Climate change and coastal zones: An overview of the state-of-the-art on regional and local vulnerability assessment

This paper provides an overview of the latest developments in methodologies for assessing the vulnerability of coastal zones to climate change at regional and local scales. The focus of vulnerability assessment in coastal zones used to be on erosion and land loss due to sea-level rise. Methodologies now increasingly consider the wide range of climate and impact variables that play a part in determining coastal vulnerability, as well as non-climatic developments. The paper presents a conceptual framework for vulnerability assessment that identifies a number of system components that can be considered determinants of vulnerability. It then goes on to outline a number of steps that are required for the actual assessment of coastal vulnerability, such as scenario development, data collection and impact assessment. The approach is illustrated using a regional and local case study in Germany

New expert- based coastal classification: a GIS tool to compare and analyze coastal regions

A coastline is the area where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs. Coastal areas are very high- dynamic regions, continuously affected and permanently formed by littoral geomorphologic processes (Bird 2008). The configuration of a coast is associated with variou s factors, such as the geological setting, s ub strate -lithology, ecosystem characteristics, regional climate, wave and tidal regimes, human development and near shore infrastructure. To conduct a coastal classification in broad se n se i s a fairly com plex task, depending on the objective of the work. Many di.fferent concepts h ave been applied to coasts in attempts to characterize dominant features in terms of physical or biological propertie s, modes of evolution, geographic occurrence, among others (Finkl 2004). Also, the need for a better coastal management dueto the wodd-wide human pressures on the coastal zone and the resulting vulnerability when erosion processes and human activity come into conflict, motivated the development of coastal classification criteria that fit di.fferent purposes (Finkl 2004, I h1 et al 2006, Appelq ui st 2013, Appelq uist y B alstr0m 2014 ). Sorne of the ear lier classification approaches were broad in scope but lacked important details while other specialized systems were topicallytoo focused. As a result of more com prehensive studies of coasts and the increasing availability of digital information, such as Geographic Information System (GIS) frameworks, integrated and systematics approaches to coastal cla ssifi cation are now the preferred options (Finkl 2004 y Scheffers et al 2012). Present-day managem e nt demands require problem solutions, which ovedook and integrate the marine, littoral and terrestrial sphere of the coastal zone

A typology of household-level adaptation to coastal flooding and its spatio-temporal patterns

The predicted sea-level rise and changes in storm surge regimes are expected to lead to an increasing risk of flooding in coastal regions. Accommodation can be an alternative to protection in many areas, with household-level adaptation potentially constituting an important element of such a strategy, as it can significantly reduce costs. To date, a systematic typology of household-level adaptation to coastal flooding does not exist. In order to bridge this gap, we conducted a series of quantitative surveys in different coastal areas in Denmark, Germany and Argentina. We applied a cluster analysis in order to categorise the adaptive behaviour of coastal households. Coastal households were found to cluster in four groups that we term: the comprehensives, the theoreticians, the minimalists and the structurals. With the exception of households focusing on the implementation of high-effort structural measures, our results show the affiliation to these groups to follow a specific temporal sequence. At the same time, large differences in category affiliation exist between the study areas. Risk communication tools can utilise our typology to selectively target specific types of households or to ensure that the information needs of all groups are addressed.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

A typology of household-level adaptation to coastal flooding and its spatio-temporal patterns

The predicted sea-level rise and changes in storm surge regimes are expected to lead to an increasing risk of flooding in coastal regions. Accommodation can be an alternative to protection in many areas, with household-level adaptation potentially constituting an important element of such a strategy, as it can significantly reduce costs. To date, a systematic typology of household-level adaptation to coastal flooding does not exist. In order to bridge this gap, we conducted a series of quantitative surveys in different coastal areas in Denmark, Germany and Argentina. We applied a cluster analysis in order to categorise the adaptive behaviour of coastal households. Coastal households were found to cluster in four groups that we term: the comprehensives, the theoreticians, the minimalists and the structurals. With the exception of households focusing on the implementation of high-effort structural measures, our results show the affiliation to these groups to follow a specific temporal sequence. At the same time, large differences in category affiliation exist between the study areas. Risk communication tools can utilise our typology to selectively target specific types of households or to ensure that the information needs of all groups are addressed.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Procesos modeladores en los acantilados de Las Grutas, provincia de Río Negro

