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Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Oceans and Coastal Zones".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 3679

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fu Wang

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Guest Editor

Tianjin Center (North China Center of Geoscience Innovation), China Geological Survey (CGS), Tianjin 300170, China
Interests: geo-environmental evolution; Holocene sea-level changes; modern sedimentation; ecological protection; geological safety

Dr. Fengling Yu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Interests: coastal evolution; sea level change; monsoon climate change; quaternary environmental change; coastal hazards

Dr. Yan Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Ocean Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: geo-environmental evolution; sedimentation; quaternary geology; geochronology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Xiaohe Lai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant

College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
Interests: estuarine and coastal evolution; coastal hazards; water resources assessment; sediment transport; machine learning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coastal regions are characterized by their flourishing economies and well-developed societies. Nevertheless, their geological environments are notably fragile. In the context of global climate change, human activities have caused sea-level rise and a decline in river flow; coastal areas are confronted with immense geological–environmental pressures.

This Special Issue aims to provide readers with information on the latest research progress in the field of long-term coastal evolution, including (but not limited to) delta transgression and regression, Holocene sea-level change, coastal and shallow-sea morphodynamics, tidal flat and wetland ecosystem adaptations, shoreline migrations, etc. The goal of this Special Issue is to explore the patterns and driving mechanisms of natural succession at different scales and to support the development of nature-based solutions for ecosystem protection and coastal safety recommendations.

Dr. Fu Wang
Dr. Fengling Yu
Dr. Yan Li
Dr. Xiaohe Lai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

coastal evolution
transgression
Holocene sea-level change
coastal wetland
shoreline change
ecosystem protection
coastal safety

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 869 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Soil Salinization Characteristics in Coastal Area of Panjin City, Liaoning Province

by Jiaquan Sun, Wanbing Song, Xiubo Sun, Jian Cui and Hongwei Ma

Water 2025, 17(18), 2666; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17182666 - 9 Sep 2025

Abstract

Soil salinization is one of the major geological environmental issues in the coastal area of Panjin City, Liaoning Province. By collecting soil samples from the upper 0–40 cm and conducting total salt content tests, this study summarizes the statistical characteristics of soil salinity content, analyzes the correlations between soil salinity ions and total salt content, explores the spatial distribution characteristics of soil salinization in the study area, evaluates soil salinization, and identifies the driving factors of soil salinization in the region. The results show that the total salt content in the study area ranges from 1.3 to 9.0 g kg⁻¹, with Na⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻ being the dominant ions. Total salt content is positively correlated with Mg²⁺, Na⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻, indicating that the main forms of salinity are sulfates and chlorides. The degree of soil salinization is classified as mild to moderate. The types of soil salinization change from the center to the sides in the following order: sulfate type → chloride–sulfate type → sulfate–chloride type. The degree of soil salinization shows distinct zonality, gradually decreasing from the coastal area to the inland. The main driving factor of soil salinization is the groundwater level, while the evapotranspiration ratio and groundwater salinity are secondary factors that jointly control the process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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18 pages, 6739 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial–Temporal Change and Dominant Factors of Coastline in Zhuhai City from 1987 to 2022

by Tao Ma, Haolin Li, Yandi She, Yuanyuan Zhao, Xueke Feng and Feng Zhang

Water 2025, 17(17), 2569; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172569 - 31 Aug 2025

Viewed by 625

Abstract

Understanding the spatiotemporal variations and driving mechanisms of coastlines is crucial for their adequate protection, utilization, and sustainable development. In this study, the changes in various coastline types in Zhuhai from 1987 to 2022 were analyzed by using long-term Landsat and GaoFen satellite imagery. The Index of Coastline Type Diversity (ICTD), Index of Coastline Utilization Degree (ICUD) and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) analysis indicators were employed to investigate coastline change. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were integrated to comprehensively elucidate the impacts of various driving factors. The results indicate that the total length of Zhuhai coastline increased from 761.50 km in 1987 to 798.91 km in 2022, with natural coastlines decreasing by 89.82 km and artificial coastlines increasing by 153.40 km. The rapid expansion of artificial coastlines since 2007 led to a marked decline in the ICTD indicator, while the ICUD indicator increased from 146.42 in 1987 to 216.37 in 2022, reflecting the intensified and continuous influence of anthropogenic activities. Additionally, the end point rate (EPR) and Weighted Linear Regression Rate (WLR) changed by 8.09 m/yr and 6.62 m/yr, respectively. The Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE) and Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) exhibited average changes of 331.42 m and 224.32 m, respectively. Gray correlation and regression analyses further revealed that climate factors exhibited the strongest association with natural coastline changes, while economic development indicators showed the strongest correlation with artificial coastline dynamics. The relationship of Number of Berths in Main Ports (Nb) with coastline changes strongly suggests that human activities are the primary driver of these changes. These findings provide a robust scientific basis for coastal zone management in Zhuhai. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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19 pages, 13362 KB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulations of Extratropical Storm Surge in the Bohai Bay Based on a Coupled Atmosphere–Ocean–Wave Model

