Representing and Modelling Coastal Systems Over a Regional Scale for Coastal Management

Coastal and estuarine landforms, such as beaches, dunes, saltmarshes and mudflats, mediate flood and coastal erosion risk, but are part of an evolving coastal system with dynamic properties. Present and future risk simulations generally use static bathymetry/topography and this may give a misleading view of future risk as the coastal system evolves in time and erosion is widespread. Hence, there is a fundamental need to improve and formalize predictions of coastal change at the temporal and spatial scales that are most relevant to coastal management. Such predictions should account for the key geomorphic feedbacks between climate forcing, sediment supply and morphology, including the geomorphic influence of present and future adaptation options.