Coastal Morphology

Coastal environments are continuously shaped by natural processes and human activities, resulting in changes to coastal landforms and geomorfological structures. Natural morfological evolution occurs over long periods, gradually forming stable coastal features, whereas human-induced changes often occur over much shorter timescales and can significantly disrupt the coastal environment. Because many coastal organisms have limited capacity to adapt to rapid environmental change, human-driven morfological alterations can have substantial ecological consequences.

One of the most significant impacts of coastal morfological change is the modification of coastal hydrodynamics. Changes in shoreline configuration and seabed morphology can alter tidal amplitudes, mean sea level, current velocities, sediment transport patterns, shoreline stability, and coastal habitats such as mangroves, salt marshes, and intertidal flats. These changes may also affect the diversity and abundance of aquatic organisms, as well as key water-quality parameters including salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, and nutrient concentrations.

Numerical modeling provides an effective means of simulating the physical processes associated with coastal morfological change and evaluating their physical, chemical, and biological consequences. Modeling scenarios may represent either the development of new coastal landforms and structures or the environmental responses resulting from changes in existing coastal morphology, providing valuable scientific support for coastal planning and management.