by Yong Li, Xuezheng Liu, Junjie Liu and Guangsen Xiong

Water 2025, 17(16), 2364; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17162364 - 9 Aug 2025

Viewed by 563

Abstract

The Bohai Bay is particularly vulnerable to storm surges triggered by extratropical storms or cold-air outbreaks. A coupled atmosphere–ocean–wave model with high resolution is presented and applied to simulate a cold-air outbreak that happened in late November 2004. The surge dynamics are examined in detail. Each model component is separately validated, demonstrating that the triply coupled system can reproduce intense winds, storm surge amplitudes, and significant surface waves with high fidelity. The potential coupling effects on the simulation results are investigated. Six experiments are performed covering various coupling models, and a two-way nesting technique is utilized during simulation. After comparison it shows that there is little difference in wind speed between the three numerical models and that the reanalysis data may significantly underestimate extreme winds. The evident improvements are obtained for peak values of water level when using the atmosphere–ocean coupled configuration versus uncoupled model simulation. It also can be found that the negative surge can be captured by each of the coupled and uncoupled models. The ocean–wave coupled configuration yields significant wave heights that closely match in situ measurements, underscoring the critical role of ocean–wave interaction in storm wave prediction. Our findings confirm that the fully coupled model is well-suited for forecasting extratropical storm surge in Bohai Bay. Northeast winds emerge as the primary driver, with the western coast of Bohai Bay bearing the greatest impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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14 pages, 137609 KB

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring Regional Terrestrial Water Storage Variations Using GNSS Data

by Dejian Wu, Jian Qin and Hao Chen

Water 2025, 17(14), 2128; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17142128 - 17 Jul 2025

Viewed by 490

Abstract

Accurately monitoring terrestrial water storage (TWS) variations is essential due to global climate change and growing water demands. This study investigates TWS changes in Oregon, USA, using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data from the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) level-3 mascon data from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Noah model data from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) data. The results show that the GNSS inversion offers superior spatial resolution, clearly capturing a water storage gradient from 300 mm in the Cascades to 20 mm in the basin and accurately distinguishing between mountainous and basin areas. However, the GRACE data exhibit blurred spatial variability, with the equivalent water height amplitude ranging from approximately 100 mm to 145 mm across the study area, making it difficult to resolve terrestrial water storage gradients. Moreover, GLDAS exhibits limitations in mountainous regions. The GNSS can provide continuous dynamic monitoring, with results aligning well with seasonal trends seen in GRACE and GLDAS data, although with a 1–2 months phase lag compared to the precipitation data, reflecting hydrological complexity. Future work may incorporate geological constraints, region-specific elastic models, and regularization strategies to improve monitoring accuracy. This study demonstrates the strong potential of GNSS technology for monitoring TWS dynamics and supporting environmental assessment, disaster warning, and water resource management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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24 pages, 3783 KB

Open AccessArticle

Morphodynamic Interactions Between Sandbar, Beach Profile, and Dune Under Variable Hydrodynamic and Morphological Conditions

by Alirio Sequeira, Carlos Coelho and Márcia Lima

Water 2025, 17(14), 2112; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17142112 - 16 Jul 2025

