reveal shortcomings of the existing approach, and to explore potential solutions. Where EUROSION offers important concepts to define coastal erosion management, the Frame-of-Reference offers a tool to discern different objectives and responsibilities. The combination of both strongly supports implementation of coastal erosion management.     

海南临高海岸带典型生态环境问题与对策研究

为改善临高县海岸带生态环境、提升海岸带生态价值及保障海岸带生态安全,文章在实地考察、文献查阅和资料梳理的基础上,概述了当前临高县海岸带面临的典型生态环境问题,分析生态环境退化的主要原因,提出了海岸带保护修复的对策建议。研究结果表明：临高海岸带地区砂质海岸、红树林、珊瑚礁和白蝶贝等面临较严重的海岸侵蚀、生态环境退化和生物资源枯竭等问题;砂质海岸侵蚀主要受海平面上升、风暴潮等自然因素影响,红树林生态系统主要受围海养殖、环境污染影响,珊瑚礁、白蝶贝等海洋生态系统则主要受渔业捕捞、水体污染等人为活动影响;基于海岸生态退化现状及原因分析,提出文澜河口、抱吴港等岸段开展沙滩喂养及生态堤建设,新盈湾、黄龙湾、金牌湾等重点区实施红树林修复,珊瑚礁、白蝶贝保育区加强自然封育、严防人工干扰等建议措施。     

海岸带区域海洋生态环境承载力综合评价方法体系的探讨与分析

作为协调海岸带区域开发利用活动与生态环境保护之间关系,衡量海岸带区域可持续发展能力的重要手段之一,海洋生态环境承载力综合评价的量化研究至关重要。文章总结了当前海洋生态环境承载力综合评价研究中所存在的问题,比较分析了当前承载力评价中常用的技术方法,并结合海岸带区域的特点,遴选出一套适用于海岸带区域海洋生态环境承载力综合评价的方法体系;在此基础上,通过案例应用的结果分析,进一步探讨该方法体系的可行性与局限性,并提出了改进建议。研究结果表明：鉴于海岸带区域生态系统的复杂性和不确定性,目前一些传统、常用的承载力评价方法,并不能很好地适用于海岸带区域海洋生态环境承载力综合评价;文章所提出的方法体系通过充分考虑人类活动与海洋生态环境之间的相互作用,能较好地支持海岸带区域海洋生态环境承载力评价指标体系的建立,客观地对各项评价指标进行赋权,并能定量化地对海洋生态环境承载力开展综合分析与评估,从而为海岸带区域生态环境承载力综合评价提供一个可行的途径,并为确保海岸带区域的可持续发展提供经验参考;此外,该方法体系存在着两方面的局限性,包括缺乏权威和统一的指标体系构建方法,以及缺乏具体的评价结果分级标准。鉴此,建议未来需要对指标体系构建和评价结果分类标准的相关方法,进一步开展深入研究,从而不断地完善海洋生态环境承载力综合评价的方法体系,使海洋生态环境承载力综合评价的结果更加科学精确。     

Status of the marine protected area network across the English channel (La Manche): Cross-country similarities and differences in MPA designation,management and monitoring

Recent international policy developments require states to conserve at least 10% of coastal and marine areas by creating effectively managed and ecologically coherent networks of protected areas in the marine environment. In the framework of the PANACHE project, the current status of designation, management and monitoring of the network of marine protected areas (MPAs) of an important environmental, social and economic marine area: the English Channel (the Channel) was examined. Currently 224 MPAs exist belonging to 12 different designation categories and covering 17 440 km², or approximately 20.3% of the project area in the Channel. International protection targets in the marine environment are thus met at this regional scale, although the individual contributions of the UK and France are considerably different, with French MPAs accounting for nearly 80% of the total area protected. Differences between countries are also found regarding MPA designation categories (11 in France, 6 in the UK, 1 in the Channel Islands) and management structures (with more actors involved in the UK) and approach, whereas the monitoring techniques used are similar, although more standardised in the UK. Pending challenges include greater within-country and cross-country MPA designation, monitoring and management simplicity, integration and coordination as well as the assessment of management effectiveness and ecological coherence of the Channel network of MPAs.     

厦门海岸类型变迁与经济发展的关联性研究

为定量研究沿海城市经济高速发展对其海岸类型变迁的影响以及海岸类型变迁历程对经济发展阶段的响应作用,文章基于厦门地区30余年来海岸类型和海洋经济的统计数据,阐明自厦门经济特区成立以来不同海岸类型占比变化与海洋经济总值和产业类型变化的规律及其关联性。厦门海岸类型变迁经历3个阶段:1984—2000年,海岸开发利用处于起步阶段,海岸利用类型为以盐业和渔业为主的粗放型和集约化的低产值类型;2000—2010年,海岸开发利用处于高速发展阶段,海岸利用类型为以大规模填海造地、交通运输和旅游娱乐为主的开发型高产值类型;2010年至今,海岸开发利用处于合理开发与保护并行且以保护为重的恢复阶段,海岸利用类型为生态恢复和软质护岸等近自然类型。厦门海岸类型变迁与经济发展密切相关,人类日益增长的物质文明和生态文明需求对城市海岸类型变迁的响应特征十分显著。从粗放型第一产业,到发展型第二产业,再到保护型第三产业,经济发展从理念与要求并存到理念超越要求,最终实现理念与要求和谐共存和相融互进的经济发展模式。