Estuaries

A reference volume discussing the dynamics, mixing, sediment regimes and morphological evolution in estuaries for researchers, students and engineers.

Coasts and Estuaries: The Future provides valuable information on how we can protect and maintain natural ecological structures while also allowing estuaries to deliver services that produce societal goods and benefits. These issues are addressed through chapters detailing case studies from estuaries and coastal waters worldwide, presenting a full range of natural variability and human pressures. Following this, a series of chapters written by scientific leaders worldwide synthesizes the problems and offers solutions for specific issues graded within the framework of the socio-economic-environmental mosaic. These include fisheries, climate change, coastal megacities, evolving human-nature interactions, remediation measures, and integrated coastal management. The problems faced by half of the world living near coasts are truly a worldwide challenge as well as an opportunity for scientists to study commonalities and differences and provide solutions. This book is centered around the proposed DAPSI(W)R(M) framework, where drivers of basic human needs requires activities that each produce pressures. The pressures are mechanisms of state change on the natural system and Impacts on societal welfare (including well-being). These problems then require responses, which are the solutions relating to governance, socio-economic and cultural measures (Scharin et al 2016). Covers estuaries and coastal seas worldwide, integrating their commonality, differences and solutions for sustainability Includes global case studies from leading worldwide contributors, with accompanying boxes highlighting a synopsis about a particular estuary and coastal sea, making all information easy to find Presents full color images to aid the reader in a better understanding of details of each case study Provides a multi-disciplinary approach, linking biology, physics, climate and social sciences

This is the first book to be entirely devoted to the geomorphology and sedimentology of estuaries. The chapters in the book are structured according to the morphogenetic classification which is based on a new definition of estuaries and covers all areas within this field. The material is presented in such a way that it serves both as a reference for the researcher and as a textbook for use on courses covering estuaries, coastal environments, sedimentology and oceanography. Internationally renowned specialists have provided in-depth descriptions of the geomorphology, sedimentology and interactive processes associated with each particular subject.

The book describes an integrated theory that links estuary shape to tidal hydraulics, tidal mixing and salt intrusion. The shape of an alluvial estuary is characterised by exponentially varying width and the absence of bottom slope. This topography is closely related to tidal parameters, hydraulic parameters and parameters that describe 1-dimensional mixing and salt intrusion. Starting from the fundamental equations for conservation of mass and momentum, analytical equations are derived that relate the topography to tidal parameters (tidal excursion, phase lag, tidal damping, tidal amplification), wave celerity, lateral and vertical mixing and salt intrusion. The book presents a review of the state of the art, a comprehensive theoretical background and ample case illustrations from all over the world. It provides tools with which human interference in estuary dynamics can be described and predicted, resulting from, for instance: upstream fresh water abstraction, dredging, climate change or sea-level rise. In describing the interactions between tide, topography, water quality and river discharge, it provides useful information for hydraulic engineers, morphologists, ecologists and people concerned with water quality in alluvial estuaries. Although the book can be used as a text book, it is mainly a monograph aimed at graduate students and researchers. * Provides new integrated theory for tidal hydraulics, tidal mixing and salt intrusion in alluvial estuaries * Presents a consistent set of analytical equations to compute tidal movement, tidal mixing and salt intrusion, derived from the fundamental laws of conservation of mass and momentum * Serves as a practical guide with many illustrations of applications in real estuaries

The importance and ecological significance of estuaries has been long appreciated. In the last few years, there has been increased research activity, resulting in significant advances in understanding of estuarine ecology. This special thematic volume of Advances in Ecological Research provides an overview of a number of the important areas. Ranging from the macroscale: how differences in river basins influence the loads of nutrients, through the impacts and fates of the nutrient loads, to how both phytoplanktonic and benthic estuarine primary production are regulated. There is also a review of the key factors influencing the outcome of management decisions for estuaries from the point of sustainability of estuarine resources. This volume is essential reading and reference for all those interested in estuaries including ecologists, environmental scientists, botanists, and zoologists.

One of the main impacts of global warming is accelerated sea-level rise: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predictions suggest that the rate of rise could reach as high as 5'10 mm/yr by the end of this century. While it is generally recognized that accelerated sea-level rise will severely impact low-gradient coastlines, scientists are still ill prepared to predict coastal response. A study of seven Gulf Coast estuaries (Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound, Weeks Bay, Calcasieu Lake, Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, and Corpus Christi Bay) was aimed at examining their response to past changes in the rate of sea-level rise and climate. The rates of change are of the same magnitude as those predicted for this century. The estuarine response to change has been one of abrupt landward retreat and major reorganization of estuarine environments at decadal time scales. This book should be of interest to scientists and policy makers concerned with future impacts of global warming.