Viewed by 350

Abstract

Coastal areas are increasingly vulnerable to erosion, a process that can lead to severe consequences such as flooding and land loss. This study investigates strategies for preventing and mitigating coastal erosion, with a particular focus on nature-based solutions, notably artificial sand nourishment. Artificial nourishment has proven to be an effective method for erosion control. However, its success depends on factors such as the placement location, sediment volume, and frequency of operations. To optimize these interventions, simulations were conducted using both a numerical model (CS-Model) and a physical flume model, based on the same cross-section beach/dune profile, to compare cross-shore nourishment performance across different scenarios. The numerical modeling approach is presented first, including a description of the reference prototype-scale scenario. This is followed by an overview of the physical modeling, detailing the experimental 2D cross-section flume setup and tested scenarios. These scenarios simulate nourishment interventions with variations in beach profile, aiming to assess the influence of water level, berm width, bar volume, and bar geometry. The results from both numerical and physical simulations are presented, focusing on the cross-shore morphological response of the beach profile under wave action, particularly the effects on profile shape, water level, bar volume, and the position and depth of the bar crest. The main conclusion highlights that a wider initial berm leads to greater wave energy dissipation, thereby contributing to the mitigation of dune erosion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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16 pages, 4926 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Characteristics of the Water Diversion Ratio and Impact of the Diversion Dyke at South and North Ports of the Minjiang River During Wet Season

by Cheng Chen, Weijia Yang, Zhihui Wang, Kailong Huangfu, Feng Cai, Haoyan Chen and Youlin Chen

Water 2025, 17(8), 1183; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081183 - 15 Apr 2025

Viewed by 452

Abstract

The hydrodynamic processes in estuarine regions play a crucial role in the morphological and ecological stability of coastal zones. As a key hydrodynamic characteristic of bifurcated rivers, the water diversion ratio (WDR) influences flow distribution, sediment transport, and shoreline changes in estuaries. This study focuses on the lower Minjiang River and employs a MIKE 21-based two-dimensional hydrodynamic model to quantify the WDR variations between the South and North Ports on the scale of a tidal cycle during the wet season and to reveal the regulatory effects of diversion dyke length and angle. The results indicate that the WDR of the North Port exhibits significant variation with tidal stages. The WDR of the North Port increases with the length of the diversion dyke. The current 110 m-long dyke has little effect on regulating water flow between the North and South Ports, and its WDR remains unaffected by changes in angle. In contrast, a 450 m-long dyke is highly sensitive to angle variations. This study not only provides scientific support for channel regulation in the lower Minjiang River but also offers indirect insights into shoreline stability and ecological management under the combined influence of human activities and natural processes in estuarine environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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18 pages, 7353 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Shifts and Driving Mechanisms of Embodied Carbon in Water Transport Trade in BRICS Countries

by Shanshan Zheng, Cheng Chen and Peng Qiu

Water 2025, 17(7), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17071070 - 3 Apr 2025

Viewed by 454

Abstract

From an ecological protection perspective, clarifying the spatial and temporal transfer characteristics of embodied carbon in water transport trade among BRICS countries and its driving mechanisms is of great significance for the precise formulation of emission reduction policies. This study integrates the multi-regional input–output model with the LMDI decomposition method to quantitatively analyze the bi-directional flow of embodied carbon in water transport trade among BRICS countries from 1995 to 2018, along with its spatio-temporal differentiation patterns. The driving mechanisms are decomposed across three dimensions: scale, structure, and intensity. By adopting a dual perspective of time-series and spatial correlation, the study systematically uncovers the cross-regional transfer patterns of embodied carbon emissions in water transport trade and examines the interaction pathways of various effects throughout their dynamic evolution. The study finds that (1) the embodied carbon in water transport trade among BRICS countries shows a trend of transnational transfer, with China being the largest net exporter (35.15 Mt in 2018), India and South Africa as net importers (−32.00 Mt and −1.89 Mt in 2018, respectively), and Brazil and Russia shifting from net importers to net exporters; (2) from a temporal perspective, the scale effect drives the growth of embodied carbon emissions (contribution values: 1.23~119.72 Mt for export trade; 4.88~34.36 Mt for import trade), while the intensity effect has a suppressive role (contribution values: −59.08~−1.48 Mt for export trade; −20.56~−5.31 Mt for import trade), and the structural effect is complex in its impact on emissions (contribution values: −17.72~0.45 Mt for export trade; −6.84~13.93 Mt for import trade). Optimizing the trade structure can help reduce carbon emissions; (3) from a spatial perspective, carbon emissions are higher in Southeast Asia and the Northern Hemisphere, and changes in China’s carbon emissions (total effect in 2018: 57.01 Mt in export trade and 7.98 Mt in import trade) significantly affect other BRICS countries. Based on the conclusions of the study, it is suggested that BRICS countries should strengthen cooperation to achieve regional emission reduction targets by optimizing the trade structure of water transport, promoting energy structure reforms, advancing green transport technologies and equipment, and establishing a carbon emission regulatory system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Coastal Evolution and Morphodynamics: Ecosystem Protection and Coastal Safety)

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