Los acantilados desarrollados en la localidad de Las Grutas, al N del golfo San Matías, representan uno de los ambientes más particulares del litoral argentino. Los factores que han condicionado su particular evolución están relacionados con los procesos litorales, la meteorización, la litología, cambios del nivel del mar, escurrimientos subterráneos y superficiales y remoción en masa, entre los más importantes. Si bien existe una percepción de parte de la población de que los mismos están retrocediendo de manera alarmante, no se han observado procesos erosivos importantes que sustenten estas apreciaciones. Se considera que las condiciones litológicas heterogéneas del frente acantilado, han condicionado el escurrimiento subterráneo, haciendo más propensos los sectores finamente estratificados a la erosión, encontrando el mar una situación más favorable para los procesos mecánicos e hidráulicos. Asimismo, se considera que el sector de los acantilados donde se desarrollan las cavernas más prominentes, constituye uno de los sectores costeros mas estables, reflejado en la presencia no solo de las cavernas, sino también en la saliente que la costa forma en este lugar, el que se asocia a escasos procesos de agrietamiento de todo el sistema, producto de escasos cambios en la humectación y secado. Asimismo, la depresión topográfica que se manifiesta en el sector central, produce el accionar de las olas sobre los estratos más heterogéneos de manera recurrente, llevando a la formación de la gran cantidad de cavernas desarrolladas casi con exclusividad en este sector.The cliffs developed in the town of Las Grutas, at the northen part of San Matías Gulf, represent one of the most unique environments of the Argentine coast. The factors that have conditioned their particular evolution are related to the littoral action, weathering, lithology, changes in sea level, underground and surface runoff and landslides, among the most important. There is a perception on the part of the population that they are receding alarmingly, it has not been found major erosion to sustain those opinions. It is considered that the heterogeneous geological characteristics of the cliff front have conditioned the underground runoff, making the areas finely stratified more prone to erosion, finding the sea a more favorable mechanical and hydraulic processes situation. It is also considered that the cliff sector, where the most prominent caves are developed, is one of the most stable coastal areas, evidenced by the presence not only of the caves, but also in the prominent exposure of the coastal forms here, which is associated with low cracking processes of the entire system as a result of little change in the wetting and drying. Also, a lower topographical situation determines the recurrence of wave action on heterogeneous strata, leading this cliff sector to the formation of the caves

A typology of household-level adaptation to coastal flooding and its spatio-temporal patterns

The predicted sea-level rise and changes in storm surge regimes are expected to lead to an increasing risk of flooding in coastal regions. Accommodation can be an alternative to protection in many areas, with household-level adaptation potentially constituting an important element of such a strategy, as it can significantly reduce costs. To date, a systematic typology of household-level adaptation to coastal flooding does not exist. In order to bridge this gap, we conducted a series of quantitative surveys in different coastal areas in Denmark, Germany and Argentina. We applied a cluster analysis in order to categorise the adaptive behaviour of coastal households. Coastal households were found to cluster in four groups that we term: the comprehensives, the theoreticians, the minimalists and the structurals. With the exception of households focusing on the implementation of high-effort structural measures, our results show the affiliation to these groups to follow a specific temporal sequence. At the same time, large differences in category affiliation exist between the study areas. Risk communication tools can utilise our typology to selectively target specific types of households or to ensure that the information needs of all groups are addressed.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Procesos modeladores en los acantilados de Las Grutas, provincia de Río Negro

Fil: Fucks, Enrique. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Análisis de Tritio y Radiocarbono; ArgentinaFil: Schnack, Enrique J.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Oceanografía Costera y Estuarios; ArgentinaFil: Scalice, Armando. Consultor independiente; ArgentinaFil: Kai, Ahrendt. Albrechts Universtitat zue Kiel. Geographisches Institut Christian; AlemaniaFil: Vafeidis, Nassos. Albrechts Universtitat zue Kiel. Geographisches Institut Christian; AlemaniaFil: Sterr, Horst. Albrechts Universtitat zue Kiel. Geographisches Institut Christian; Alemani