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Maintaining tropical beaches with seagrass and algae: a promising alternative to engineering solutions
James, R.K.; Silva, R.; van Tussenbroek, B.I.; Escudero-Castillo, M.; Mariño-Tapia, I.; Dijkstra, H.A.; van Westen, R.M.; Pietrzak, J.D.; Candy, A.S.; Katsman, C.A.; van der Boog, C.G.; Riva, R.E.M.; Slobbe, C.; Klees, R.; Stapel, J.; van der Heide, T.; van Katwijk, M.M.; Herman, P.M.J.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Maintaining tropical beaches with seagrass and algae: a promising alternative to engineering solutions. BioScience 69(2): 136-142. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy154

Additional data:
In: BioScience. American Institute of Biological Sciences: Washington, D.C.. ISSN 0006-3568; e-ISSN 1525-3244
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
  • NIOZ: NIOZ Open Repository - Accepted Manuscripts 326139 [ download pdf ]
  • NIOZ: NIOZ files 326138
Keyword
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    coastal erosion; nature-based engineering; ecosystem services; coastal protection; coastal management
Authors  Top 
  • James, R.K.
  • Silva, R.
  • van Tussenbroek, B.I.
  • Escudero-Castillo, M.
  • Mariño-Tapia, I.
  • Dijkstra, H.A.
  • van Westen, R.M.
  • Pietrzak, J.D.
  • Candy, A.S.
  • Katsman, C.A.
  • van der Boog, C.G.
  • Riva, R.E.M.
  • Slobbe, C.
  • Klees, R.
  • Stapel, J.
  • van der Heide, T.
  • van Katwijk, M.M.
  • Herman, P.M.J.
  • Bouma, T.J.
Abstract
    Tropical beaches provide coastal flood protection, income from tourism, and habitat for flagship species. They urgently need protection from erosion, which is being exacerbated by changing climate and coastal development. Traditional coastal engineering solutions are expensive, provide unstable temporary solutions, and often disrupt natural sediment transport. Instead, natural foreshore stabilization and nourishment may provide a sustainable and resilient long-term solution. Field flume and ecosystem process measurements, along with data from the literature, show that sediment stabilization by seagrass in combination with sediment-producing calcifying algae in the foreshore form an effective mechanism for maintaining tropical beaches worldwide. The long-term efficacy of this type of nature-based beach management is shown at a large scale by comparing vegetated and unvegetated coastal profiles. We argue that preserving and restoring vegetated beach foreshore ecosystems offers a viable, self-sustaining alternative to traditional engineering solutions, increasing the resilience of coastal areas to climate change.
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